Sage advice from a wise woman

Short, but...well, short

I love this picture. For some reason, it seems to capture the way I've been feeling this past week.

You'll hate yourself if you miss this

I find the most wonderful things on agent's and editor's blogs. This is one of them that led me to a wonderful talent I would otherwise have missed.

This is from Ukraine's Got Talent. Ksenyia Simonova won the contest with her emotional recount of Germany conquering Ukraine in the second world war. The calm and conflict she creates while artisticly narrating the sadness of her beloved country leaves me feeling humbled. At the end, she writes, "You are always near."

Life Without Instructions

Today I read a comment that someone left for me. It was from a woman who is raising four children, one who has Downs syndrome, who's husband is an active meth addict. I visited her blog and read her heartbreaking story.

There are so many families that have been ripped apart by meth. It's seeped into every nook and cranny of society, and has blindsided people from all walks of life. It's especially tragic when it affects children, as it so often does.

Please take a minute to read my previous post about a man who's doing something amazing to give back to his community. Anything you can give, regardless the amount, will go a long way toward helping the most innocent victims of meth addiction.

S F F S

Scooter Folk Fighting Speed. This is the brainchild of a friend of mine. His charity was just recently got their 501(c) status and is now accepting donations.

S F F S is seeking donations to provide cash assistance to extended family members who are raising the children of their meth addicted loved ones. This from the web site:

METHAMPHETAMINE
has wound it's way across our country and is setting claws into Families everywhere regardless the demographic.
The Children of the homes METH' destroys often find themselves in the Child Protective Service System. Some are fortunate in finding shelter with (extended family) members; the Biological Parents practicing this particular addiction being in no condition to remain "Role Models", actively functioning as "Custodial Entities".

The S-F-F-S mandate is easily defined:
Should we receive a substantiated request to help with temporary financial aid for an Extended Family Unit raising a child displaced due to the METHAMPHETAMINE RELATED CRISIS of their
Biological Parents; so long as the GUARDIANS are
responsible, drug free individuals themselves;
WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO HELP.
Scooter folk fighting Speed

They are in their infancy and need donations, however small, to help these families. Take a look at the "links" page. Toward the bottom of the page, you'll find details about their expenses and forecast of needs, as well as actual documents of each grant and their application for 501(c) status. I encourage you to visit the web site and give what you can. Your spare change can make a huge difference in the lives of the innocent casualties of meth abuse. Thank you, in advance, for your help.

Some words to live by

"Stop picking around the edges of the world. Take advantage, and if you can't take advantage, take disadvantage. We live here. On this planet, in this nation, in this country right here. Nowhere else! We got a home in this rock, don't you see? Nobody's starving in my home; nobody crying in my home, and if I got a home, you got one too! Grab it. Grab this land. Take it, hold it, my brothers, make it, my brothers, shake it, squeeze it, turn it, twist it, beat it, kick it, kiss it, whip it, stomp it, dig it, plow it, seed it, reap it, rent it, sell it, own it, build it, multiply it and pass it on-can you hear me? Pass it on!'"

--Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

A Day in the Life

What does a writer/aspiring author do all day? No, seriously. What do I do all day besides obsess about submissions and query letters? Lucky you, you're about to find out.

5:00 am Wake up to a song on the radio alarm clock which will now be stuck in my head all day.
5:15 am Start pumping caffeine into my system. Coffee or Diet Mountain Dew, which, by the way, is the elixir of the gods.
5:20 am Check e-mail for new invites/followers from Facebook and Twitter, respectively
5:25 am Check Facebook and Twitter for updates on the world and the people in it
5:30 am Read editor and agent blogs. Comment when appropriate.
6:00 am Acknowledge son who is now lurking behind me. Say, "Good morning, bug. Did you sleep good? Did you have some good dreams?" Refuse to talk about watching movies backwards, Star Wars, Mamma Mia or whatever else he's currently obsessing about. Talk about it anyway.
6:10 am Continue to check blogs. Check e-mail for agent responses, knowing they're in New York and should be up by now, dammit.
6:20 am Tell the bug in a boy suit that he's too stinky to be unleashed upon society. Start shower for him. Refuse to talk about movies, Star Wars, movies backwards, etc. Talk about it anyway.
6:30 am Make lunch for soon-to-be unstinky boy. Man? Oy.
6:45 am Begin blog entry or stare at computer screen wondering why I have no idea what to blog about.
7:00 am Check meth discussion boards and comment when appropriate. Also, wait with the bug for his van service to pick him up. Refuse to talk about redundant subjects. Check e-mail for agent responses. Have following conversation with son: "Where's the van?" "I don't know, honey. It's coming." "Mom, where's the van?" "I don't know, honey. It'll be here." Repeat ad nauseum until the damn van finally shows up.
7:15 am Thrown on clothes, brush teeth, get dressed. Check e-mail for agent responses.
7:30 - 10:00 am Drive people to developmental therapy. Constantly check phone for calls from agents who've requested fulls.
10:15 am Check e-mail for agent responses.
10:20 - 11:00 am Finish blog entry or lament lack thereof, re-check messages boards and blogs, Twitter, Facebook, post when appropriate
11:00 am A) Walk 5 miles B) Walk 2.5 miles C) Decide I'd be a damn fool to walk in 100 degree temperature. Feel guilty about not walking or feel like a damn fool for walking in 100 degree temperature.
11:10 am If not walking, check e-mail for agent responses. Write or stare at computer screen.

12:30 Check e-mail for agent responses, nap
2:30 Drive people home from developmental therapy
4:30 Check e-mail for agent responses, check Twitter, Facebook, agent/editor blogs, meth messages boards, comment when appropriate (I'm trying to build my platform, after all) Write.
5:00 Decide that it's not good for me to obsess about agents. Refuse to talk to son about current obsessions which now include having pizza for dinner. Talk about it anyway.
5:30 *Yell at son for playing harmonica out his second floor bedroom window for passers by. Give him dinner. Refuse to talk about lack of pizza, movies backwards, Star Wars, Mamma Mia, etc. Talk about it anyway.
6:00 Check e-mail for agent responses. Write. Engage in more social networking.
6:30 *Yell at son again about giving free concerts out his bedroom window. Refuse to discuss current obsessions.
7:00 Check e-mail for agent responses, social networking, attempt to ignore feelings of self-doubt and hopelessness.
7:30 Try to explain to son why he can't have pizza every night for dinner. Refuse to discuss current obsessions. Talk about them anyway.
8:00 Put son to bed. Spend 5 - 10 minutes discussing clouds and weather and why he can't sleep with his window open. (too hot)
8:30 Check e-mail for agent responses. One last look at social networking sites and agents/editor blogs
9:00 Check e-mail for agent responses
9:02 Go to bed, promising myself that I'll clean at least one room in the house tomorrow.
9:10 Fall asleep wondering why I haven't heard from any agents yet.
* Disclaimer: I don't really yell at him, but I do use his "in trouble" name, as in, "Andrew Thomas, close that window! It's too damn hot for free concerts!"