I finally watched the Painted Veil. Very beautiful movie, great costumes. I love Edward Norton, who got more handsome as the romance progressed. But this was not a keeper for me.

The boy went to hang out with some friends at a shopping strip. The dh gave him $30. Guess what he spent money on? BOOKS! He IS my son! He got War of the Worlds and Season in Hell. He’s reading Atlantis, has Barack Obama’s book on the way, has a TBR pile with Dresden and East of Eden in it. I’m so proud.

Today we’re heading to breakfast with my MIL, then the skatepark with the nephew. I’m loading up my Supernatural messenger bag with the first 50 pages of Ghost Hunters, my AlphaSmart and HEAVENS TO BETSY.

I am all about products that work, and if they smell good doing it, more power to them!

Here are a few of my favorite products:

Loreal Nail Polish – takes a licking and keeps on ticking.



Garnier Sleek and Shine shampoo and conditioner – smells SO good and tames my poofy hair.



Oil of Olay with ribbons – I resisted at first, because it’s kinda pricy, but it’s so worth it!



Okay, this doesn’t smell good, but it makes my life easier – touching up roots takes half the time as coloring my hair.



Cheer Dark really works – the ds has mostly black t-shirts, and this keeps them alive longer than the logos ironed on them.



Now, my indulgence. I love Cherry Blossom scents at Bath and Body – it smells like taking a bath at my California grandmother’s house!



What are your tried and true products?

create your own personalized map of the USA

Went to breakfast with Mom and the boys before they went to work yesterday, then Mom and I went shopping. I got a new (nice! but not warm) quilt at TJ Maxx for $36. It's royal blue and white. Remember I was trying to figure out what color to paint my bedroom? Now I'm thinking....maybe....

White.

I know, but it's harder than it sounds. I have plantation shutters that probably USED to be white, are now more shabby chic, and I'd have to paint my ceiling and doors....but I really need to get rid of that peach.

I read two critiques for SARA and Trish's Coven yesterday, and also Shadow Hawk, which was a fast read and different for a Blaze. My eyes are tired. I also entered Cleveland Rocks. Next I'm looking at From the Heart but I can't decide what to enter.

I'm doing timed writing here in a bit.

The boy worked yesterday and got paid. I don't think it was what he expected. My brother, his boss, is going in for back surgery at the end of the month, and will be laid up for 8 weeks, so they both need to work while they can. I'm really worried about my brother. He's self employed and while my SIL is a principal and has decent insurance, he's not making any money, and won't for a bit. As soon as he's healthy (please, God), the AC business starts slowing down. Of course, he's never been NOT busy as long as he's been in AC in Texas. Still, it's bad enough to not be healthy, but to worry about money, too....

If I had a gun, I'd shoot the damned mockingbird that sang in my front yard. All. Night. Long.

Still haven't watched The Painted Veil and Dreamgirls, which have been sitting here about a month. I need to get this queue rolling! Hopefully tonight.

Romance Novel Reviews - Smart Bitches: Come for the Dominican Bitches, Stay for the Man Titty

I didn't get much done yesterday, other than revising my synopses based on last week's critique. The boy didn't go to work because my brother wasn't feeling good, and Cindi called early and said they were going to watch the game at Lucinda's, on her HDTV. I reminded myself NOT to be a hermit and so we went.

They wouldn't let me switch over to Supernatural even for a minute to see it on the big screen, but I forgave them.

Cindi brought her three kids, and a neighbor kid, whose parents actually got to GO to the game. He was only two, but almost as tall as her five year old! Then Lucinda's grandson, who is four, was there. That was a LOT of kids. But we ate kolaches and taquitos and chips and dip and drank beer and had fun.

I came home and finished reading Under the Wire and started Shadow Hawk.

Today I'm critiquing and entering the Cleveland Rocks contest (if Paypal stops the hating of me.) I'm working on a letter for the newsletter, too. I also need to start my vamp hunters if I want to send it to From the Heart.

I woke up at seven!

My summer hasn't had the best start. Monday I had diarrhea kitty. Tuesday I had a flat (thank goodness they were able to patch it. I love you, Discount Tires!) Wednesday, the dh blew a waterhose on the Land Cruiser coming home from work. Again, we were fortunate that O'Reilly had the part, since it's a 20 year old car, but I live in dread of what today will bring. I hope if it's something, it continues to be minor!

Today I'm fixing my synopses to get ready for From the Heart. And I think I may almost have the beginning of my Vamp Hunters book figured out. I wrote 8 pages yesterday.

Have you seen this? I found it on Kristi's blog - I can't WAIT!!!

This week I’m reading books on other people’s wish lists on paperbackswap.com. See, once I read a book and post it, someone else can request it and I get more book credits that way. Currently I’m at zero, and I’ve bought like 6 credits recently, so I need to build them up again.

So some I’m looking forward to reading this week are:







Though if it’s good, I’ll give it to my mom to read first.







And I’m already reading this one, waiting for Dallas’s story.



What books are you reading this week?

My goals this week are:

1) write 12,500 words on Breaking Daylight (which would be WAY easier if I knew what was going to happen) ONLY ABOUT 5000 - WILL TRY TO MAKE A BIGGER DENT THIS WEEKEND
2) revise my synopses (BD and Ghost Hunters - yes, I have a synopsis on BD and STILL don't know what's going to happen) YES
3) send first 15 page of Ghost Hunters to online critique YES
4) enter From the Heart with either Surface, DLB or BD, also enter paranormal with either Ghost Hunters or my vamp book, which means I have to write the first 50 pages and a synopsis. But then I can enter it in Indiana’s Golden Opportunity, too. ENTERED DLB IN FTH, PRINTED OUT FIRST 50 PAGES OF GHOST HUNTERS TO EDIT, WROTE 7 PAGES OF VAMP HUNTERS
5) enter Cleveland Rocks with Hot Shot, and Melody of Love with BD, I think. GOT MELODY OF LOVE READY AND CLEVELAN
6) Get submission ready for Corey Deyoe YUP
7) Clean the living area, bedrooms and bathrooms ALL BUT ONE BATHROOM

That should do!

Napoleon, my bad boy cat, has diarrhea (and if he could read, he would kill me for telling you.) He was on my lap last night, which he NEVER is, and after about an hour, it just, well, I had to go shower. So off to the vet in a couple of hours.

I was talking to one of my critique partners about Pirates 3 and I mentioned how hot Will Turner was. Witness.



She argued that he was too boring because he was too GOOD. (Debatable in this movie) She's all for the bad boy.



I'm reading Trish's Coven again as she changes it from third person to first. She wrote it based on Sam, the Good Boy. (Why, yes, I did go looking for the hottest possible picture, why do you ask?)



I wrote my paranormal basing my hero on the Bad Boy brother.



Izzy on Grey's Anatomy chose Good Boy (again, debatable) George over Bad Boy Alex. (WHAT the...??)





So who do you prefer? Good Boys or Bad Boys?

Okay, off to scrap the most boring love scene EVER and start fresh.

Two names you go by:
1. Mary
2. Mary Helen

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Roswell t-shirt (that glows in the dark)
2. athletic shorts (otherwise known as pajamas)


Two things you would want (or have) in a relationship:
1. trust
2. love


Two of your favorite things to do:
1. watch movies
2. Read

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. More money
2. to finish this book!

Two pets you had/have:
1. 4 cats
2. dog

Two things you did last night:
1.sang karaoke
2. barbecued pizza

Two things you ate today:
1. brownie
2. Diet Coke


Two people you last talked to:
1. my husband
2. my son

Two things you’re doing tomorrow:
1. write
2. go to the Bath and Body Works sale

Two longest car rides:
1. We went to CA when I was a kid
2. Driving to Atlanta

Two favorite holidays:

1. My birthday (should be a national holiday)
2. Christmas

Two favorite beverages:
1. Diet Coke
2. Crystal Light Raspberry

Four things About ME!
Things you may not have known about me:
1. I have a MySpace, but most of my friends are my students ;)
2. I love bacon but hate ham.
3. I worked 2 days in Haagen Dazs at the airport and just never went back to work
4. I'm not very good with money.

Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. worked at Winn's, a local 5 and dime that's no more
2. worked at Eckerd's
3. worked at a craft store
4. teacher

Four movies I would watch over and over:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean
2. Lord of the Rings
3. The Mummy
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Four places I have lived:

1. Clinton, OK
2. Sunnyvale, CA
3. San Antonio
4. uh, that's it

Four of my favorite foods:
1. hamburgers
2. chocolate
3. strawberries
4. Cherries, the darker the better

Four places I’d rather be right now:

1. At breakfast ;)
2. At the beach
3. on a road trip
4. The Grand Canyon

I tag:

Trish
Michele
Natalie
Kelly

I've been up since 6, made 8 pizza doughs for Healing Brother's birthday party (BTW, he may be having surgery this summer, which is probably the best option, but means The Boy is out of a summer job), started my challenge buddies on their timed writing and am heading out to get H.Brother's bday gift. I can't believe I forgot! I'm going to get him a Spurs shirt, a Dresden book and a card to Border's.

Yesterday's luncheon was nice, though I was NERVOUS about making my presentation to Mr. Allen. He loved it, though he did say, "What happens in the classroom, stays in the classroom!"

I can't believe I'm free!

Have you seen this?



What about this? The song is a hoot!

I've got to go finish cleaning my room, then we have a luncheon today.

I watched The Queen last night. REALLY good. I'm taking it in today to trade for Catch and Release. I know, I know, but Jennifer Garner's in it and I love Jennifer Garner.

We saw Music and Lyrics the night before and the song is stuck in my head. But the movie had no conflict, and Drew Barrymore was very annoying in the beginning.

We saw Night at the Museum, too. Very family friendly.

My excitement today is not about the last day of school, though. It's that Best Buy has their TV season DVDs on sale. I bought 3 Babylon 5s (don't tell the dh - it's his present) and 3 Gilmore Girls!!!! Whee!!! Amazon actually has Gilmore Girls on sale, too, same price.

Have you seen this?

I think I missed my two year blog anniversary, 800 and something posts - am I chatty or what?

Well, I'm wearing my school shirt for the last time this year. I've set the alarm clock for the last time. I have Mr. Allen's going away gift, though I need a bigger bag, and I need to work on my speech. My room is mostly packed, today the kids are just watching videos (and yes, I mean videos because while the school bought DVD players, they don't work with our TVS.) It actually works out well, because the kids hadn't seen movies like Hercules and Tarzan. Our favorite, though, is Tiny Toons How I Spent My Summer Vacation. It's dated but a hoot. We've been singing the song all week. "We're waiting for the clock to strike three! When it's three o'clock, we'll be free! Then it's adios Loon-iversity! Summertime is coming finally!"

I have a stack of movies ready to watch, a stack of books ready to read, a house ready to be cleaned (wait a minute!)

I have a bunch of SARAs ready to jump in on a Book in a Month with me.

I need to go get my last tank of gas, though!

I know I've been counting down to summer for a month (or more), but all of a sudden it's too soon. I cried last night and today at the awards ceremony and again tonight. I know part is just that I'm so TIRED, but I'm really going to miss these kids. Two years forms a real bond, and it's hard to let go.

The good thing is that Cindi and her husband are going to 5th grade, so the two of them will have half my class. I think they'll love them, and take care of them for me.

I'm of course looking forward to my free time. I challenged my chapter to a Book in a Month, along the lines of Nano, only you don't have to start with a new book, or even just work on one book. So far I have over a dozen people ready to play with me.

I'm also thinking about making a summer reading program for myself, you know, glom a certain kind of book each week. Maybe read Noodler books the first week, and historicals another, and Intrigues another, and writing books another. I just don't know if I read fast enough anymore for it to make much of a difference.

Still my favorite time of year....all the possibilities of summer in front of me.

Apparently I was bored the other day, and I started labeling my stories. Some of my stories fit more than one category, so don't think I've written a kabillion books, just 18 or so.

Incomplete - 2 - Worth Bargaining For and Breaking Daylight

Not even typed - 3 - Ghost Hunters, Pride's Fall and an untitled single dad story

Need revisions - 5 - Vanished, Pride's Fall, Ghost Hunters, Spy Girl, Second Chances

Military heroes - 4 - Daughter of the Bride, Pride's Fall, Don't Look Back, Breaking Daylight

Reunion - 2 - Second Chances, Beneath the Surface

Friends to Lovers - 2 - Vanished, Where There's Smoke

cop heroes - 3 - Second Chances, Heart of a Knight, Devil in Disguise

Bad Boy Heroes - 3 - Devil in Disguise, Spy Girl, Breaking Daylight

Romantic Suspense - 5 - Heart of a Knight, Devil in Disguise, Vanished, Second Chances, Worth Bargaining For

Romantic Adventure - 4 - Hot Shot, Beneath the Surface, Don't Look Back, Breaking Daylight

Stories with kids - 4 - Pride's Fall, single dad story, Earth and Heaven, Spy Girl

Stories with hospital scenes - 3 - Hot Shot, Spy Girl, Don't Look Back

Stories with dance scenes - 7 - Simple Life, Where There's Smoke, Daughter of the Bride, Pride's Fall, Breaking Daylight, Spy Girl and yes, even Ghost Hunters!

Straight romance (no romantic suspense, I mean, because all my books are hetero) - 5 - Pride's Fall, Earth and Heaven, Simple Life, single dad, Daughter of the Bride

Clearly I love writing dance scenes. What do you love to write?

Okay, off to HEB to pick up a cake for one of the teachers' birthdays. Have a great Memorial Day!

Storms rolled through last night. At about 5:30 we heard frantic barking outside our window.

We'd left the dog out. Poor Stormy! So I got up to get her in, but she wouldn't come, and then the dh got up and so I'm up and he's back asleep on the couch, as is the dog.

I'm wiiiiide awake, and hungry, but don't want to wake the dh just yet.

We're going to see Pirates today! I sure wish I hadn't seen all those "meh" posts about it, though.

I've been thinking about TV characters, and who on TV you'd want for a friend in real life.

There aren't that many.

Of course, the Winchester boys from Supernatural, though you know Dean would never keep in contact.

Hurley and Charlie on LOST, maybe Claire and Sun. Rose and Bernard. To me, Kate's a cool girl, who may or may not want to be friends.

Maybe Bailey on Grey's. You know she'd be honest with you. I thought Addison was cool till her spinoff pilot, then she turned out to be wimp-girl.

No one in Blood Ties.

Maybe Dresden.

No one in 24.

Lorelei, Luke and Rory from Gilmore Girls. And Lane.

Claire, Peter, Hiro and Ando in Heroes.

Pam, Jim and Toby in The Office.

What do you think? Which TV characters would be good friends?

I was thinking yesterday about getting my kids something as a rememberance, since we've had 2 years together. I wanted to get them bookmarks that fit their personalities, or books, or something along those lines. Kinda expensive, though, so I'm open to ideas.

I wonder how my kids will remember me. I was thinking about my own teachers, and what I took from each of them.

Mrs. Anz was my kindergarten teacher. I remember coloring with fat crayons that were flat on one side, singing "The Colors of the Rainbow," looking out the windows that lined one wall, and Heidi throwing up in the sink by the door.

Every day.

Mrs. Anz died just recently.

Miss Nelson was my first grade teacher. She was young and pretty and wore her hair in a bouffant and liked sleeveless dresses. I remember sitting in rows, learning handwriting and standing in the corner for talking to a boy. Yes, even then.

Mrs. Gilbreath was my second grade teacher. I don't remember much because we left for about 6 weeks to live in California with my grandparents while my dad went to computer school. These days, I'd be repeating second grade.

Mrs. Dubois was my third grade teacher. I missed ONE spelling word that year - I wrote "then" instead of "than." We made clay mosaics and fired them in a kiln. We had a student teacher, who did a unit on Hawaii and we had a luau, complete with sugar cane. Which the teachers couldn't cut. So they squeezed sugar juice into our hands!

Miss Gerard was my 4th grade teacher. She was so beautiful, with long auburn curls, and she was the first teacher I had who wore slacks. She knew I loved Little House on the Prairie, so we did a unit on it. I remember covering the walls of the closet with a mural of the books.

Miss Moen was one of my FAVORITE all time teachers. She wore leisure suits every day, no make-up, but she had animals in the classroom. One corner of the room was a stage, and she had hooded rats named Laverne and Shirley (their colors matched!), birds, hamsters, etc. I remember looking for my assignment every week on her chart, which she organized with clothespins with our names on them. I remember the counselor gave puppet shows on the stage, with really cool puppets, and I remember all the 5th grade teachers getting together and having the students as teacher for a day. We would choose one skill we knew, and we were assigned to teach it on a certain day. Several of us were teaching at one time, so the other kids would sign up for who they wanted to learn from. I taught sign language. It was a really valuable lesson.

Miss Moen retired a couple of years ago. I know, because when I was trying to get out of the School from Hell, I applied at that school and she was still there.

I would be remiss not to mention our librarian, whose name I don't remember, sadly. But every week in summer, she would open the library one morning. And you know every week I was there, sometimes to check out old favorites, sometimes to check out something new. But it was so cool walking into the cool library, in the center of the school, and the place was so quiet. I can even smell the ink she'd use to stamp the books. I would come home and devour those books.

I'm not going to list my middle school teachers - that was a rough time. I was back at the Catholic school, against my will, where I'd gone to kindergarten and my parents were divorcing.

But I have to name three of my favorite high school teachers.

The first is Miss Stephens. She was a hippie chick with long red hair and an easy going attitude. She was instrumental in forming the Creative Writing Club, where I was a founding member. The club still exists today. She used that interest to form a creative writing class, and I learned a lot from her. She probably learned a lot more about me!

Mr. Ruth was the government teacher. He was an older man who wore plaid pants. I remember because we HATED plaid pants, the Sign of the Prep. But he was such a nice easygoing man, and he adored us. He always had a smile, which I imagine was a trick teaching seniors.

But my favorite all time teacher was Doris Pollock. If she EVER googles her name, I hope she finds me and gets in touch. I want her to know I'm writing. I had Mrs. Pollock 2 years, sophomore and senior. She was always available in the morning to chat, and when I told her I had a crush on someone, she put us in pairs, me with my crush. She was cheery and a bit flighty, but such a joy.

I do remember her breaking up a public display of affection (ahem) and being shocked it was me.

And I remember my friend Cora, a huge Adam and the Ants fan, taking a look at her vocabulary list and seeing the word "adamant" and saying, "Mrs. Pollock! Look! ADAM ANT!"

Good teachers make all the difference. My son had one this year and one last year that he loved enough to consider being a teacher himself.

I hope my kids take away some part of me with them.

My beloved principal announced yesterday he's moving to a new school - not his choice. Stupid politics, stupid test scores, whatever the reason, I'm just sick about it. Not only do I love this man and the environment he's created on campus, but I'm terrified, in a way you can only be when you've had a Boss from Hell, of who will replace him. So, yes, I'm up at 1:30, unable to sleep.

Today's our field day and it's pouring. Looks like it will rain all weekend. Mom and I are going to a flower show (indoors) tomorrow, and the dh's sister's son is getting confirmed on Sunday, so I don't know when I'm going to get to see Pirates.

Did anyone see Supernatural? It was the season opener for this year, and there were two bits that I don't remember being in the original airing. One was when the reaper told Dean it was a hero's death and he said he'd pass on the 72 virgins because he wasn't really into prude chicks, and the other was when John was making the deal with the demon and the demon said there was something he wanted as much as the Colt, maybe more. As I remember, it left off originally at, "You need to sweeten the pot." Am I crazy? Wait, maybe I shouldn't ask that question....

Tuesday night I got a call from Fire and Ice that Breaking Daylight got honorable mention. I know it's an honor just to final, but...well, I've never gotten HM before.

YESTERDAY, I got home from the field trip (very nice - the movie was Hurricane on the Bayou and it was awesome, ate too much because we decided to take the kids for Haagen Dazs) to an email that Breaking Daylight placed FIRST in Spring into Romance! YAY! It was a Berkley judge. I can see myself at Berkley! Strangely, my first instinct was to tell my no-longer-my-agent-agent, so I guess I need to FINISH the book and do the legwork myself.

**************SPOILERS***************

LOST last night - WOW WOW WOW. I LOVED it! The dh, as usual, figured out it was a flash-forward. I argued it couldn't be because Jack's dad was alive. I loved Sawyer killing Mr. Friendly, and Hugo and the bus, and the anguish of not knowing if the Others had killed Sayid, Jin and Bernard. Jack's scraggly beard drove me batty, though.

Questions raised - why would Locke kill Naomi and not Jack, if he was that desperate?

Who was in the coffin??

Why didn't Charlie swim OUT, then close the door?

The ds got mad at me because I complained about the Heroes season being, "Peter's going to explode, Peter's going to explode," and in the end he exploded. LOST was "Charlie's gonna die, Charlie's gonna die," and in the end he died. Why didn't that bother me as much? Because they surprised me in other ways?

Okay, so season finale grades (not season, just finales)

LOST - A+

Gilmore Girls - A

The Office - A (I even have a Schrute buck!)

Supernatural - B

Heroes - C

Grey's - F

24 - F MINUS!!! YAWNNNNNN!!!!

I just made my son's last lunch for the school year, and I'm a little sad. Why, you ask? I mean, I hate making lunches! But next year, who knows what will happen? He'll be a junior, he may decide to start buying lunch - this may be the last time I ever make him lunch.

The countdown has commenced. 47 more hours with the kids. One more field trip, 2 more days of kids working, one more Monday, one more Friday. I started bringing home my personal items yesterday, my bookshelf, my plants, my baskets. I bought totes to pack up other stuff, but even that won't be enough. So 8 more days till freedom, but till then....