Hi! I went and worked out today with my friends RBF (Republican Best Friend) and MW4B (Mom with four boys). I didn't eat breakfast before I went, which I completely regretted. Anyway, food has been on my mind pretty much all day. I just found this recipe and although I don't know Becky or her Aunt Lyla~ I thought it sounded great. I've made Monkey Bread before but not with butterscotch pudding~~ YUMMY! Also I've always used refrigerator biscuits but since you're leaving this out over night, the bread's probably a better idea. Unless you're like me and you can't even set the coffee pot the night before, let alone think about making a bread… then just use the biscuits, roll each ball into the butter and then into the butterscotch, brown sugar and nuts throw it into the pan and then go ahead and bake.
Becky's Aunt Lyla's Amazing Monkey Bread Grease a bundt pan. Line with 18 frozen Bridgeford or Rich brand dinner rolls (or whatever brand you can find.) Sprinkle 1 package regular (not instant) butterscotch pudding mix, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 stick melted butter, and 1/2 cup pecans over the rolls. Cover with foil and a dish towel (I don't know what the dish towel is for but that's what she says, so you better do it.) Set on the counter overnight. The next morning, bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, invert, and get ready to die of happiness!
Also just wanted to tell you about my fabulous weekend. The writer’s conference was so fun! I took lots of valuable classes and also a couple my darling hubby would find questionable, but I loved them!!
I took a guided Hypnosis~ Finding your inner muse (by the way her name is Abigail, she lives in my grandma’s house and she has a ferocious eel with teeth, I have no idea why...)
I also took Inspirational writing, which wasn’t what you would think… it’s about using your meditative instincts and writing from your heart. Loved it!!
I also won a contest. It was the prestigious Simile Writing Contest. They gave us the form at the beginning and I never thought of it again. Then Sat. morning our Convention Goddess reminded us to turn them in. I only had ten minutes before my next class. The form had a list of words, to use in the simile. Let me just say, I never thought I would win!!
WINNING SIMILE: HER SIMILE WAS AS RIDICULOUS AS A CORNDOG WAITING FOR A BONE!
There were two other winners and one guy who won without writing a simile at all. (Similar, but not simile, to an Apple Pie Baking Contest won by my mother with a Pecan pie!) He wrote a limerick that I won’t repeat here but it used the word Nantucket!
It was a great time. I think even Hubby had a blast. When I came down Saturday night at 5:30 done with my classes for the day, he was sitting in the lounge surrounded by writers. No seriously, he was even talking to them.
One last part of the weekend, one class had us use the first letters of our names to describe ourselves. This was the one time in my life I thought of going with Sue instead of Susanne, but I didn’t. This is what I came up with…
Smart
Unique
Spontaneous
Affable
Neurotic
Natural
Expressive
She then asked us if we had any negative one’s on the list to cross them out and try again. I didn’t, because I embrace my neurotic side just as much as the other parts.
Overall FAB time! Thanks to hubby for buying it for my birthday.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Writers Weekend
I'm going to the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers 25th Anniversary Writers Conference this weekend. Darling Hubby got it for my birthday. He is coming with me and staying downtown. So I'll get to have dinners with him and some NO KID time!! YEAH!!!
I'm really excited. It looks like a great conference. There are great speakers, editors, and publishers to learn from. Great classes to take the entire weekend and my favorite part of writers conferences~ Writers to meet and talk to.
I told Hubby the other night, after all this political stuff lately, I've decided to become one of those hermit writers. You know the kind of crazy, never showers, drinks alot kind. The ones that never get out of the house, until they write THE END, and then only long enough to see what season it is outside before the next brilliant idea evolves in their brains and they MUST go back to work. He said he thinks that would be best...
Actually, I do feel more drawn to my computer lately. The new story has been evolving in my imagination a lot, and where before I would sit down to work and not really know where I was going, now I sit down and have so much to get to, I'm never really finished.
So after this weekend if you want to find me, I'll be in the loft. Bring a bar of soap and a bottle of wine when you come...
I'm really excited. It looks like a great conference. There are great speakers, editors, and publishers to learn from. Great classes to take the entire weekend and my favorite part of writers conferences~ Writers to meet and talk to.
I told Hubby the other night, after all this political stuff lately, I've decided to become one of those hermit writers. You know the kind of crazy, never showers, drinks alot kind. The ones that never get out of the house, until they write THE END, and then only long enough to see what season it is outside before the next brilliant idea evolves in their brains and they MUST go back to work. He said he thinks that would be best...
Actually, I do feel more drawn to my computer lately. The new story has been evolving in my imagination a lot, and where before I would sit down to work and not really know where I was going, now I sit down and have so much to get to, I'm never really finished.
So after this weekend if you want to find me, I'll be in the loft. Bring a bar of soap and a bottle of wine when you come...
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Fear in America
I promised my darling hubby last night I was going to focus on fiction now and leave the politics to other people... sorry babe! Just one more.
My brother a staunch Republican just called me naïve. In fact he told me I might want to look the word up.
Naïve : unaffectedly simple, credulous.
That was mean.
I’m not naïve. Just because I don’t believe what you do doesn’t make me naïve. I believe the culture of fear we are creating in the US is wrong. We are told to be afraid of terrorists, the weather, disease, the end of the world and now our presidential candidate.
They say this election is going to be decided by white, Independent women. By Independent I mean the one’s who truly haven’t made up their minds yet. My Republican best friend told me yesterday you are only Independent until you pick a party then you are that. She’s right. I’m now a democrat.
So let’s talk about the people who haven’t made up their minds yet. Do you honestly think you are going to sway them to your side by trying to frighten them into thinking Obama is some kind of Muslim terrorist? I am not saying ALL REPUBLICANS DO THIS. But a lot are.
Let’s hear about your issues. What is your president going to do for us? I have two very good friends in my neighborhood who are Republicans. They are great debaters. They talk about the issues and they talk about their belief in the party overall. They don’t use the scare tactic that his birth certificate might not be valid. Come on, people! These are not the debates we need to be having.
I will not be persuaded by fear. Call me optimistic, For Justie, Optimism means: Belief in the essential goodness of the universe. I know what I believe, and I don’t think that makes me Naïve.
Just for the record, a few more beliefs, or rather what I don’t believe.
I don’t believe in a government that preaches “less taxes” but then ends up billions of dollars in debt.
I don’t believe in anyone that says “less government” and then tells me how we must take care of our bodies (abortion), who we can love (gay rights), and what religion we must believe (creationism in schools).
I also don’t believe in FEAR as a motivating factor.
Hey, but that’s just me… and I’m not afraid to say it!
My brother a staunch Republican just called me naïve. In fact he told me I might want to look the word up.
Naïve : unaffectedly simple, credulous.
That was mean.
I’m not naïve. Just because I don’t believe what you do doesn’t make me naïve. I believe the culture of fear we are creating in the US is wrong. We are told to be afraid of terrorists, the weather, disease, the end of the world and now our presidential candidate.
They say this election is going to be decided by white, Independent women. By Independent I mean the one’s who truly haven’t made up their minds yet. My Republican best friend told me yesterday you are only Independent until you pick a party then you are that. She’s right. I’m now a democrat.
So let’s talk about the people who haven’t made up their minds yet. Do you honestly think you are going to sway them to your side by trying to frighten them into thinking Obama is some kind of Muslim terrorist? I am not saying ALL REPUBLICANS DO THIS. But a lot are.
Let’s hear about your issues. What is your president going to do for us? I have two very good friends in my neighborhood who are Republicans. They are great debaters. They talk about the issues and they talk about their belief in the party overall. They don’t use the scare tactic that his birth certificate might not be valid. Come on, people! These are not the debates we need to be having.
I will not be persuaded by fear. Call me optimistic, For Justie, Optimism means: Belief in the essential goodness of the universe. I know what I believe, and I don’t think that makes me Naïve.
Just for the record, a few more beliefs, or rather what I don’t believe.
I don’t believe in a government that preaches “less taxes” but then ends up billions of dollars in debt.
I don’t believe in anyone that says “less government” and then tells me how we must take care of our bodies (abortion), who we can love (gay rights), and what religion we must believe (creationism in schools).
I also don’t believe in FEAR as a motivating factor.
Hey, but that’s just me… and I’m not afraid to say it!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Pork and Ice Cream
When I woke up this morning I knew, it was going to be a long day. The cold had settled in like an unwelcome relative, selfish and insistent. I drug my sleepy body out of bed and headed for the coffee pot, but before I could get there the phone rang. I glanced at the clock, 6:45… this can’t be good.
“Hello?”
“Mrs. Brady?”
“Yes.”
“This is the Carter County Police Dept. we believe we have your dog.”
“My dog?”
“Yes.”
I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room.
“Seriously?”
“Yes. He was picked up last night outside the Tasty Freeze.”
“Okay…”
“We’ll need you to come down and post bail.”
“Bail…?”
I looked around to see if anyone else might be here to understand the parts of the conversation I was missing, but I seemed to be surprisingly alone.
“$250.”
“What?”
“$250… it’s mainly for the damages.”
“Damages?”
I knew I was sounding ridiculous, answering everything as if I didn’t hear him, but it was more just the simple act of understanding.
“He ate the cone.”
“Pardon me?”
“The cone… the big one with the chocolate swirl… the one that sits outside of the shop.”
“He ate it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So, I need to pay $250 to get the dog back.”
“That, and the medical bills.”
“Medical Bills.”
“The cone was pretty big.”
At this point I was wondering if I was actually awake or if this was some crazy dream. I pinched myself. Hard.
“Ouch.”
“Ma’am?”
“Nothing. So how much were the medical bills?”
“$2500.”
“But the dog’s okay?”
“Not exactly.” I decided to wait him out on this one. “Actually Ma’am, we lost the dog.”
“He died?”
“No, we lost him. When he came out of the anesthesia, he jumped off the table at the Emergency Vet’s office and ran out the door.”
“So, I have to pay $2750 for the dog and the damages and you lost the dog?”
“That’s it!”
I rubbed my eyes and thought of the coffee that wasn’t even percolating yet.
“Can I ask you one question?”
“Of course.”
“How do you know it’s my dog?”
“We called the number on his tag, and you answered the phone.”
“Well that solves everything.” I said.
“It does?”
“Yes, it can’t be my dog, because I don’t own a phone.”
The police officer on the other end of the line sat quietly for a second.
“I called… an.. and you answered,” he finally stammered.
“Yes.”
“So, who owns the phone.”
“Obviously, the dog.” I said and hung up the phone. I crossed the room, bent down to pet Pork, my two year old, Great Dane that loves to eat ice cream and then slowly made my way to the coffee pot to make my morning Joe.
"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you." ~Ray Bradbury
Drink up...
“Hello?”
“Mrs. Brady?”
“Yes.”
“This is the Carter County Police Dept. we believe we have your dog.”
“My dog?”
“Yes.”
I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room.
“Seriously?”
“Yes. He was picked up last night outside the Tasty Freeze.”
“Okay…”
“We’ll need you to come down and post bail.”
“Bail…?”
I looked around to see if anyone else might be here to understand the parts of the conversation I was missing, but I seemed to be surprisingly alone.
“$250.”
“What?”
“$250… it’s mainly for the damages.”
“Damages?”
I knew I was sounding ridiculous, answering everything as if I didn’t hear him, but it was more just the simple act of understanding.
“He ate the cone.”
“Pardon me?”
“The cone… the big one with the chocolate swirl… the one that sits outside of the shop.”
“He ate it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So, I need to pay $250 to get the dog back.”
“That, and the medical bills.”
“Medical Bills.”
“The cone was pretty big.”
At this point I was wondering if I was actually awake or if this was some crazy dream. I pinched myself. Hard.
“Ouch.”
“Ma’am?”
“Nothing. So how much were the medical bills?”
“$2500.”
“But the dog’s okay?”
“Not exactly.” I decided to wait him out on this one. “Actually Ma’am, we lost the dog.”
“He died?”
“No, we lost him. When he came out of the anesthesia, he jumped off the table at the Emergency Vet’s office and ran out the door.”
“So, I have to pay $2750 for the dog and the damages and you lost the dog?”
“That’s it!”
I rubbed my eyes and thought of the coffee that wasn’t even percolating yet.
“Can I ask you one question?”
“Of course.”
“How do you know it’s my dog?”
“We called the number on his tag, and you answered the phone.”
“Well that solves everything.” I said.
“It does?”
“Yes, it can’t be my dog, because I don’t own a phone.”
The police officer on the other end of the line sat quietly for a second.
“I called… an.. and you answered,” he finally stammered.
“Yes.”
“So, who owns the phone.”
“Obviously, the dog.” I said and hung up the phone. I crossed the room, bent down to pet Pork, my two year old, Great Dane that loves to eat ice cream and then slowly made my way to the coffee pot to make my morning Joe.
"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you." ~Ray Bradbury
Drink up...
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Obama For President
I just spent the last three hours watching CNN. They had two back-to-back specials on, the first John McCain Revealed, and the second, Barack Obama Revealed. They were biographical in nature, but tried to present both the good, and not so good of each man.
First let me say, I am a registered Independent. Even though that takes me out of my right to vote in the primary elections, it is important to me because I think it means I will do my best to look at the people and the issues and vote the most appropriate way.
Over the last few days I have had many political debates with many different people. I enjoy hearing peoples point of view and sometimes even learn something from them. The part that worries me the most is the emotion that takes over in these debates and somehow pushes logic aside. I have copied a lot of what I’ve said in the last of these email debates for this blog.
Let me start with McCain. He is truly a great American. He has spent his lifetime serving his country. I cannot fault him for who he is even though there were issues in his background that can be questioned. I refuse to make that judgment.
I do question his choice of VP. I felt this choice was made to get the Hillary vote. I’m sorry but I think women are smarter than that. Palin has little in common with Hillary. My vote is based primarily on the issues and what these two men believe. I am voting for Obama.
On what Obama has done: granted he is the youngest person ever to run for the presidency. There is no way he can have done as much as McCain. But honestly, I feel what he has accomplished in a short time is admirable. You can fault him for choosing to be a community organizer, but I won't. He graduated from Harvard Law School and could have taken a number of high paying law positions. He didn't, he chose to serve the people. Maybe not as high risk as John McCain, but to the people of the South Side of Chicago, just as important. Not only did he help those people, he empowered them to do for themselves. That's what this country needs.
His voting record and the bills he has sponsored or cosponsored are important ones. There are a list on his website, BarackObama.com, as well as the website FactCheck.org. It really only takes an open mind to understand in a few short years he has done a tremendous amount. To begin with in the State Senate he headed an Ethics reform that he again co-sponsored in the US Senate. Clearly Ethics are important to him.
Pro Choice is important to me. McCain and Palin are against it. Palin in 2006, when pushed about her views on abortion was asked what she would think if her own daughter were raped and she said, she would choose life.
My sister’s healthcare is important to me. As a widowed mother of two, she has some of the worst insurance imaginable and she pays a fortune for it. I know our country needs healthcare reform. 47 Million Americans don't have ANY insurance. I like Obamas plan. I realize this will take some pressure on the insurance companies, but so would McCain's and I simply don't think his does enough.
I do not want Creationism taught in my kids schools. Palin said in 2006 she wanted to teach both Evolution and Creationism in schools. When asked if she believed in Evolution she refused to answer the question. I'm sorry but there is a separation of Church and State for a reason.
I believe in Stem Cell Research, McCain and Palin don't.
Education is important to me. The first bill Obama introduced in the Senate was to help make college more affordable by increasing the maximum Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,100. As president his goal is to eliminate wasteful subsidies to private student lenders, which would save nearly $6 billion dollars per year, and invest the savings in additional student aid. As a person that had to take advantage of the Pell Grant to get my education and as a mother that has two kids to put through college, this issue means something to me.
There are so many more I could go through, but the trouble with debating this with anyone is it’s pretty hard to change anyone’s mind. All I ask is that you really look at the issues at stake, instead of basing your decision on who you might think he is. (for the record he is not a Muslim and never has been one!) I am afraid what many have presented has been more about his acquaintances, and for that matter, doesn't mean a thing to me.
I have met so many people in my life that I am "friendly" with who I don’t really like. I also have actual friends, really good friends, who I don’t agree with on every issue. In fact my best friend is a stanch republican, we believe very differently about many of these issues.
If I ever ran for president, I hope they wouldn't look at my friends or my family to judge who I am as an individual. Just because one person believes something, or does something, does not automatically reflect on those around him. Stop worrying about the people around him, and start worrying about your candidate’s beliefs. There are far too many differences in my view to ever get my vote.
First let me say, I am a registered Independent. Even though that takes me out of my right to vote in the primary elections, it is important to me because I think it means I will do my best to look at the people and the issues and vote the most appropriate way.
Over the last few days I have had many political debates with many different people. I enjoy hearing peoples point of view and sometimes even learn something from them. The part that worries me the most is the emotion that takes over in these debates and somehow pushes logic aside. I have copied a lot of what I’ve said in the last of these email debates for this blog.
Let me start with McCain. He is truly a great American. He has spent his lifetime serving his country. I cannot fault him for who he is even though there were issues in his background that can be questioned. I refuse to make that judgment.
I do question his choice of VP. I felt this choice was made to get the Hillary vote. I’m sorry but I think women are smarter than that. Palin has little in common with Hillary. My vote is based primarily on the issues and what these two men believe. I am voting for Obama.
On what Obama has done: granted he is the youngest person ever to run for the presidency. There is no way he can have done as much as McCain. But honestly, I feel what he has accomplished in a short time is admirable. You can fault him for choosing to be a community organizer, but I won't. He graduated from Harvard Law School and could have taken a number of high paying law positions. He didn't, he chose to serve the people. Maybe not as high risk as John McCain, but to the people of the South Side of Chicago, just as important. Not only did he help those people, he empowered them to do for themselves. That's what this country needs.
His voting record and the bills he has sponsored or cosponsored are important ones. There are a list on his website, BarackObama.com, as well as the website FactCheck.org. It really only takes an open mind to understand in a few short years he has done a tremendous amount. To begin with in the State Senate he headed an Ethics reform that he again co-sponsored in the US Senate. Clearly Ethics are important to him.
Pro Choice is important to me. McCain and Palin are against it. Palin in 2006, when pushed about her views on abortion was asked what she would think if her own daughter were raped and she said, she would choose life.
My sister’s healthcare is important to me. As a widowed mother of two, she has some of the worst insurance imaginable and she pays a fortune for it. I know our country needs healthcare reform. 47 Million Americans don't have ANY insurance. I like Obamas plan. I realize this will take some pressure on the insurance companies, but so would McCain's and I simply don't think his does enough.
I do not want Creationism taught in my kids schools. Palin said in 2006 she wanted to teach both Evolution and Creationism in schools. When asked if she believed in Evolution she refused to answer the question. I'm sorry but there is a separation of Church and State for a reason.
I believe in Stem Cell Research, McCain and Palin don't.
Education is important to me. The first bill Obama introduced in the Senate was to help make college more affordable by increasing the maximum Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,100. As president his goal is to eliminate wasteful subsidies to private student lenders, which would save nearly $6 billion dollars per year, and invest the savings in additional student aid. As a person that had to take advantage of the Pell Grant to get my education and as a mother that has two kids to put through college, this issue means something to me.
There are so many more I could go through, but the trouble with debating this with anyone is it’s pretty hard to change anyone’s mind. All I ask is that you really look at the issues at stake, instead of basing your decision on who you might think he is. (for the record he is not a Muslim and never has been one!) I am afraid what many have presented has been more about his acquaintances, and for that matter, doesn't mean a thing to me.
I have met so many people in my life that I am "friendly" with who I don’t really like. I also have actual friends, really good friends, who I don’t agree with on every issue. In fact my best friend is a stanch republican, we believe very differently about many of these issues.
If I ever ran for president, I hope they wouldn't look at my friends or my family to judge who I am as an individual. Just because one person believes something, or does something, does not automatically reflect on those around him. Stop worrying about the people around him, and start worrying about your candidate’s beliefs. There are far too many differences in my view to ever get my vote.
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