Lots of Action

Finally, I'm getting to add another post, right?
This past week and next week I had and have a lot of deadlines for different publications, including a new section that I am in charge of for Texas Family Magazine. In addition to my regular stories, I'll also be in charge of the Talking Points section, where we talk about three or four issues or questions parents may have.
In addition to work, I also volunteered myself to teach a four-session writing workshop over a period of four weeks to a group of kids I normally tutor. I had to create my curriculum from scratch for the first session, which was this week. I think it will be fun to work with the kids over a period of time so that I can see the changes in their writing skills. I'm looking forward to it.
Also, for two months I have agreed to take over someone's dance classes. This means I am directing a middle school dance team (and yes, we have several performances) and am teaching to four classes a salsa routine and a hip hop routine, both of which I will choreograph. That's a lot of work, but of the fun variety. All this is in addition to "regular" work, of course, so that is why my posts have been so sporadic. Plus, all this has kept me from philosophizing too much. ;)

Happy Easter!

Have a hop, hop, hoppy Easter!

Contemplating the Curvy Path

The other day, I went walking with someone along a trail I like. There are different paths and directions on this trail, and I like and always take the curvy paths. The person I went with thanked me later for showing the curved path. That offhanded comment really got me thinking.

Do I like to take the curvy paths in life? Do I prefer the wiggle jiggle of life more than the straight and narrow? I have always thought of myself as a straight and narrow kind of person, but maybe all along I have been more of a curvy person. Or, maybe I’m straight and narrow on the outside but curvy on the inside. Or, even vice versa. Perhaps the way I picture myself is not at all how the world sees me. But, then, which one would be right and real?

It was a simple comment: “Thanks for showing me the curvy path!” But, it sure has gotten me thinking. It reminds me of what I for years had as my computer screen saver: “Sometimes you have to go in a circle to get back where you belong.”

I guess it's not so much about taking the path less traveled as it is about creating the path that is uniquely ours and following it until we are where we are meant to be.

My Box of Dark Chocolates

Tonight Forrest Gump was on TV. I resisted watching it, but I'm glad I did. Sometimes it's good to be reminded of and feel reconnected with certain things - that at times blind idealism is best, that there may be really good things in front of us we're not recognizing and appreciating, and what I think is the most poignant message - that we all simply should do the best with what we are given.

Show Me Your Feathers

This weekend I went to the Salt Lick, an awesome barbecue restaurant outside of Austin. It's one of those casual, down home barbecue joints that shows how barbecue should be done. People come from all over to have their barbecue and to listen to live music at this huge compound out in the country.

We've started an interesting tradition when we visit. On the way back, we always stop at Barsana Dham, an Indian temple, to walk off some of our meal. During the summer, I always visit for the pick your own peaches, but this time of year, it's nice to just walk the grounds and see the ponds and peacocks. The male peacocks were out in full force this weekend, but the females kept running away from them! This particular peacock was quite vocal, but he never spread his feathers for us. Someone commented how it was interesting that in peacock-world, it's the males who do the primping for the ladies.

Internet Safety - Texas Family Magazine

* The Child Sex Crimes Detective I interviewed just read the article and told me that my treatment of kids and Internet safety is the best he has seen. I am pleased. I try very hard to get the right kind of information to parents.
The new issue of Texas Family Magazine is on newsstands now. In this one, I tackle Internet Safety and Kids. There have been many, many stories published on Internet Safety, but I felt none of them had delved deeply enough in to the topic and, instead, had just managed to scare parents out of their wits. Parents freaking out and not letting kids use the Internet is not the answer so I tried to bring some common sense to the frenzy.
My main focus is on parent interaction - this is the key. I also talk about MMORPGs - massively multiplayer online roleplaying games. When you're talking about Internet predators, most parents think MySpace, but this seems to be the next evolution. From chat to MySpace to MMORPGs ...
Special thanks to MDK, gamer extraordinaire, for assisting me with technical issues!

How Things Change

I guess I was a little naïve when I thought I would get to do nothing but write at the end of last week. In between then and now:

1.) Two 21-year-old spring breakers crashed my house for three nights. An example of how this went: I came home one night to three of them (yes, they multiply) lying on my bed watching Borat. When it was over, at 2 a.m., they all went out - for food. I heard the last door shut at 6 a.m. That kind of stuff seems like a decade ago. Oh, wait ...
2.) Although I’d planned to skip the festival, I went to several SXSW concerts. They were fun, but at a night one, I fell down an uncovered utility hole while walking across the Palmer Events Center grounds. (I called the City.) I was extremely lucky not to break my foot or leg. As it is, I have horrible looking scrapes on my ankle bone and a lovely blue and purple bruise spreading over the top and side of my foot. It’s gruesome looking and doesn’t feel too good, either. I have to go get a tetanus shot. Ew.
3.) St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you all had an awesome St. Patrick's Day! I wore my "Everyone Loves an Irish Girl" shirt, of course. My dad, adding an accent, told me an awesome Irish saying: “May you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead!” I love it!

(Rest assured, I did get some writing done this past week - it just wasn't the write-a-thon I envisioned.)

Couple Days Off

I think I'm going to take a couple of days off from blogging. Just a couple. I want to focus on my novel while I have a few days freed up to devote to it.
You might enjoy catching up on some of the comments on my posts, particularly Oh, Single Is Me! which has gotten quite interesting. I'll still be checking in, and I'm always curious to hear what my readers have to say!

Austin Under 40 Awards - 2007

The Austin Under 40 Awards were held last night at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. I was a finalist in the Arts and Entertainment category.

It was such a great night, and I still find it hard to believe they honored me with inclusion in such a stellar group. I mean that - really.

Being included gives me motivation to work even harder toward all I want to accomplish; I'd like to prove that their choice to include me - twice now - has been the right one.

After the dinner and ceremony, Au40 hosted an after party downtown, where I got to DANCE! (You know how I love to dance!!) I had a great time! Let's just say I woke up this morning singing, "My Girl Wants to Party All the Time, Party All the Time, Party All the Time!!!"

Seriously! : )

(Pardon the "fan effects" in the first picture.)

Oh, Single Is Me!

Today in the Austin American-Statesman’s XLent section, writer Andrea Lorenz examines “what it's like to be single and successful in Austin,” by interviewing some of the non-married Austin Under 40 Awards finalists, including me. The title is "Single, Successful and Under 40 - Achievers find time to give back."
While she comments on our lack of pretentiousness, she does manage to ensnare me enough to say I wouldn’t date someone who plays video games all the time. "I do want someone who is ambitious, and who is smart, and who I feel is my equal," I said. "Does that limit the dating pool?"
In real life, I go on to answer my own question, but in the story, she answers it for me:
“Um, yes. But I don't want any of my jadedness to rub off on such positive folks, so let's move on. When you're single and so successful that you're among the Top 50 in Austin, you learn that Austin doesn't care if you're single or married — no matter the propaganda newly engaged friends spread.”
And then it goes on …
Originally, we were going to get in to the differences between successful men and successful women in the dating world. The premise was that the more successful a man is, the easier it is for him to date, and the more successful a woman is, the harder it is for her to date. After thinking about it, I agreed. Where women might be attracted to a successful man, I think a lot of men are intimidated by a successful woman. This turned in to quite a discussion, at which point the writer opted to devote an article entirely to the topic at a later date. Now, won’t THAT be interesting?

Sunny Sweeney - Best in Texas Music Magazine

For this month's Best in Texas Music Magazine, I wrote a story on East Texas native Sunny Sweeney, who, while fairly new to the music scene, is making quite an impression. She is somewhat known for her Texas twang, although it comes out stronger when she sings than when she talks. (Or maybe I'm just pretty used to hearing accents.)
People never really have commented much about me having an accent, but I kind of like the thought of having a little bit of one. I imagine when I go beyond Texas, subconsciously I let it out a little more - just in case people might forget I'm a Texas girl!
The article can be read here, through March 2007 only.

On the Personal Side ...

Today was the "Mayor's Breakfast" for us Austin Under 40 finalists. It was good to meet some of the other finalists, since I don't really know many. We are quite a diverse group! The event this morning made me realize the awards ceremony is only a week from now! I don't know where the time goes sometimes, or rather I don't know how I manage to fit so many things in to my days.
I also wanted to let you know about something that may generate a lot of chatter when it appears. I was interviewed by the Austin-American Statesman for a story they are running next week. I talked with the writer yesterday and then met her this morning at the breakfast. One thing I can say is it definitely is different being on this side of the interview. I've literally interviewed thousands of people, but giving an interview and trusting it comes out how you mean it is an entirely different situation! I won't tell you what the story is about yet, but I will say it's something on the personal side. Hmmm ... I'll be sure to let you know when it appears in print. : )

Listen, Honey

I was finally made to switch over to the new Blogger today. I generally resist changes of this sort until I'm convinced it actually is a change for the better. I guess we'll see ... I will admit nothing appears to have exploded so far.
I've been meaning to post this. It is back from when we had the ice storm. It's a conversation between talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and a woman in Austin named Gladys. It is worth listening to every bit of it; it will crack you up!

Injustice

I am so upset by this injustice.
A Pakistani minister of social welfare, who also is a women’s activist, businesswoman, and mother of two, has been killed by an Islamic extremist. Why? For being who she is - - and refusing to wear a veil.
This kind of thing makes me so angry. I can't even begin to comprehend the mindset of someone who believes women are inferior. It's just plain warped.

New Headshot

I had a new headshot taken so I updated my Profile Page.

This is me at 30 and a half.
(The half sure has gone by fast, hasn't it?)

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you have a great Valentine's Day!!
Share your love, eat lots of chocolate, smell the flowers, and look out for flying Cupids! : )

Updated Photos Link

I updated my Photos Link a bit. I realized I hadn't added any new pictures in almost a year!

I also received my first Valentine's Day card. It says, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send cute, financially stable, emotionally mature men right over!"
: )

No Permanent Damage

It seems like everything has been happening all at once this past week. So long, quiet January! I guess life is back to normal!
This weekend, in addition to everything else, I'm doing some work on my house. I'm fairly proud of myself because so far I haven't permanently damaged any piece of my house or any part of my body. I still have a long way to go, but I'm hopeful. And, if this goes well, I may attempt some more adventurous projects. I was out of town so much last year that I didn't get to some things here so I'm hoping to catch up this Spring - you know, in all my spare time.

New Articles

The anniversary issue of Texas Family Magazine is out now. What a year it has been!

For the January/February issue, my story is on television and kids - a real life look at what parents should do.

The second issue of River City Renaissance, a new arts publication in Austin, is out now. Here, I take a look at an "Unsung Hero," the wardrobe master at Ballet Austin.

Article in Florida Family Living

An article of mine on Teaching Work Ethic is out now in Florida Family Living Magazine. Discussed in it is the importance of making sure that in today's world of conveniences, we still teach our kids the value of labor. Also mentioned is that boys seem to be lagging behind girls in this regard.