A Writer's Work is Never Done

Hi-ya. Welcome to this month's edition of the Insecure Writer's Support Group meeting... er, virtual meeting, that is. This, the first Wednesday of the month, is the time when writers all over the world post about the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the ins and outs... of writing. We celebrate... we complain... we commiserate. Whatever we need, this is the place to find it. Humble thanks and a jolly tip of the hat go to Alex Cavanaugh, our fearless ninja leader and the originator of this fine group. If you'd like to join (It's FREE!) or would like to read some of the other posts, please go HERE

If any of you writers are unsure about the value of pre-publication feedback from other writers and readers, let me tell ya right now... beta readers are worth their weight in gold. In chocolate, even! I'm beyond grateful to a fantastic group of ladies, most of whom are IWSG members, who read my manuscript and offered some extremely helpful insights and suggestions. Without a doubt, their ideas and support are making Explosive Beginnings much better than I could have ever managed on my own. So, writers? Sure, you can probably do it on your own... but I guarantee you, you can do it even better with a little help from your IWSG friends.

Okay, before I answer this month's question, I'm gonna share a small portion of an oldie-but-goodie post from August, 2013. Back then, it was quite common for bloggers to bestow various awards and questionnaires on other bloggers, who would then annoy bug the crap out of  pass the meme on to other bloggers and on and on and on. This whole thing has mostly become obsolete, but I thought the questions in the following one were rather appropriate for an IWSG post. Feel free to answer any or all of the questions on your blog or to provide an answer within your comment. If ya wanta. No biggie.

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Thought for the day: The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.  [Mark Twain]

[image courtesy of Wikipedia]

Well, if you want to be technical, nobody actually said I was dead... but the lovely Mary Pax did tag my toe. So to speak. If you don't know Mary, you should. Not only is she a very sweet gal, she's also a very talented writer. Science fiction kinda stuff. Stuff I didn't think I liked... until I read her books. Really. Good stuff. You should check it out.

So anyhow, this meme she tagged me with is fairly simple. She said I didn't have to participate, but then bless her sneaky little heart, she said she hoped I was...  groovy. 

Can you beat that? Me? Groovy? Hell yes. That's me... one of the grooviest little ol' ladies in the whole state of Georgia, so what can I say? I had no choice but to participate, right? I'm no square, dude.

I'd be happy to tell you where this pic came from... if I remembered.

So what's this tag all about, anyway? Well, Mary provided nine questions related to writing, and said I only had to answer four. Actually, that's quite considerate, if you think about it. Less chance that I'll bore you so badly that you need a toe tag.

Anyhow, here's the full gamut of questions:

1. What are you working on right now?

2. How does it differ from other works in its genre? 

3. What experiences have influenced you? 

4. Why do you write what you do?

5. How does your writing process work?

6. What is the hardest part about writing?

7. What would you like to try as a writer that you haven't yet?

8. Who are the authors you most admire?

9. What scares you? 

source

So, ya ready for my groovy answers?

1. What am I working on right now? 

This blogpost. (Sheesh.) Oh, you mean other than blogging, huh? My current WIP, on which I've done very little work and made very little progress, will be more mainstream than my recent release, and will have some delicious twists at the end. The tentative title is Blast Rites. So far, the research process has taught me how to make my own explosives and what it was like to live in a girls' reform school in the early '60s. Fun stuff! [NOTE: That WIP, which was in the thinking-about-it stage when this post was written five years ago, has since morphed into a trilogy, part one of which will be published in the very near future.]

3.  What experiences have influenced me?

All of 'em. Really, I'm not trying to be a smart ass here. (No trying needed... it comes naturally.) I think each of us is the sum product of all our experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. You a one-big-experience kinda person, or would you rather graze leisurely at life's all-you-can-eat buffet? I'm old. I get more bang for my buck at the buffet. Especially if I carry a suitcase-sized purse.

4. Why do I write what I do?

Because I'm the only one who can. Again, not trying to be a smart ass. Each of us is unique, with a unique set of life experiences, and a unique outlook, so that unique voice and outlook is gonna be reflected in our writing. Universal slice-of-life stories about how families and friends interact intrigue me. Quirky characters that can make a reader laugh, cringe, and nod with self-recognition delight me. Unexpected twists make me want to stand up and cheer. In essence, I try to write the kind of story I want to read. I make myself laugh, and make myself cry, and hope readers will have the same reactions when they read it. Heck, who am I kidding? I'm not proud. I hope they read it, period.

7. What would I like to try as a writer that I haven't tried yet?

A Pulitzer would be nice. But I'll settle for overhearing two strangers talking about how much they loved my book.

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What's that? You're not a writer? Okay, then, here's a question for you non-writer types to consider: Are you turned off by repetitive posts on blog after blog after blog regarding cover reveals, book launches, and the like? Or are you a book slut like me, who's forever being persuaded by those posts to buy yet another book...?

[image courtesy of Morguefile]

 So now on to this month's question: How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/finish a story? 

When I finished writing the first draft of Hot Flashes and Cold Lemonade, I had a glass of bubbly with my hubby to celebrate. Man, talk about jumping the gun! There was still a LOT more work to do before I was actually finished with that book. 

When I received my first big check in the mail for a published short story, I celebrated by blowing it on a new laptop.

With Explosive Beginnings, even though it's getting verrrrrrry close to publication, I haven't done any celebrating and I probably won't after it's published, either, because NOW I know how much more work lies ahead... especially seeing's as how this is only the first book of a trilogy. Oooh, and maybe a prequel after that? Then a Vietnam-era romance? And I still kinda like the idea of writing a sex & marriage kinda advice book... (under a fake name, of course...) So keep that damned toe tag away from me... I've still got a lot of work to do.

Bottom line? For me, the very best way to celebrate reaching a writing goal is to start reaching for a new one. Because when it comes to writing, we are NEVER truly done.  (But one little glass of bubbly never hurts...)

                         Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other. 

Summer Re-Run

Thought for the day:  The healthiest response to life is joy. [Deepak Chopra]

According to the calendar, yesterday was the first day of autumn, but evidently, nobody bothered to let Mother Nature know, because around here, it still feels and looks like the middle of summer. Sooooo, why not go with a (ta-DA!) summer re-run? Not that I'm (ahem) lazy or anything, but it's been more than five years since this post ran first time around as Rhymes With Dreams, and most of you haven't seen it. So you could say I'm re-running it out of sheer laziness the goodness of my heart. Yeah, let's go with that. With a bit of editing, here ya go. I hope you enjoy it.

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Thought for the day: Why do people pay money to go to the top of tall buildings, and then pay again to look down at the ground through binoculars? 

One of the few good things I can say about growing up in a neighborhood of row homes is that there were always enough kids around to initiate just about any kind of game you can imagine: games like curb ball, dodge ball, red rover, Mother may I, spud, seven up, and of course, tag. A little convenience store down the alley from our house served as our meeting place, and the big metal pipe at its front corner served as home base for our tag games. Tag games always started by everyone yelling "Not it!" Whoever was slowest, WAS it, and would have to cover his eyes and start counting at that pipe while everyone else ran.

It's been 55+ years since I played that version of tag, but thanks to a very sweet fellow blogger, now I can play a different (more age-appropriate) version. She tagged me IT, so now I get to answer some questions, before tagging some other bloggers. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

Here we go:

1.  If you could go back in time and relive one moment, what would it be?

It'd be that moment I spotted my husband at the airport when he finally came home from Vietnam. It was sheer magic.

2. If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?

The airplane spent an interminable hour and a half sitting on the tarmac in Atlanta, and should have already landed in Baltimore by the time it finally got off the ground. My sister-in-law and her husband picked me up at the airport and we drove straight to the hospital, but my mother died twenty minutes before we got there. So, if I could change one thing, I'd make that plane leave on time.

3. What movie or TV character do you most resemble in personality?

I have no idea. Maybe a cross between June Cleaver and Lurch?

4. If you could push one person off a cliff, who would it be?

Geez, I'm boring. Can't think of anyone I hate, and even if I did, I'm not a push-somebody-off-the-cliff kind of person. I'm more of a guns or poison kind of gal.

5. Name one habit you want to change about yourself.

I need to exercise. Unfortunately, owning exercise equipment and a pair of spiffy running shoes doesn't do the trick. You actually have to use the darned things. Doesn't hardly seem fair, does it?

6. Describe yourself in one word.

Vulnerable.

7. Describe the person who named you in this meme in one word.

Family-oriented.

8. Why do you blog?

It started out (reluctantly, I might add) as a means to establish a "platform" to benefit my writing future. Now, I do it because I truly enjoy it, and because I've come to care about the people I've "met".

Okay, I'm going to deviate from the original post here, and instead of naming anyone in particular, I'll let all of you guys and gals who are interested snag the blog tag from the top of this page and answer the questions on your blog, and either pass it on to three other bloggers, or throw it up for grabs, like I'm doing. Kinda like a chain letter, but better. No body parts will turn black and fall off if you don't do it. (I don't think so, anyway. Personally, I wasn't willing to take the chance.)

Did you notice that word meme in question number seven? Familiar with it? In answering these questions on her blog, the gal who tagged me said, "What the heck is a meme? I never heard that one before." Since the only meme I'd ever heard of before was the French word, which rhymes with hem and means same, I decided to do some investigating.

It turns out that meme, which rhymes with dream, can best be described  as a basic building block of minds and culture, similar to the way a gene is considered a biological building block. Just as genes transmit biological information, memes transmit ideas and belief information, like catch phrases, melodies, the latest fads, and fashion trends. By extension, an Internet meme would be a concept that spreads via the Internet, like viral videos, tweets, and ... games of blogger tag.

So now we know.

On an earlier post, I told the funny-but-true story of my grandfather using most of my grandmother's clothes as diapers during their long voyage to America. Turns out, my brother acquired a copy of their ship's manifest through Ancestry.com and informed me that their ship didn't sail into Ellis Island, after all. The S.S. Columbia left Glasgow on April 28, 1923, and actually arrived in Boston Harbor eight days later. Eight days. When Mom-Mom described the voyage, she made it sound like so much longer than that, but eight days of seasickness must have felt more like eighty.

Now that I know they entered via Boston, I've been thinking about another story my grandmother told me. She said they lived in New York City for a while before moving on to Baltimore, which is why I thought they'd come into the country through Ellis Island, but maybe I misunderstood. Maybe they actually lived in Boston. Still, wherever they lived, the story was hysterical.

My grandmother could wax poetic about Scottish heather.

She said the temperatures were hot, hotter than what they'd ever experienced in Scotland. And the bugs? They were absolutely horrific, and also something quite new to them, she said. According to her, they didn't  have such annoying bugs in Scotland. So, picture this: they're in a cramped hotel room in the sweltering heat one evening, and the flies and mosquitoes are flitting and buzzing around the room, and about a hair's breadth away from driving my grandfather completely insane. So, Pop starts chasing them around the room with a fly swatter in hand. Bouncing on the bed, swinging the flyswatter like a baseball bat, and cussing as only an irate Scotsman can cuss. And oh yeah, because of the heat, he also happened to be naked. When my grandmother looked out the window, a small crowd was gathered below, pointing up, and having a jolly good time. Seems they found my grandfather's shenanigans quite entertaining.

Now whether or not that story's entirely true, I can't say, but she certainly told it to me often enough. One part of the tale doesn't mesh, though. That part about Scotland not having any annoying bugs? I did a google search to see if that's true. Not even close. There's a wee bug called the Highland midge that is so annoying, it's been known to make grown men cry. Those miserable critters not only bite, but they swarm. Not talking little swarms, either. I'm talking swarms of hundreds, and even thousands, that attack all at once. They've been called the scourge of Scotland.

Still, why ruin a good story with facts, right? My grandmother chose to remember Scotland as a perfect place, with fields of heather and nary a bug in sight. Works for me. I love good dreams. (rhymes with memes)

 rainbow above the highlands

                                  Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

In Praise of Creativity

Thought for the day: Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.  [Alan Cohen]

YAY! I won, I won! It's awesome to be appreciated, isn't it...?

Okay, so technically I didn't win anything. Technically, the talented Chris Fries passed a bloghop kinda virtual tour thingie to me. (Thanks, Chris!) Knowing how talented he is, and how talented the other participants are, I feel pretty doggone honored they even let me into their show. I feel a little like a flea-bitten mutt who's been entered into an AKC dog show. The truth is, I'd do lousy at a dog show competition. With these hips and knees of mine, I don't even roll over very well. But on the plus side, at least I'm housebroken.

(By the way, that dog show picture came from morguefile. Anybody know what in the world a best of opposite sex award means? Does that mean that cute little beagle is a... floozy?)

Anyhow, back to the tour. Its official name is Creative Artist Virtual Tour. Initially, participants were mostly authors of children's books, but over the past couple years, it has grown to include all kinds of creative people. For example, Chris is not only a talented writer, but he's also a kick-ass musician. And now... me. (Tsk-tsk. It's a shame the tour has fallen on such hard times.)

Even so, I'm more than happy to join this illustrious parade. (Especially if I can ride in a red convertible.)

Creativity is a drug I cannot live without. [Cecil B. DeMille]

Okay, here we go... the questions, and my responses:




1. What am I currently working on?

Let's see; there's a load of laundry doing its thing in the washer, and another's flopping around in the dryer. I'm desperately trying to write this post, but our resident felines are determined to thwart my efforts; evidently, they harbor a different opinion as to how I should be spending my time today.

But that's not what you want to know, is it? You want something creative. Well, how about another  (ta DA!) book? A really terrific book, as a matter of fact, and I don't mind saying it's terrific, because it isn't all about me... it's been a collaborative effort. Eight women from the U.S. and Canada, a brilliant Italian photographer, and a former male model turned terrific cover designer have joined forces to create a delightful book of poetry. A really fun book of poetry. Sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes lump-in-your-throat emotional, and sometimes evocative of a simple smile of recognition, but all good to the last syllable. And every cent from its sales will be going to CARE International. Can you tell? I'm pretty psyched about it. And it should be ready for release in a matter of weeks. Ready to hear its title? Ya sure? Okay, it's Old Broads Waxing Poetic. Classy, huh?

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I guess we all want to think of ourselves as unique. Different. Special. Heck, I don't even know what my genre is, so it'd be kinda hard to compare it to other similar works.  My first novel is probably best classified as women's lit, I guess, but men are reading it, too. Some of 'em are even enjoying it, so go figure. My next book might be considered women's lit, too, but I'm not sure. There are some rooting-tooting explosions in it, so maybe it's an action book? Then again, the main character is a young girl, so maybe it's YA. Ooh, but it deals with adult topics. Oh, fuhgeddabout it. I dunno how it's going to be classified, to tell the truth. Guess I'd better finish writing it first, and worry about genre later.

One way my work may be different is I don't take it or myself too seriously. I know. Blasphemy. Why bother to write at all if I don't have secret dreams of winning a Pulitzer prize? Any creative endeavor I pursue, including writing, is for sheer enjoyment, and on my own schedule. Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled Hot Flashes and Cold Lemonade has been published and is doing fairly well. I'd like to see Blast Rites get published, too, but when Smarticus asks me to go somewhere with him... I drop everything and go, because that's where my priorities lie. I started writing seriously (or about as serious as I get) late in the game, so I have no illusions of having a long and prolific career.  I'm no spring chicken, but that's okay. I'm happy with whatever I do. No naked ambition here. Just sheer delight to be doing what I'm doing. (Whatever that is...)

Creativity is contagious; pass it on. [Albert Einstein]

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

Life's too short not to create something besides carbon dioxide. Whether it's writing, singing, playing the guitar, painting, crocheting, building something with a soldering iron and schematic, or whatever, it's a way to make the most of the moment. It's self-expression; it's ME; and essentially, it's the difference between living and merely existing. And it sure beats the heck out of cleaning the toilet. As for why I create the things I choose to create... why not?

Think left and think right
And think low and think high.
Oh, the thinks you can think
If only you try.  {Dr. Seuss]

4. How does your writing/creating process work?

Not very well, I'm afraid. I'm not disciplined enough to generate an impressive output, because I get easily distracted, and like Alice, I happily plunge into every rabbit hole that spurs my curiosity. For me, a successful day isn't measured by how many pages I write or how much progress I make on any of my other projects, but by how enjoyable it is, no matter how it's spent. But when I do write, I prefer to do the first draft  (with much much scratching out and corrections along the way) with pen and paper. Then, one chapter at a time gets typed into the computer and corrected as I go. Many many rounds of tedious editing follow in pursuit of the illusive ideal of... perfection.

Have no fear of perfection; you'll never reach it.  [Salvadore Dali]

You can't wait for inspiration; you have to go after it with a club.  [Jack London]

From the moment I picked up your book up until the I laid it down, I convulsed with laughter. Someday, I intend on reading it. [Groucho Marx]

Now, Groucho, that wasn't very nice...

Okay, now that I've dutifully answered those questions, I'm supposed to pass this honor on to someone else. I haven't seen any requirements as to how many, but some participants have selected as many as three, while others have chosen one. Or none. I could wimp out and simply throw it out there for grabs like a bouquet at a wedding reception, but I've decided to pick one very wonderful person.

This wonderful person is Tracy Jo. No matter what challenges life may hand her, she always manages to create inspirational blog posts, made even more special by her excellent photography and writing skills. Even if she chooses to pass on joining this virtual parade of talent, I do hope you'll stop by her blog and say hello.

                                         Tracy? Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

isn't the slightest bit impossible. Just answer those four simple questions up there in a post on your blog, and then invite one or more others to join the tour. But, um, better decide quickly. You know, before this post self-destructs...

                                 Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.


P.S. To celebrate the imminent release of Old Broads Waxing Poetic, the e-version of Hot Flashes and Cold Lemonade will be available on Amazon for the next week for the paltry chump change price of ninety-nine cents.

Feeling Groovy

Thought for the day: The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.  [Mark Twain]

Well, if you want to be technical, nobody actually said I was dead... but the lovely Mary Pax did tag my toe. So to speak. If you don't know Mary, you should. Not only is she a very sweet gal, she's also a very talented writer. Science fiction kinda stuff. Stuff I didn't think I liked... until I read her books. Really. Good stuff. You should check it out.

So anyhow, this meme she tagged me with is fairly simple. She said I didn't have to participate, but then bless her sneaky little heart, she said she hoped I was...  groovy. 

Can you beat that? Me? Groovy? Hell yes. That's me... one of the grooviest little ol' ladies in the whole state of Georgia, so what can I say? I had no choice but to participate, right? I'm no square, dude.

I'd be happy to tell you where this pic came from... if I remembered.

So what's this tag all about, anyway? Well, Mary provided nine questions related to writing, and said I only had to answer four. Actually, that's quite considerate, if you think about it. Less chance that I'll bore you so badly that you need a toe tag.

Anyhow, here's the full gamut of questions:

1. What are you working on right now?

2. How does it differ from other works in its genre? 

3. What experiences have influenced you? 

4. Why do you write what you do?

5. How does your writing process work?

6. What is the hardest part about writing?

7. What would you like to try as a writer that you haven't yet?

8. Who are the authors you most admire?

9. What scares you? 

source

So, ya ready for my groovy answers?

1. What am I working on right now? 

This blogpost. (Sheesh.) Oh, you mean other than blogging, huh? My current WIP, on which I've done very little work and made very little progress, will be more mainstream than my recent release, and will have some delicious twists at the end. The tentative title is Blast Rites. So far, the research process has taught me how to make my own explosives and what it was like to live in a girls' reform school in the early '60s. Fun stuff!

3.  What experiences have influenced me?

All of 'em. Really, I'm not trying to be a smart ass here. (No trying needed... it comes naturally.) I think each of us is the sum product of all our experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. You a one-big-experience kinda person, or would you rather graze leisurely at life's all-you-can-eat buffet? I'm old. I get more bang for my buck at the buffet. Especially if I carry a suitcase-sized purse.

4. Why do I write what I do?

Because I'm the only one who can. Again, not trying to be a smart ass. Each of us is unique, with a unique set of life experiences, and a unique outlook, so that unique voice and outlook is gonna be reflected in our writing. Universal slice-of-life stories about how families and friends interact intrigue me. Quirky characters that can make a reader laugh, cringe, and nod with self-recognition delight me. Unexpected twists make me want to stand up and cheer. In essence, I try to write the kind of story I want to read. I make myself laugh, and make myself cry, and hope readers will have the same reactions when they read it. Heck, who am I kidding? I'm not proud. I hope they read it, period.

7. What would I like to try as a writer that I haven't tried yet?

A Pulitzer would be nice. But I'll settle for overhearing two strangers talking about my book, and how much they loved it.

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That was fairly painless. At least for me. I shouldn't assume for you guys. Thank you so much for thinking of me, Mary.

Now I'm supposed to tag the toes of four other bloggers. So to speak.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Some of you guys are serious writers, some of you aren't. Some of you like doing this sort of thing; others hate it.

So tell ya what. If you want to take all nine questions back to your blog for  an easy peasy almost writes itself post  the enjoyment of your readers, take it. With my blessings. Enjoy! And if ya wanta be extra sweet, include a link in that post back to my little ol' blog, and pass the meme on to four other bloggers. Okay?

OR you can pick and choose some of the questions and answer them right here in the comments. How's that?

What's that? You're not a writer? Okay, then, here's a question for you non-writer types to consider: Who put the bop in the bop she bop she bop? 

Just kidding. On a serious note, do you get sick to death (darned near need that toe tag again!) of seeing blog post after blog post about writing, new book releases, new book cover reveals, etc.? I must admit, I kinda do. That's why I didn't put any effort into trying to promote my book on a bazillion different blogs. (HA! As if!) Sometimes, having something shoved down my throat makes me wanta...  Let me rephrase that. Overexposure to any product makes me less likely to purchase it. You too? Or is it just me?

Oh yeah! Before I forget, a non-blogfest blogfest of sorts will be taking place next Monday. You avoid bloghops at all cost? Don't see the point of three hundred people all over the world writing about the same topic on a given day and then breaking their necks to visit the other two hundred ninety-nine blogs before the day comes to an end?

You aren't alone. Gary is the KING of anti-blogfest curmudgeons. Not really. He's got a heart of gold and an endless supply of witty puns to fit any occasion, but he does like to poke good-natured fun at the bloghopping crowd. So, HEY! Why not have a blogfest in his honor? Yeah, I know. Brilliant, right? The brainchild of the Aloha kid Mark, this fest will be co-hosted by ninja king Alex, and the three lovelies Tina, Robyn, and Morgan. If you want to join in the fun, you can sign up at any of their blogs. No big drawn-out requirements or term paper to write for this one. All ya have to do is come up with three off-the-wall titles for PG-13 blogfests you would never join, and then add a few descriptive sentences. Here's your chance to show off your creativity, imagination, and sense of humor. See? Easy peasy. How outrageous can you be? See ya Monday. I hope y'all have a groovy weekend.

                    Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

Rhymes With Dream

Thought for the day: Why do people pay money to go to the top of tall buildings, and then pay again to look down at the ground through binoculars? 

One of the few good things I can say about growing up in a neighborhood of row homes is that there were always enough kids around to initiate just about any kind of game you can imagine: games like curb ball, dodge ball, red rover, Mother may I, spud, seven up, and of course, tag. A little convenience store down the alley from our house served as our meeting place, and the big metal pipe at its front corner served as home base for our tag games. Tag games always started by everyone yelling "Not it!" Whoever was slowest, WAS it, and would have to cover his eyes and start counting at that pipe while everyone else ran.

It's been 50+ years since I played that version of tag, but thanks to dear sweet Ruby of Blabbin' Grammy now I can play a different (more age-appropriate) version. She tagged me IT, so now I get to answer some questions, before tagging three other bloggers. Thank you, Grammy. Sounds like fun.

Here we go:

1.  If you could go back in time and relive one moment, what would it be?
It'd be that moment I spotted my husband at the airport when he finally came home from Vietnam.
2. If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?
The airplane spent an interminable hour and a half sitting on the tarmac in Atlanta, and should have already landed in Baltimore by the time it finally got off the ground. My sister-in-law and her husband picked me up at the airport and we drove straight to the hospital, but my mother died twenty minutes before we got there. So, if I could change one thing, I'd make that plane leave on time.
3. What movie or TV character do you most resemble in personality?
I have no idea. Maybe a cross between June Cleaver and Lurch?
4. If you could push one person off a cliff, who would it be?
Geez, I'm boring. Can't think of anyone I hate, and even if I did, I'm not a push-somebody-off-the-cliff kind of person. I'm more of a guns or poison kind of gal.
5. Name one habit you want to change about yourself.
I need to exercise. Unfortunately, owning exercise equipment and a pair of spiffy running shoes doesn't do the trick. You actually have to use the darned things.
6. Describe yourself in one word.
Vulnerable.
7. Describe the person who named you in this meme in one word.
Family-oriented.
8. Why do you blog?
It started out (reluctantly, I might add) as a means to establish a "platform" to benefit my writing future. Now, I do it because I truly enjoy it, and because I've come to care about the people I've "met".

OK, time for me to tag three more bloggers. Ladies, you are IT!
Linda, from Visiting Reality
Connie, from A Merry Heart
and Anne, from Piedmont Writer

If you ladies would be so kind, please snag the blog tag from the top of this page, answer the questions on your blogs, and then tag three more bloggers. Kinda like a chain letter, but better. No body parts will turn black and fall off if you don't do it. (I don't think so, anyway. Personally, I wasn't willing to take the chance.)

Did you notice that word meme in question number seven? Familiar with it? In answering these questions on her blog, Grammy said, "What the heck is a meme? I never heard that one before." Since the only meme I'd ever heard of before was the French word, which rhymes with hem and means same, I decided to do some investigating.

It turns out that meme, which rhymes with dream, can best be described  as a basic building block of minds and culture, similar to the way a gene is considered a biological building block. Just as genes transmit biological information, memes transmit ideas and belief information, like catch phrases, melodies, the latest fads, and fashion trends. By extension, an Internet meme would be a concept that spreads via the Internet, like viral videos, tweets, and ... games of blogger tag.

So now we know.

Last Friday, I told the funny-but-true story of my grandfather using most of my grandmother's clothes as diapers during their long voyage to America. Turns out, my brother acquired a copy of their ship's manifest through Ancestry.com and informed me that their ship didn't sail into Ellis Island, after all. The S.S. Columbia left Glasgow on April 28, 1923, and actually arrived in Boston Harbor eight days later. Eight days. When Mom-Mom described the voyage, she made it sound like so much longer than that, but eight days of seasickness must have felt more like eighty.

Now that I know they entered via Boston, I've been thinking about another story my grandmother told me. She said they lived in New York City for a while before moving on to Baltimore, which is why I thought they'd come into the country through Ellis Island, but maybe I misunderstood. Maybe they actually lived in Boston. Still, wherever they lived, the story was hysterical.

My grandmother could wax poetic about Scottish heather.

She said the temperatures were hot, hotter than what they'd ever experienced in Scotland. And the bugs? They were absolutely horrific, and also something quite new to them, she said. According to her, they didn't  have such annoying bugs in Scotland. So, picture this: they're in a cramped hotel room in the sweltering heat one evening, and the flies and mosquitoes are flitting and buzzing around the room, and about a hair's breadth away from driving my grandfather completely insane. So, Pop starts chasing them around the room with a fly swatter in hand. Bouncing on the bed, swinging the flyswatter like a baseball bat, and cussing as only an irate Scotsman can cuss. And oh yeah, because of the heat, he also happened to be naked. When my grandmother looked out the window, a small crowd was gathered below, pointing up, and having a jolly good time. Seems they found my grandfather's shenanigans quite entertaining.

Now whether or not that story's entirely true, I can't say, but she certainly told it to me often enough. One part of the tale doesn't mesh, though. That part about Scotland not having any annoying bugs? I did a google search to see if that's true. Not even close. There's a wee bug called the Highland midge that is so annoying, it's been known to make grown men cry. Those miserable critters not only bite, but they swarm. Not talking little swarms, either. I'm talking swarms of hundreds, and even thousands, that attack all at once. They've been called the scourge of Scotland.

Still, why ruin a good story with facts, right? My grandmother chose to remember Scotland as a perfect place, with fields of heather and nary a bug in sight. Works for me. I love good dreams. (rhymes with memes)

 rainbow above the highlands

Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.