In Which I Gush About Kiersten White...

Last Thursday, I drove from Houston to Dallas, specifically Irving, to attend yet another writer event.  Kiersten White was stopping by on her only visit to Texas.  I couldn't miss it, right?  There's more to this story.  Last year, I picked up Paranormalcy and loved it.  I lent it to my best friend's daughter, Morgan.  She's 13.  I didn't see it again for several months.  I went to her house for the Super Bowl and asked about it.   As she brought it to me, she showed me the soda-stained pages and said it wasn't her fault.  The corners of the covers were wore completely out.  She had carried that book with her EVERYWHERE, and read it about six times in just a few months.  I give her a hard time about me having to replace that copy, but secretly I love that she loved to read this book so much!  SO, when I heard Kiersten was coming, I told my BFF, and we planned the surprise trip to see Kiersten.  My BFF couldn't come so it was just me and the Kiddo on a road trip.  She was bugging me the whole time on where we were going, what we were doing and for the first time ever I think I surprised her.  The proof, well, it's in the pudding.

ZOMG!

There were two events -- early for teens with crafts and such.  Later for adults.  We attended both.

Yay!

Crafting with Kiersten

The perfect duct-tape pencil case for Evie's first day at school!

Kiersten the photobomber


Oh, then there was the talk and signing.  

I don't remember what she said right here, but I'm sure it was funny.  Everything she said was funny!!

I love that she had different colored sharpies!

And then there was swag...

Ok, sorry for all the photos.  It was so much fun.  Kiersten was such a trip!  She interacted with everyone and got everyone, including my 13 year old shy companion, involved with the activities.  She really is awesome!   Every author has something new that inspires me, and this was no different.  This day's lesson - it's ok to write as yourself -- as your own voice.  So today, I am!

A special thanks to the Irving Public Library for such an amazing event.  I can't wait to go back!

Happy Tuesday all!

Dropping in to say HI!

Just a quick note to say hi to ya'll and to wish you a happy weekend!  Headed up to Dallas to a Kiersten White event today and won't be back until Friday evening.  I'm taking my BFF's kiddo and it's a total surprise.  I can't wait to see the look on her face!!

Until next week, kiddos.

In Which I Get A Little Riled Up...

I won't take up too much of your Tuesday.  In fact, I will organize my thoughts for your convenience!

-I'm on twitter!  @heatherdeetz for your reading enjoyment.   Feel free to follow and let me know your @!

-Speaking of twitter, I need help w/blogger.  I want my "social" buttons organized but I can't figure it out.

-Please recommend 5 blogs and/or people on twitter that you can't live without!

-My muse is hibernating.  Seriously.

That's about all I have today.  I would like to get on the soapbox for just one second though.  We lost yet another brilliant musician way too soon.  From the first moment I heard Amy Winehouse's voice I was in love.  No sooner did they announce her death did people on twitter and facebook start making jokes at her expense.  This happens every time someone famous dies and I just don't understand it.  Even though we don't have toxicology reports yet, of course we can predict what they will say -- she most likely died due to some kind of drug or alcohol related event.  Maybe not, but it's likely.  It's not like we didn't see this coming but it doesn't mean we have the right to ridicule and make mean comments.  



This was someone's daughter

This was someone's best friend

This was someone's everything

RIP Amy.  May your troubled soul be at peace.

/end rant




...and I want them in a basket...

Happy Friday Eve to all of you.  It's going to be a busy one -- I've got company coming for the weekend starting tonight, so I have some preparations to do.  Nothing too serious though.

First off, a little silliness.  I would like to torture thank Kristin for making sure this video is stuck in my head for all eternity.

Second, I am starting to use twitter more, so please feel free to follow me @heatherdeetz and I'll make it worth your while.  Hopefully.

Thirdly --wait, is that even a word?  Next, Day 2 of schedule planning going ok.  I tend to get distracted -- I go in one room to do something and I find something that belongs in another room so I pick it up and go to said other room and start doing something else completely.  Am I the only one that does that?  I think I have ADOS.  Attention deficit....OOH! Shiny!

Well, off to clean the kitchen. *Sniff* -- sorry - I was just thinking about cats again.  I can't hug every cat.

Goodbye, Borders. Thanks For The Memories...

A lot of people are blogging & tweeting about the demise of Borders.  Call me a lemming if you will, but I choose to speak on this today.

I used to read a lot when I was young, but lost interest in my tweens.  20 years ago, YA was not an option.  I went from Judy Blume to 1984 with no in between levels.  No books on 15 year old girls trying to find their way.  Or not many anyway.  I didn't read much after that, unless required.  On occasion I'd find something that interested me, but it was sporadic at best.  Usually it was pop culture related - biographies of actors or musicians I was a fan of.  Tugboat is an avid reader.  A hoarder of books I'd call him.  I hated going to a bookstore because he lingered in there for hours if time allowed.  I had better things to do. A few years back a friend got me into Harry Potter, and I devoured the books.  But I just read those books and that was it.  Same with Twilight.

Then, about a year and a half ago, and I cannot remember how we starting chatting (likely about Twilight), but Kristin and I (we were co-workers at the time) got on the subject of books.  She brought me The Hunger Games to read.  Then Shiver.  Then The Body Finder.  Then Hush, Hush.  Again, I devoured, but I was hungry for more.  I was hooked on YA and I've been going ever since.

Now Tugboat calls me a book hoarder, but he has made room on his shelves for my ever growing YA collection.

We spent many long lunch breaks in our local Borders -- browsing, reading, chatting, brainstorming, writing.  We were so relieved when our Borders was one of the 400 that stayed open after the original announcement.  I feel like Borders has given me more than books - it's given me friendship.  It's given me a re-awakening of who I am and who I want to be.  It's given me so much more that I really cannot put into words.

As of Friday, only 5 days after they announced that the bankruptcy fell through and they were closing for good, they will no longer be Borders.  We took one last trip to our Borders as we know it last night. I picked up Shine by Lauren Myracle.  Kristin got Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton.

I can't speak for everyone, but I will always remember the last book I bought from Borders.

It's Raining! It's Pouring! The Old Man Is Snoring!

Ok, so it's drizzling, not pouring, but the rest is true.  I can hear the snoring all over the house!  We need the rain and he needs his rest, so it's all good!

Happy Tuesday to you!  I've decided that Tuesdays (not with Morrie) will now be the beginning of my "work week".  Why? you ask -- well the Tugboat has Sundays and Mondays off, so I might as well too.  So it's really my Monday...hehe!

I have decided that a schedule is the first in my long list of things that could help me get out of the funk, so I'm giving it a go.  While I don't miss working, I think deep down I miss the structured day that a job gives me, so I am working on that.  One issue I am having is sleep.  I've been staying up until all hours of the morning reading, gaming, tossing and turning, etc and it's causing me to then sleep all day and well you know...rinse and repeat.  On the schedule - 12am = LIGHTS OUT!  Why midnight?  Tugboat works afternoons and doesn't get home until amost 11pm.  Hard for me to go to bed before only to have him wake me up as he stumbles in the room.  More to come on the schedule as I work on it.

So, my weekend can really be summed up in two words.  Harry Potter.  Saw it twice.  Loved, loved, loved it!  I am fearing that I will be flogged by saying this, but I did feel like so much was left out -- so much I was dying to see.  I still loved it so much, and just sitting here thinking of Alan Rickman's portrayal of Snape makes my eyes sting.

According to my developing schedule, I'll be blogging Tuesday - Friday, so I'll save the rest for later.  I will, however, leave you with one little parting gift.

May this haunt your dreams as it has mine.  Blech.

Get The Funk Out...

Well, it's been way longer than I'd like to admit since I last blogged.  Thanks for sticking around :)

I tried very hard to blog daily on the road.  I think it was day three when we had crap for internet in the hotel.  From about then on out it got hectic with early starts, late hotel arrivals.  Many days the laptop didn't even get unpacked.  If it did, it was to skype quick and head to bed.  I haven't even uploaded them all to facebook.  I know what you're thinking...procrastinate much?  Yes. I do.  A lot.

Anyway, I'm home, recovered, ready for action. Except there isn't any.  I have found myself in what most people would call a "funk".  I'm not sure how to explain it.  I'm happy not working, but yet I find myself moping around most days.  Part of the reason I'm not blogging is because I spent the better part of the last 15 years in a cubicle.  In front of a computer.  Sitting here reminds me of that.  I'm not writing because I'm not sure if I'm good enough at it to be doing it.  Sure, ideas are flowing, but words, formalities - not so much.  The high of the road trip is gone, and here I sit.  Dozens of things I could be doing, but none of the will to do any of them.  I just lay around in my PJs most days reading and gaming. And napping.

One of my friends warned me about this - falling into a depression stage - after I quit my job.  Is that what this is? I miss the social interaction of the 9 to 5, but not the drama or the toxicity levels.  I didn't mind the actual work though.  I do miss people, though -- but I don't feel depressed.  Does that put me in the denial stage?

Have any of you ever been through something like this?  What did you do to get the funk out?