Yes, some time ago I joined a writers group based in Conway. I enjoyed the meetings and the members, but they weren't comfortable with the explicit nature of some (most) of my work -- and I read them one of the tamer stories, skipping the really explicit parts. Since I didn't have anything much less explicit, I quite going to meetings. I didn't have the heart to tell them that one member's weekly Sunday school lesson (which she read as her work of the week) offended me about as much as my steamy romance offended them. Oh well.
Not being a morning person by nature, I haven't made the attempt to join the FWCA (Fiction Writers of Central Arkansas for non-Arkansan readers). Now, with gas prices so high, I'm not likely to. I do, however, attend both the Arkansas Writers Conference in June and the White County Creative Writers Conference on Labor Day weekend.
The Little Rock Science Fiction Society (LRSFS) is putting together a writers group that will meet sometimes in person and sometimes on-line. If your work is at all speculative, this might be the group for you. LRSFS meets the 1st and 3rd Saturdays at Barnes & Noble -- on Chenal the 1st, McCain (North Little Rock) the 3rd. The website is www.lrsfs.org.
I'm a member of several on-line writers groups, most very specific as to topic, and to Writing.com. I've made some wonderful friends on those lists, some of whom I've actually met!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Yes, I'm still here
I know I haven't been posting regularly -- or at all for the past few months. Working nights and sleeping days works well for me, but since I share an internet connection with everyone else in the house (up to 5 of us, depending on who's home), my time on line isn't necessarily my creative time.
To catch y'all up (I presume someone's reading this from time to time):
When I went to work at Wal-Mart last October, I weighed 267 pounds. That's not something I'd admit to anyone besides my doctor, but in just getting off my butt and working 32 hours a week I started losing weight. By the beginning of March I was down to 244, and had stopped losing spontaneously. Inspired by a story on NBC's Today Show -- one of their Joy Fit Club stories -- I logged onto WeightWatchers.com and signed up. I had successfully lost weight (many years ago, before baby #3) with Weight Watchers, and I knew I could do it.
This week I weighed in at 218.
I've lost nearly 50 pounds (total) and have only 80 more to go!
More news:
Jeanie has graduated from NYU and come home for a while; James has finished his freshman year at Subiaco Academy. His quiz bowl team won their regional title, and was featured on our PBS station (AETN) for the state finals in their division. Though James (the only freshman on the team) didn't play, they were all introduced. They took second place -- a very good finish for such a small school. (In Arkansas, private schools "play up" a division in all competitons, so they were playing public schools a level larger than they.)
I just started a new position with Wal-Mart -- I now work in the accounting office 2 days of my 4 day-a-week schedule. It's a raise of 4 pay grades, and I love the work. maybe eventually I'll be able to work more in the office and less on the sales floor.
This weekend is the Arkansas Writers Conference, and I'll be there both days (though I don't know how long I'll be able to stay awake on Friday, coming off working all night). It's also the weekend for the Texas Scottish Festival at UT-Arlington, and Mom and Jeanie are off to spend three days with Men in Kilts.
I recently edited an anthology of horror stories for Spinetinglers. The book will be available 6 June 2008 from http://www.spinetinglers.co.uk/. I hope to edit more stories and books for them as they ramp up their fledgling publishing company.
That's about all for now -- I'll try to post more frequently -- at least keep y'all up on my weight loss. Coming up is my mother's 80th birthday, hubby's birthday, and our anniversary. June is such a busy month!
To catch y'all up (I presume someone's reading this from time to time):
When I went to work at Wal-Mart last October, I weighed 267 pounds. That's not something I'd admit to anyone besides my doctor, but in just getting off my butt and working 32 hours a week I started losing weight. By the beginning of March I was down to 244, and had stopped losing spontaneously. Inspired by a story on NBC's Today Show -- one of their Joy Fit Club stories -- I logged onto WeightWatchers.com and signed up. I had successfully lost weight (many years ago, before baby #3) with Weight Watchers, and I knew I could do it.
This week I weighed in at 218.
I've lost nearly 50 pounds (total) and have only 80 more to go!
More news:
Jeanie has graduated from NYU and come home for a while; James has finished his freshman year at Subiaco Academy. His quiz bowl team won their regional title, and was featured on our PBS station (AETN) for the state finals in their division. Though James (the only freshman on the team) didn't play, they were all introduced. They took second place -- a very good finish for such a small school. (In Arkansas, private schools "play up" a division in all competitons, so they were playing public schools a level larger than they.)
I just started a new position with Wal-Mart -- I now work in the accounting office 2 days of my 4 day-a-week schedule. It's a raise of 4 pay grades, and I love the work. maybe eventually I'll be able to work more in the office and less on the sales floor.
This weekend is the Arkansas Writers Conference, and I'll be there both days (though I don't know how long I'll be able to stay awake on Friday, coming off working all night). It's also the weekend for the Texas Scottish Festival at UT-Arlington, and Mom and Jeanie are off to spend three days with Men in Kilts.
I recently edited an anthology of horror stories for Spinetinglers. The book will be available 6 June 2008 from http://www.spinetinglers.co.uk/. I hope to edit more stories and books for them as they ramp up their fledgling publishing company.
That's about all for now -- I'll try to post more frequently -- at least keep y'all up on my weight loss. Coming up is my mother's 80th birthday, hubby's birthday, and our anniversary. June is such a busy month!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
(Belated) Happy New Year!
No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, but the holidays (and working in retail, the holidays start in October) took all my time and energy.
Family
We had a wonderful Yuletide -- not quite all the family (niece Natalie, her husband and son couldn't join us) got together at my sister's home for a couple days of celebrating and way too much food. Now everyone has gone home, back to school, or off to see in-laws, leaving Hubbie and me alone. Don't get any romantic notions -- remember, I work nights and tax season has started, so Hubbie's working a second job until mid-April.
Music Question
While listening to "Music of the Night" (from Phantom of the Opera) on my new MP3 player (thank you, Santa), it occured to me that if one didn't know the story of Phantom, one just might think the song was sung by a Vampire. Any comments?
Paul Potts
I was listening to the CD from the British talent show winner (like American Idol), Paul Potts. He's totally untrained, but a superb tenor -- the first time I heard him sing "Nessum Dorma" I was in tears. He outdoes Michael Crawford on "Music of the Night" with a stronger low register and clearer high notes. I hope to see/hear many more recordings from Potts.
New Years Resolutions
I have two main resolutions this year (no, one of them is not losing weight; that's a given): One, to get my house in shape (clean is the operative word), including remodeling the kitchen; and Two, to get back to writing. Having my own computer again will help that (sharing computers in this family is a lose-lose situation). Now I just have to figure out how to get my old files off a dead computer (power supply input is damaged, and the battery is run down, but the hard drive should be OK). Part of the writing resolution includes blogging more frequently. It would be nice, too, to have some comments from time to time (hint, hint).
Family
We had a wonderful Yuletide -- not quite all the family (niece Natalie, her husband and son couldn't join us) got together at my sister's home for a couple days of celebrating and way too much food. Now everyone has gone home, back to school, or off to see in-laws, leaving Hubbie and me alone. Don't get any romantic notions -- remember, I work nights and tax season has started, so Hubbie's working a second job until mid-April.
Music Question
While listening to "Music of the Night" (from Phantom of the Opera) on my new MP3 player (thank you, Santa), it occured to me that if one didn't know the story of Phantom, one just might think the song was sung by a Vampire. Any comments?
Paul Potts
I was listening to the CD from the British talent show winner (like American Idol), Paul Potts. He's totally untrained, but a superb tenor -- the first time I heard him sing "Nessum Dorma" I was in tears. He outdoes Michael Crawford on "Music of the Night" with a stronger low register and clearer high notes. I hope to see/hear many more recordings from Potts.
New Years Resolutions
I have two main resolutions this year (no, one of them is not losing weight; that's a given): One, to get my house in shape (clean is the operative word), including remodeling the kitchen; and Two, to get back to writing. Having my own computer again will help that (sharing computers in this family is a lose-lose situation). Now I just have to figure out how to get my old files off a dead computer (power supply input is damaged, and the battery is run down, but the hard drive should be OK). Part of the writing resolution includes blogging more frequently. It would be nice, too, to have some comments from time to time (hint, hint).
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