What do you Dream?

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I dream alot. Maybe it's a result of my diabetes[isn't their a study about sugar levels affecting dreams?] or maybe it's the result of being a woman [hormones] or maybe I just have an active imagination. The scientists say that we dream. I am a person who often remembers her dreams, vividly.

For about two days when I was a teenager, i thought of keeping a journal. But rolling over and sleeping seemed so much more important at the time. I never did reconsider the task. Now that I consider myself a writer, I occasionally get the urge to jot down the good ones.

I love how my dreams combine ideas and images from my waking hours. Last night, it was a wonderful drama of secret identities, military intelligence, and political intrigue. [Hey! Look! Three I words. Looks like a good plan for a series.] So, you're probably wondering really? This reflects your waking hours? LOL
Well, sorta.

I had a hypothetical conversation with my neighbor about the political climate. I've noticed lately how wonderfully conservative the military community is. Being a conservative and a Christian, I feel good about that. But what if, in the future, there came a point when the military [or even each soldier] had to make a choice between following orders and following beliefs? When our enemies say, They will defeat us from within, at what point will we need to fight ourselves in order to maintain our freedom? I know I'm not the first person to consider this. I'm sure there are books and articles written on this topic... fiction and nonfiction. Somehow it came up in life and then again in my dreams.

I watched Psych before heading to bed last night. If you watch it and have met Juliet's brother Ewan O'Hara, you know this is where my dream got dreamy. LOL Hunky guys, uniforms, guns blazing... espionage. :P

Well, with my husband in the Army now, military things are often on my mind. What can I say? I dream and those dreams inspire new stories. What do you dream?

Army Strong

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I thought I knew what Army Strong meant. Look at me. I'd gone a whole month with my husband gone and I hadn't really cried once. I was strong. I was ready for this new life. My husband and I, we were so closely bonded the miles didn't even matter. I had this great community to lean on--family, neighbors, church. I was praying every day. My foundation was solid and I was ready for the next twenty years.

Or so I thought.

In one sharp instant of disappointment and pain, I was struck down from my high horse and, looking up from my back, saw what I had been missing. God [and a dose of humility, too]. Cut off from [almost] everything I thought was making me strong, I cried like a freaking wimp who could never possibly make it in this Army lifestyle.

The lesson? It's lent. Expect trials. Know that you can ALWAYS be closer to God.

Time on my Hands

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Seems I have a little extra time on my hands now. I've given up facebook for the time being and it has really hit me hard just how much time I've been spending there. I actually sit do: no notifications. I dropped all my yahoo groups so no activity there. I visit my writing group.

...then I sit and stare and think to myself, "Oh that's right. This is when I used to be able to write, but then didn't write so much because I was checking what everyone was doing on facebook."

I can't say I'm completely happy about leaving Facebook, but as the saying goes, blessings are often disguised.  So, I shall go forth in this new [old] world and figure out what to do with myself on a computer that involves Microsoft Word. LOL :D

Love

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After attending a conference this weekend, I got to thinking...

What am I writing for? Who am I writing for? Why?....


But the answer right now is...I'm not writing much at all. I've done a bit of editing...a few critiques.


Darla's birth has put me in a different place. Actually, Matt's career in the army has done the same thing. I don't know what to do next. Do I continue writing romance? Do I try something new?


The wonderful ladies in my critique group can attest--I'm floundering!! I'm doing this. I'm doing that... no wait, I'll just do this. Or maybe that.


*sigh* Give me some time. I can't walk away from stories...
I believe there is a place for fiction, a place for romance, passion and love.

I just have to figure out where my place is in it. :P

Valentine's Day -- The Truth!

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I love this picture for a couple of reasons. One, I love the time period. Early to mid 1900s. Great clothing. Cool cars. Backyard parties.

My grandmother tells me of how their friends would have evening get togethers-cocktails and pools and games, and whoever hosted would leave a basket by the door. Everyone would throw their keys into the basket.

Once an hour or so, one of the many guests would take the basket and visit all the homes to see how the kids were doing.... :D You know it sounds crazy, but I envy them a little.

Back to the photo, though. This picture throws all a conservative girl's perceptions out the door. :D And reminds her that Grandma had her moments, too! Passion was alive in the 1940s.

I think I'm one of the lucky ones. My parents didn't lack affection while we were growing up.  As a matter of fact, I remember a good friend of mine coming into the kitchen when my parents were kissing... only to run back out, yelling.  Must have been shocking to see. 

So... it's Valentine's day. Go show your kids[someone] that you love your man[woman].  :D hahaha!

Where do I go?

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I held my baby today and thought to myself. What if I'm sitting here holding the baby for the next six months...and getting nothing done? For a brief moment, I was completely fine with it.

But, the kids were in bed at 8pm and the baby was asleep shortly after. I knew then that I wanted to use my time to write. I don't want to throw my career under the bus.

Okay, so at this point I have one, for sure, scheduled time for writing. Friday mornings. Two-ish hours with no kids and a babysitter. It's not much, but it's a start.

What do you do when you find yourself short of time?
Any suggestions for the best use of my time would be GREATLY appreciated.
Enjoy the coming weekend.
With Love,
Bethanne

Friday Five

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I know my blogging has been hit or miss the last several weeks. And I sat down this morning to write a witty post about why is wouldn't be all bad that my husband was on his way to basic training and officer candidate school for the next 21 weeks, but the reasons didn't come to mind.

Oh, believe me, there are reasons! [like the junkmail clutter disappearing--FOREVER!]

But in the end, it didn't seem worth it.

So here are five reasons it'll be worse than I'm thinking it's going to be.
1. He won't be around to smack my rear when he passes through the kitchen.
2. There will be no one to rile me up by correcting the way I say something.
3. I'll never see our friends and neighbors because he is always the first to initiate contact. He's way more social and friendly than i am.
4. He kills bugs.
5. He runs interference when the kids turn me into freak, crazy mom.

....I could go on, now that I'm on a roll. :D
Even the things that irritate me the most will also be missed.

If you like my list and want to see more. Visit these blogs.
Moira
Gina
Debora
Harper
Dawn
Silke

Friday Five

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Five Ways I know daytime television is not targeting me...

The HOVEROUND SCOOTER for the not so mobile


Polident Commercials for the toothless


J.G. Wentworth Commercials, for the sucker with a settlement who'd rather have 100 grand than the millions he's won.


Welbutrin for the depressed--not that there's anything wrong with this, it's just not for me [yet]. hahaha. :D


Humana Insurance for Gramma and Gramps


That's it folks. This is just a small portion of what I see while I watch Price is Right and Family Feud and The Talk and Perry Mason or Hawaii Five-O... okay, somedays are better than others and I watch nothing, but still, if I'm not careful, before long, I will be there target audience!! :D haha.

Want some more Friday Five fun? Visit these other ladies and their aweswome blogs!
1. Moira Keith

2. Gina Ardito

3. Debora Dennis

4. Harper Bennett

5. Silke
6. Dawn Brown

Tortured Hero Tuesday

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Not that I'm going to continue this feature every Tuesday, but you never know. Maybe I will.

So, here's the story. I watched The Cape last night. Predictably enough, I like it. Yummy hero. Bad, bad villains. Cool explosions and cars. Strong women. All the elements of a great story. And it reminded me of how much I appreciate a tortured hero. I can think back on several of my favorite books and movies. Sometimes the torture is subtle. Other times, like with Vince Faraday[sounds like a soap name, doesn't it?], the torture is obvious. A framed good cop who goes underground. The world thinks good cop is dead. So he picks up a cape and decides to fight the evil that separated him from his family.

Comic books have never been my cup of tea. My kids, on the other hand, have really gotten into them in the past few years. My son read this HUGE graphic, super-hero novel that was at least 300 pages long, at least. So, I picked up a few as well, and found them fun to read. The comics that have been made into movies are also entertaining. For example, Dick Tracy, and Batman. What do I enjoy about them? The villains.

Why is it that comic book villains are just so darn creative? I love it. They border on science fiction or paranormal. They emphasize the hero's victory because he's just a regular guy. He's not always super-human, like Superman--or he if he is superhuman, his human qualities make him down-to-earth. He often uses his brain, braun... and a bit of magic. I loved the magical element of The Cape.

Take a chance. You might be surprised. I was. :D

Friday Five

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Five Crappy Carb-filled Breakfasts I can't find just as easy replacements for:

1. Cereal -- Not even Special K is really that good for you.

2. Muffin Bread -- my son's name for sweet breads--banana, zuchini.

3. The quick Donut -- so easy when time is short.

4.  Breakfast Bar -- even easier than the donut on some days, but just as carb-filled and worthless.

5. Coffee -- there will never be a replacement for this, nor do I need one.  But just having coffee doesn't work either!!!

I NEED GOOD BREAKFAST FOOD!!  What do you do for breakfast?? 

Thanks to iFood and Dunkin Donuts for the Donut image

For other FRIDAY FIVES visit my lovely Passionate Critters:
Moira
Gina
Debora
Harper

If you'd like to join in, leave your link in the comments and we'll add you to the list.

Welcome to 2011

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Instead of resolutions, I like to look back... 2010 was a BUSY year.  I was pregnant most of the time and had a baby in November. I wrote two novellas, both of which have been nicely rejected and will be sent on again in the new year. I continued the search for a home for my Single Title, Shake the Sugar Tree and in December sent it off to the last NY publisher on my list, Avon.  In the new year, I will send it off to a few e-publishers and see what shakes out. 

Today, as usual is the first day of the rest of my life.

I have a lot to look forward to this year.  My husband finally has a job again.  My writing is even better than it was last year [now I just have to find the time to actually write, I say with a screaming baby over my lap.].  I look forward to looking back again in a year and seeing all the great things that happened in 2011.