Tag Archives: friends

#STRONG #WOMEN – LOVE THEM – BE THEM

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Strength

By keeping their lives in order this means getting up, dressing up and showing up for life.

That includes going to work, caring for your children and your home and paying the bills. Doing all of this keeps you in charge of the things that are within your control, even when things that aren’t are knocking on your door.
Staying empowered by making good choices instead of excuses is what makes you strong.
Knowing you can count on yourself and that other people compliment you and don’t complete you is strength.
Giving a shit about what’s most important makes you strong.
Whining and complaining is not strength.
Neglecting your responsibilities is not strength.
Taking steps toward improvements, even small ones is strength.
Telling everyone how bad ass you are is not strength, that’s ego. Proving how bad ass you are by doing your best in all things is strength.
Finding joy where you are, wherever that is, is strength.
Asking for and graciously accepting help when you need it is strength. Pride, is not strength.

I’ve stood in the shower and cried my eyes out for fifteen minutes when I’m scared or feel like I can’t make it through another day of craziness. I’ve screamed at the top of my lungs in my truck while driving to work when I’m angry. Hell, I’ve even punched my pillows to death but giving up has never been an option for me. I have too many people depending on me, including myself.
Thankfully, I’ve learned just sitting quietly or getting lost in my writing helps me find my center and relieves any anxiety I’ve built up in the course of a day.

Ranting, raving and venting only release all of that negative energy into the world and keep the stresses close to you and just drag those around you down.
Yes, I still cry, scream and get angry. I’m human. I’m a work in progress and thankfully, I don’t do those things anywhere near as often as I used to out of frustration, even though some days I feel I’m provoked to the point of madness.
If I let go even a little bit, EVERYONE and EVERYTHING I’ve worked so hard my whole life for will unravel

Strength is believing in yourself. I believe.

Did Ya Miss Me? I Was Off and Running Again ~ #Vacation Time

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Since we scored a very nice condo for a steal for four days, this poor, (and I do mean poor!) struggling author was able to afford a nice little long weekend getaway in Ocean City, MD. I cannot remember exactly how many times I’ve been to this place but we’re talking about ME and the OCEAN so does it even matter?

Here are some highlights:

Bay bridge

This is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that connects the Eastern Shore of Maryland to the Western Shore where I live. Unless you want to drive 100 miles out of your way, there is no way to avoid this bridge. Get used to it. We all do.

 

Our cheap but swanky little pad for the weekend. Okay so not swanky but super cute, cozy and homey.

Our cheap but swanky little pad for the weekend. Okay so not swanky but super cute, cozy and homey.

Ahhhh at last!

Ahhhh at last!

toes

Sweet little lunch on the balcony prepared by men in swim trunks.

Sweet little lunch on the balcony prepared by men in swim trunks.

Sister in law from heaven...she knows all about vacations.

Sister in law from heaven…she knows all about vacations.

Very important supplies!

Very important supplies! Nothing but the best for us…lol It was so good too!

Yours truly ready to party!

Yours truly ready to party!

Beautiful evening with friends on the Chesapeake Bay at Seacrets.

Beautiful evening with friends on the Chesapeake Bay at Seacrets.

I SWEAR there was food too and I highly recommend the smoked tuna...to die for!

I SWEAR there was food too and I highly recommend the smoked tuna…to die for!

beach ready

Ready for the beach baby! Sorry, no full length mirror so the balcony door had to do.

Barn 34

Breakfast! Poached eggs with sauteed spinach, fresh tomatoes and avacados at a new favorite place, Barn 34! A bit pricey but the food was excellent!

breakfast

Breakfast was also provided by room service…aka my brother in law Bill. Even better because it was included in the price of our room and we didn’t have to dress up and go out to eat it! Pancakes, western omelets and country fried potatoes!

sky shot

Spectacular sunsets every night…those are free.

sunset on the bay

Here I am again, ready for a fun evening! Tonight, all you can eat steamed crabs at the Crab Bag!

Here I am again, ready for a fun evening! Tonight, all you can eat steamed crabs at the Crab Bag! They had to roll me out of there!

the fog

The view from our balcony at about 6:45am on May 30th.

 

after the fog

Same view an our later. Hello Atlantic Ocean my love!

Yeah...this place. The oldest bar in Ocean City, MD. Mainly locals only. Most pro basketball players cannot come here unless they sit down the entire time. It was a blast and the beers were cheap!

Yeah…this place. The oldest bar in Ocean City, MD. Mainly locals only. Most pro basketball players cannot come here unless they sit down the entire time. It was a blast and the beers were cheap!

Marina

Directly across the street from the Harbor Inn.

Harbor Inn

 

Coming Home

All wonderful things must come to an end. Hello Maryland traffic. Back to the real world. 😦

 

 

 

I Surrender

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Life gets to us all sometimes and I am certainly no exception to the rule.

Instead of working myself to death and worrying about things I can’t control, I’m trying a not so new technique for a few days but it’s something I’m very unaccustomed to…letting go.

Have you ever tried to screw the lid back on a jar or bottle and for some reason, the threads won’t line up and you keep unscrewing it and screwing it back on, only have to repeat this again and again?

Yeah, that’s how my head feels lately in relation to my neck.

I’ve been somewhat disappointed in the performance of my newest novel. However, I’d be an ignorant clod if I didn’t appreciate the fact that I even exist and am able to read, write and breathe at all.

  • I’m grateful to have the opportunity to publish.
  • I’m grateful for those who support me.
  • I’m thankful for those who take time out of their lives to remind me why I do the things I do and why I work so hard.
  • I’m thankful to have a day job I love and enjoy going to each day and that it keeps my lights on and puts food on my table as I pursue this crazy dream.
  • I’m grateful for those who have taken time out of their lives to read anything I have written.
  • I’m thankful for my wonderful family and friends just for being who they are.
  • I accept the fact that as long as I stay focused and work hard, my day will come. 
  • I also accept the fact that the universe is in control and regardless of what I do, this spark will ignite when the time is right. I just need to be patient and wait my turn.

Surrender

 

Time Flies, Cleaning Sucks and Hello Monday Blues

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This was by far the fastest weekend I can remember for quite some time. I’m not kidding.

It feels like I just walked out of work on Friday and here it is one o’clock am Monday morning. I cleaned, watched the kiddies a bit, caught a couple movies on cable and did a good bit of writing and yet I feel like time is just blowing past me.

I worked on edits to post a few more chapters of “An Unfortunate Son” but they still need a bit of dusting before I’ll post them. If you are one of the few who are following along, bare with me. I’m hoping to have them up some time tomorrow.

I had an interesting conversation at dinner the other night. A coworker has retired and we celebrated with a dinner for her last Thursday. It’s always nice to get together occasionally with your coworkers outside of work. Who has time to chit chat and share anecdotes about family and life events while at work unless you sit right next to someone all day long? It was fun to hear some of their stories and to discuss off the wall things.

One of those things was how most of us women at work wish we had housekeepers. Imagine how much free time we’d have to actually live our lives if we didn’t have to pick up after everyone and could come home from work to a healthy dinner and a clean house?

Ahhhh it’s those little things that make me happy.

Then, the discussion went on–or rather I went on to say that if I ever become a best selling author, I won’t waste my money on jewelry, three hundred dollar bags and shoes or even clothes but rather just use it to have more free time. Oh and then the driving thing. I would never drive again unless I wanted to. My goal is to downsize my things and gradually find my way into a minimalist life. I’m so over clutter. The more evolved I become as a human being the less I need.

Since work is but a few hours away, I once again find myself with those Monday blues. The anxiety of Sunday nights is depressing. I only want to write. I only want to immerse myself in telling a story.

Until then, I make the best of life and am just grateful to have a job I enjoy and coworkers who make it even more enjoyable. There are so many who do not. Someday soon, writing full time will pay the bills and on that day, I’ll hire a housekeeper. 😉

Have a wonderful night my friends.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

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Wikipedia says: The roots of the word have been defined[4] as follows: super- “above”, cali- “beauty”, fragilistic- “delicate”, expiali- “to atone”, and -docious “educable”, with the sum of these parts signifying roughly “Atoning for educability through delicate beauty.”

According to the film, it is defined as “something to say when you have nothing to say.”

Today was up and down. 

Up: I had three very cool features on the web. Two were interviews on two different book web sites and one was a feature on “Fireflies.”

Book Reader Magazine: Featured Author P.S. Bartlett
Awesomegang: Book Feature – FIREFLIES
Awesomegang: Author Interview – P.S. Bartlett

UP: I recieved my set up questionnaire from PubSlush for my campaign. Taking second place in the Pitch contest this week has definitely brought so many gifts and rewards. With this book funding campaign, I just might be able to take “The Blue Diamond” for a free spin or two on the big wheel of advertising. Marketing is expensive but great marketing sells books.

Down: I tried a new shampoo and conditioner this morning and my hair stunk. It smelled like I’d been hiking in the woods. I actually put hand lotion in my hair to mask the smell because it was so bad. I’m very sensitive to certain smells and this one just annoyed the hell out of me.

After work, I attended the farewell dinner for a coworker who is retiring. Tomorrow is her last day. We’ve been working together nearly ten years. I’m sad and I’m really going to miss her…a lot.

Near the end of this marvelous gathering, I felt a hot flash coming on. Unless you’ve had one, you have no idea how horrible you feel. I felt sweaty, funky and nauseous, topped off with my woodlands hair. I dashed into the house and went straight for a cool shower and my old shampoo. I felt 100% better. Fresh, clean PJ’s too and I smelled like flowers and Irish Spring again.

UP: I received a phone call at nine pm from one of my dearest friends who moved to Ocean City, MD many years ago. If we’re lucky we get to see each other twice a year. I smiled for almost an hour as we chatted.

Life is funny. No matter what happens in the course of the day, I can always count on my writing. I count on my continued growth as an author and my gradual ascent to where I know I’ll be when the time is right and I’m ready for it. The universe knows best so I will continue working hard to create stories that I love in hopes that YOU, the reader will love them too.

Why the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious reference at the top?

Because although I just told you all about my day, deep down, with every amazing thing that has happened in my writing life in the past week and a half…I’m still speechless.

The best days of our lives

Thank you for reading.

What An Awesome June 2014

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This month has been chock full of goodness. Lots of yummy fun and a few nuts to add to the flavor. Here are some pictures of June 2014.

NOLA

Second night in New Orleans

Fathers day

Uncle Mike’s Birthday

kids

L-R Sarah (my son’s girlfriend), My son Zack and my daughter Jessica

Pinkroom

My granddaughter Esme’s room at my house. You can never have too much pink!

Pool esme

Yaya the pool is open!

Pool

Swimming lessons from Poppy!

pool3

Esme finally gets to break in her new swim vest from Aunt Kimmy

Recital

Esme’s dance recital. Baby sister Scarlett missed it for a nap.

Scarlett and Harper

Harper (L) and Scarlett (R) really enjoy their naps lol

Scarlett stands

Uh OH! Scarlett’s up on her tiny feet!

Scarlett toy

The teeth are coming in too!

slip and slide

Uncle Wayne and Ryder enjoying the Slip ‘N Slide

baby heads

I think I have a hundred pictures of these melons. I love their heads!

Nola2

Last night in New Orleans. 😦

pages

Have I mentioned I FINISHED my new book?!

One final offering…

I’m Not Faking It – I’m A Happy Person So Get Over It!

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I’m Not Faking It – I’m A Happy Person So Get Over It!

Me and Es

These couple of days of great weather, really have me longing for cookouts, swimming, steamed crabs, fun family times and on and on but I had a few minutes today where my mind was actually clear and the first thought that popped into my head was in those few minutes, there wasn’t a single thing I NEEDED. I was completely content and God help me, I was HAPPY just to be alive! We all have wants,…

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