Did Anyone Notice?

That I am now following myself? Not only do I not remember doing so, but I have no idea how to take it off either! :(

Yep, two new blogs in one day!

I just had so much to tell y'all that I had to make two posts. Aren't y'all lucky!

So there is this woman that is a professional blogger and I do so adore her writing. She writes a blog called Cake Wrecks that has become wildly successful. Check it out sometime, it's awesome. She also has a second blog called Epbot which is filled with all her silliness, nerdiness and craftiness. Today's post is about how to make steam punk jewelery out of pressed pennies you can get at Disneyland and other fun, touristy places. Anyway, a coworker who reads my blog saw me looking at these big pictures of pressed pennies and could not stop laughing about it. This is about how our convo went:

"Um... Kiki?"

"Yesss?"

"Are you looking for ways to use that penny you made?"

(glare) "No... I was... just reading..." (glare melts into a mild pout)

"Well how much does it cost to press a penny like that?"

"Well the penny, and then two quarters for the machine to make it."

"So... you would be spending all the extra money you earned this week?"

(pause)

"SHADDUP DUDE! I'LL MAKE MORE!"

On a completely unrelated thought, I have now officially reached over 100 hits to my blog. I'm very excited. I may not seem like it since its almost midnight and I'm trying to not sing too loudly so my parents can sleep. Seriously tho, my blog has been visited 100 times. (Technically 119) I'm stoked! Thank you all for your support and I hope this is just one milestone on a journey with many more to come. The dream, already in its smallest ways of coming to fruition is so so good!

So tell me, whats your biggest dream?

Happies!

Miss O'Hara: you may want to skip this one at work. I'm partially writing about my bro and I'm listening to sappy music so no crying in public please. You embarrass us all with that. *smiles sweetly*

I think I'm learning that the more often I write, the more it becomes a habit I feel the ache to keep up. So I'm switching it up a bit on this one. There are some people I need to notice here.

At some point in this week or the last or the next (yes I am always this specific) my friend Bake has a birthday. I know what you are all thinking; all of you jealous little minions are wondering why you don't get your own special post. Well, Ill get to you. But for now, its Bake's day. The woman has put up with me and my inability to keep in contact for years, probably a decade by now. I would tell you for sure but again, I'm not very specific and I'm not a mathy person. Luckily I stayed away from that disease! Anyway, Bake happy birthday. I know I never remember the specific day and while you are such a faithful friend that never forgets mine, I just remember the area just before July melts into August as your birth 'season'. Well happy birthday Bake. You have been an unending friend, eternally vulnerable to experience life with me and for that I am grateful. You have made me an infinitely better person than I would have been without you. Much love.

Also, tomorrow is a special day in my family. Its my brother's anniversary. Props to the only spawn of my parents that is able to handle a long term relationship! :) I love that every anniversary is something special, a different gift of something to give the person you have to stare at daily. (Thankfully I have no idea what that's like!) So I have been educated; the 3rd anniversary is leather! Nope, I'm not kidding. Of all the things in the world, they want people to give their spouses leather on their 3rd anniversary! Let me just say now, all the jokes I can think to put right here are not suitable for a blog that anyone and everyone can read. Email me if you want to hear them. Let me tell you, they are cracking my stuff up!

 So Boogie Boo, get your woman a... wow I cant think of anything family friendly that has to do with leather! My goodness! Hang on, let me think...

Please wait...

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...

OK I give up, the only thing I can think of is what you already suggested; get her a cow and be done with it. Here's to 4th year fruit!   


P.S. So tell me Oh Wise Ones, whats your crazy but clean leather gift idea? Leave a comment and let me know! 

Career Choices and Uruguay

So...most important thing we have learned from this title? I apparently know how to spell Uruguay now. Its pretty easy. You start with a 'U' and then as you sound it out, just put a 'u' between everything... well until you get tired of the 'u' and then you hurry and finish it before the 'u's complain. I bet you did not think I could put so many 'u's in one sentence now didja? ha! Never underestimate the genius of the Kiki! (Ahhh see that? Another misspelling gone right!)
All kidding aside though, I have some serious soul searching to do with y'all today. I am now sitting at one hundred and twelve page impressions. The first twenty-five earned me one penny. And so I know you are all thinking I am up to a whopping four pennies now! Sadly my friends, I am still at one.... blasted.... penny. This getting rich quick thing is just silly. What were you all thinking to talk me into this!
And yesterday, upon cleaning up some of my house, I found fifty cents. I am sad to say my cleaning business is booming compared to my writing career. Which makes things pretty tough. I mean, my brother is already asking for handouts from my lucrative writing career and I made fifty times more in my cleaning career. So now, what does one do? Your comment challenge for today is to tell me what you think, writing which has been my life long dream, or cleaning, which I am apparently more successful in.
Dear Mr. Uruguay, I see you are checking on my site. I see that either you have visited four times or you have invited three friends. I must know who you are. The mystery is killing me! WHO ARE YOU MR. URUGUAY?!
And lastly, an update on the book. The outline is coming along nicely. My main characters and my villains are all taking shape and it's exciting to see. Also, I have a friend who enjoys making layouts of cities so he and I are currently collaborating to create the layout of the land as well as the different cities you will be seeing in the novel(s). So maybe, if you all behave I will post one when it's finished so you can see.
I had some questions on what my book is about so let me just tell you; it's a fantasy novel about different races of creatures overcoming prejudice and culture barriers to stop a big bad evil dude from taking over the world... I know, sounds familiar. Maybe I will give you another teaser later!


Dont forget! Let me know which you vote for, writing or cleaning!

Bursted Bubbles

So most of the world is looking for that 'get rich quick' scheme, right?

So there I was, monitoring the five people that visit my blog and thinking pretty highly of myself. Granted I could most likely name them all, but I was thinking I am getting better at posting regularly so perhaps it was time to monetize my blog. Now what this means is I allow someone to spam you with ads on my blog and then I get paid for them. I figured since you are regular readers and I love you, you wouldn't mind at all!

So I did the deed and put the adds up just before my last blog. And I sat there for an hour watching to see if or when the money would start rolling in. After ten visitors, nothing... then twenty. Still it said I had earned nothing. So I was thinking, perhaps twenty-five is the magic number... and I bugged people to go to my blog until I could see what twenty-five people did and sure enough! I earned money!

However, my elation was rather short lived because as soon as I saw a number there, it registered that I had earned a penny. Thats right, all the friends I have in the world visiting my blog makes me one penny. So very sad. I apparently was not going to become a genius millionaire overnight with this one.

On a side note, you wont be able to see this because I corrected it, but I just totally spelled genius and millionaire completely wrong. So I guess the genius part is out the window.

In other news, I do have someone visiting my blog from Uruguay which is pretty cool. And dont worry, thanks to spell check, I spelled Uruguay wrong also. At least I'm consistent!

I would like to start getting to know some of the people that read this blog so 1) comment and let me know if you are from Uruguay so I know who you are and 2) let me know if you have ever tried a 'get rich quick' scheme. I'm interested to see if anyone else is a big dreamer like me.

P.S. I'm not sure if comments get me more money... its a test! We shall find out!

Nerd Fighters!

So the chickens have really nothing to do with this post. They are just there because I find the word to be full of possibilities. Love it!

First off, I had an idea of doing a blog about things I find on the internet that I would like to share with the world. So we are going to try to incorporate them in this blog while I tell you about how my writing is going. 1) To make this more interesting and B) This is still, quite simply, a practice thingie.

So I have been spending a lot of time on You Tube lately. And I know you are all probably thinking this may be why I struggle with writing... if I would stop procrastinating then life may get easier. I hear you and I agree with you and yet its so entertaining!

So there are these brothers on You Tube and I absolutely love their blog idea. Essentially, every day they make a video blog to each other and this is how they keep in contact. Theyve been doing this for three years now. If you want to check them out, this is their blog. I love them, I love their brotherhood and their ideas.

Also, another reason to tell you peeps about them is that one of them, John Green, is a writer! John's website I sit and watch his videos about the conferences he goes to and the struggles he faces and its refreshing to see it... like maybe I will know that life someday. It sounds lovely.

They also have this idea they launched three years ago, a few months into their daily blogging. Its called Nerd Fighters and they unite with nerds around the world to not only accept each other, but to 'make the world less suck' as John puts it. Its such a welcoming group of people. All nerds are welcome to be nerds with them. This is their nerd fighting website.

By the way, can we all tell that someone (me) learned how to use the hot linking? heh. As far as writing goes, Im still working on the dumb parts. I hate outlines and while thinking about my story is nice, tedious things I consider not only busy work but also below me, are not my definition of writing. I consider this just down right annoying. But it is coming along and perhaps this time, when I start writing in one direction, I wont forget where I'm going half way through!

Refocus

I have spent days and days doing research online. I have found that there are plenty of people that make money by blogging. And each time I learn about one more person who has made something brilliant and gotten paid for it, I rethink my plan to settle by working at my current job forever. The truth is, I want to sleep in. I want to be creative daily and spend time doing what I love.


However, I have also researched enough to realize that these people did not get there over night. In fact, it took them years! It took them years of work every day to get where they wanted and so guess what, its my turn. I am going to be going at this with a plan from now on. This blog will remain the process of me writing with more focus on blogging about the struggles I find while trying to write.


In that light, I must tell you that my journey has changed a bit. I met a friend online that is a published novelist. He has been my friend for years and I just now realized what a treasure trove of knowledge he is! So I picked his brain and he told me to write daily and he told me to make an outline so I could intermingle (Yha, sleepy.) the story lines and know where I'm going.


I have literally been spending so long ignoring the idea of an outline because I would 1) Keep it all memorized and 2) I dislike making them. But the man convinced me and since I'm so obedient (ha) I made myself an outline. In fact, I am currently working on making a spreadsheet for said outline because its elaborate. Each character has their own outline and some things all happen at the same time, others are separated by years.


Anywho, it feels good making this outline. I worked on it for an hour and a half today! I love it! I think the story is brilliant and I'm really enjoying what feels like the privilege of hand placing events that make the story great. From what I can see, it would be an injustice to this particular story to try to cram it all into one book and what it starts out as is not at all what it becomes in the end and I think that is what has me so pumped!

Ohmigosh!

Sometimes, when I think of starting this story, I have no idea where to start. I think I found that family is there to push you where you dont think you can go. I think thats what I learned last night. I learned that sometimes love is more important then clear thinking and one has to be willing to save themselves, but sometimes they need more then you think you can give.

It was a dark and stormy night last night... seriously. It poured hard and fast. Drainage ditches and runoff pipes were heavy with the water they carried. I thought nothing more of it then just a monsoon type rain. Even after I got home, it was still just rain. It didnt become more then just rain until I called the dogs in for dinner. Only one came.

Now Clarence isnt one to sprint in for dinner, but eventually he comes in... except last night. My heart froze in my chest and fear choked at my throat. In my bare feet and house clothes I started running around the backyard calling for him, willing him to show up. And all I got in return were faint cries. The closer I got to the crawlspace doorway at the back of the house, the louder the cries. I was sobbing at this point, unable to see in the darkness to be able to see what exactly was wrong with him. I quickly learned that I have no flash lights at all in my home and my cell phone light was no help. I even turned on the car lights hoping it would help, but no dice...

Finally my digital camera was the only help I had... I kept taking pictures into the underbelly of my home until I found him, stranding on a small hill of dirt. It was the only soil left above water and the poor puppy who is scared of water stood perched there, begging me with the most frantic cries I had ever heard.

This isnt just any dog mind you. This is the parvo surviving, rat poison surviving wonderdog with crooked legs and a saggy face. He is my pride and joy, he is my best friend. He is the dog thats too lazy to actually jump up on someone so he just hops. He is the dog that used to have such trouble standing up because he tripped over his ears so often.

Finally, I knew there was no other choice, but to go in and get him myself. So I strapped on my boots and I started crawling thru the dark water, avoiding cobwebs as best I could. The ground was soft and muddy and oh so creepy. At this point, Clarence and I were both crying to beat the band. Me begging him to calm down and be strong and him begging me to hurry and save him. Then came Bertha, rushing in in her usual casual trot. She passed me right up in my struggle with the deep water and stayed on the high ground until she got to him. And to my amazement, she led him out, giving him the courage to make it to me.

The three of us, huddled there under the house were a bundle of waggy tails, excited licks and teary giggles. And slowly, as a family, we made our way back out into the fading light of day. Later, when the adrenaline faded and they still clung to me to relieve the stress of the situation, I found I clung to them just as much. They pushed me to overcome fears and pain. They made me stronger.

We camped in the spare room together. Them in their dogbeds and me on an airmattress. Its small or else they would have joined me on it. It was the only way any of us could sleep after such must stress and fear. It was an evening to remember forever.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm not sure what to say today. I find such stress on my birthday, like I have this responsibility to be gracious since everything is focused on me today. I suppose that's a silly notion. Its really just another day, its just special to me. I have however, in the last few years learned how to relax and just let it be. So in that spirit, I have some things to say, not because any other reason then I want to say them.

I have a friend who, on this most special of days, is being admitted into the hospital. She is sick and if she makes it through this, she will hopefully be home in about a month. If she doesn't, then she will be free to dance on the wind and brighten the sun. I adore her really, in all the ways she selflessly gives and openly loves no matter the consequences. I'm exhausted today because I literally stayed up half the night spending time with her and you know, I wouldn't have written this week any differently. Last night was so very special to me. It is the epitome of what friends are.

She gave of herself, letting herself laugh and be silly because she knew I needed to see her joy. And I gave of my time because she needed a friend. For eternity, that night will be suspended in my mind, frozen to just be a slice of joy and silliness in the middle of all that life is. It was special and brilliant and my friends, I hope someday you all have a moment like that.
I cannot say if I will ever get to speak to her again, but its ok. I think we are both at peace of the journey that is to come. The next month is shrouded in darkness and the unknown. All I can really tell you is that she and I are at peace for the coming storm, we are ready for this battle.
She taught me so much in these precious moments and I feel compelled to change my stance on many things. A few posts ago, I stated that I believe this last year has been a failure for my lack of doing anything really and I change my mind. This last year I have let go of old demons, I have deepened relationships and I have lived.

Life, I know now, is not about progress. Its a journey and sometimes, its time for a picnic. This year was my picnic. It wasn't always happy or clean or picture perfect, but it was life and as Pastor Steve says, life in all its imperfections is perfect.
I live and the silly little health problems I have are just a small roadblock that makes for a great adventure. My fears, insecurities and struggles are all just roadblocks and something to give life a bit more flavor then just happy. Without gravity it would be nothing special to be an eagle.
So I suppose, my friends, the one thing I really hope for my birthday is that we all live. My hope for all of us is that we find the joy in all things. Lets find the light in the tunnel, the sunrise after the storm and the flowers that bloom after winter as faded... even if we are still in the middle of your winter, lets find them anyway.