Deployment Ideas--Sunday Summations

I think we've all heard of the paper chain idea for marking the days through a deployment. This is for the kids, mostly. Something fun and visual for them to count down the days. I stopped at Tips on the Tips webpage and Megan mentioned  a great way to send notes overseas with your loved one who is being deployed.

POST-IT NOTES!!

Those fabulous little pieces of paper with adhesive on the back. The paper everyone loves. :D Kids love it, moms love it. And now that special person in your life will love it!! By taking the time to carefully place a note on each page (without pulling it off), your soldier will be able to count down the days until he sees you again with little love messages, tearing one off for every day (if you're ambitious and steadfast) or even every other day (if you're...easily distracted) that he's gone. 

This is definitely going on my list of "things to remember for later." 

Let's just say, this idea goes beyond Military Life. You could do this for a friend who is far away and needs encouragement. It's personal. I like that best. Anyone can buy a book, Chicken Soup for the Soul or what-have-you, but this takes a little thought and because of that, means so much more. 

*  *  *

Sunday Summations

I've been thinking about a story for younger people, mid-teens... possibly a little older. A time travel. Time Travel!!! I don't know what brought it up and I honestly can't recall if I first thought of it before or after my discussion about speculative fiction. But it was before the weekend. A fantasy, of sorts, about a couple of people who visit a museum and end up on the battle fields of WW2. 

I'm looking forward to this project because it's going to mean I get to visit a museum... by myself--no kids invited (except Darla!). And I'm going to get to take notes!! I'm not a great museum attendee. I usually get bored because my husband reads every single word on every single display...until I start growling that the kids are restless and if I have to wrangle one more malcontent, I might lose my mind. Not only that, but when I visit the National Infantry Museum, I tend to skim over the exhibits, getting just the visual, because if I read too much I get teary-eyed. It's embarrassing!

Sooo, I'm into a bit of research in the next week. Not only will I learn something, I'm going to enjoy myself, too. 

Have a great week, friends!

With love,

Bethanne

Being the Oldest -- SWEET AGE of 35 [for Saturday's sake]

It's going to sound like I wrote this before bed last night...that's cuz I did!

My husband joined the military after we'd been married for 12 years. I think that's why we handled the transition so well. The separation didn't seem that big a deal like it did to some of the younger, less certain wives and girlfriends. My soldier and I had already been through more than a lot of couples--seven relocations,  five kids, three pink slips, welfare, arguments, mistakes...and lots of love--enough that I knew joining the Army would be a breeze. If you've been married or with your significant other as long as I have, you probably know what I'm talking about. 

It's what happens when you're confident in yourself. I don't question who I am or if I'm replaceable. 

Sooo, my crazy-butt issue this week [because, yes...i'm a woman, and I still have issues, even if I'm confident] is that I don't think I fit in very well. Maybe this isn't such a bad thing. Maybe it doesn't matter that I'm more than 10 years older than most of the wives associated with my husband's class [he's still in school/training], but that's how it feels to me right now. I'm older...

I'm OLD! 

I'm not hip, like other ladies.

I'm not stylish.

I don't give a crap about Target.

My kids sometimes wear clothes that are stained or NOT cute.

My hair isn't straight.

I'll never drive a new car.

I don't give a crap about Starbucks.

Living in a neighborhood with a homeowners association might kill me.

I don't fit in very well...

And right now, I just want to cry because my son has to wear these stupid braces on his feet. And after putting them on for the first time today, I pretended to be upbeat about them and encouraging but mostly I was just so stinking mad and disappointed and sad. They don't even have a hinge of some sort at the back of the heel! How is he supposed to walk "better" if there's no movement there? if he can't stand on his toes? if he can't extend and contract those muscles like he's supposed to? And I just hated it... because it was just one more thing that makes him different from his peers. He's never going to fit in either!

All of this... and maybe we're better off BECAUSE we don't fit in, but somedays that's harder to accept. This is one of those days, I guess.

I think I need chocolate...

Or wine...

both of which I have.

So, I don't care that this blog post has the feel of a cliffhanger. I'm going to sign out and dry my tears and go watch Knight Rider. 

Take care good friends.

With Love

Bethanne

Fiction Friday

Today I started a story for my daughter who has generously agreed to donate four teeth to the Make-More-Room Foundation, a subsidiary of the Mouth Association, of which she is a current member. She sure does have a mouth on her! hahaha

I've never had a tooth pulled, not even a wisdom tooth, so I don't know how to help her, warn her of how it's going to be. But, I hear that dentists are pretty gentle nowadays...

and local anesthetics are AWESOME...even if she does want to be put under all the way. :D

Funny conversation before I throw a few lines at you. My daughter told me to remind her, even when she's 75 that she does NOT want short hair. I told her when she was 75 I'd probably be dead. Her response???

"You'll be alive. Eat fish and wine."

Okaaay. That I can manage. Where does she come up with this stuff? LOL :D

~~~~~~~~

Claudia Anne Darling wished for powers. Different than the ones she already possessed. Powers that would make her disappear for the next two hours so she didn’t have to get her teeth pulled. Four teeth! She groaned and bit her fist.

“It’s going to be fine.” Her mom patted her shoulder and gave her ponytail a little tug.

Fine! Fine was what you were after your brother rigged your bike so that it would only turn right and you ended up in the creek off Johnson road. It was how you did on that stupid, science pop quiz in Mrs. Burns’ class.

Having four teeth pulled was not fine.

Wordless Wednesday -- imagining Maureen O'Hara

Happy Anniversary!!

On this day, thirteen years ago, I looked like this:

<-- And this man married me. He calls himself--looking back at these pictures--a goofy bastard. I don't think so! Just someone who got me and knew me better than I knew myself before I could easily get away. :D When I see these pictures, I think of the torture I put him through that day and how he must have hated it. But he did it, and did so without grumbling or pulling on that collar.

Today, he's even more handsome, more understanding, more loving, more giving.... I can't believe how blessed I've been. He cares about me and about our family. Every decision he makes comes from God for us.

I think if we ever had the chance to do it again... we'd be perfect candidates to Elope. We'd just have to figure out how to do that in the church. hahaha.


Last song of the night before we rode off into the sunset.

Sunday Summations

Long week of not much done.
My Friday Five lines pretty much covered my progress in my WIP.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I've been unsatisfied with myself.
It doesn't help that the first book I've read in months is a Nonfiction book called Guidance to Heaven. Don't get me wrong, it's a GREAT book. I'm enjoying it! But that's what's so strange...

Me, and nonfiction?

[stunned silence]

I know! It's crazy. I'm determined this week to finish this story, though. Because, even if I want to shake things up, go in a new direction, I just can't do that with an unfinished project on my desk. It goes against the grain. I have this story in my head, I just need to get it onto that white screen. Closure. Then start something new.

Now, that's ambitious of me! Finish a project this week?!
It's as ambitious as telling myself I'm going to go to the park every morning this week to do the exercise trail.
I did that, too.

Should be an interesting week with lots to report next Sunday.

Friday Five

Five LINES from my current WIP -- because then I'm combining Friday Five with Fiction Friday.

FICTION FRIDAY FIVE

       Molly’s heart pounded as she drove down the road toward home. Three years since Charlie’s death was long enough to be dealing with the aftermath. It seemed like each time she overcame another obstacle, there was one more waiting around the corner...


That darn money. She was going to find it, if it was the last thing she did.


It's the weekend, friends!
Enjoy it, revel in it, find peace.
With Love,
Bethanne

Blood Drive in Colorado Springs

Are you in Colorado Springs?
Are you in Denver or Pueblo and willing to drive to Colorado Springs?
Coming this May at Fort Carson, Armed Services Blood Program. It's like the red cross for soldiers. Blood donated will go directly to soldiers. All blood donated to the ASBP goes to soldiers and their families. Think about it. When our soldiers need blood and ASBP is low on supplies, ASBP buys from Red Cross. BUYS it.

Here's a link for where you can go and donate if you aren't in Colorado in May. Without knowing it, you could live just minutes from the nearest donation center.

Let's all give, shall we?
Don't worry, I'll remind about it as the date approaches, K?
You just sit back and relax. I got you covered.

Wednesday--ain't Wordless today

I'm hitting up on Military Life today...
There have been a few stories going around the internet about wives who've been notified about a casualty through unofficial means. It's true... I can't imagine the horror. I can't even imagine being so dumb to make that mistake! But the mistakes happen and we're all in a boat where that seems to be the most horrible of mistakes. We can't imagine making it. But it's been made...and will be made again. *cringe* By some thoughtless fool who didn't just stay quiet. Because even if you THINK official notification has gone out, maybe it's not your place to be talking about even then.

Another Army wife blog spoke about the training to become that notifier...that caretaker. What a rough job to have. I think the person who holds that responsibility must have a deep seated faith. Beyond that though, is the order of things. Knowledge is often misunderstood or perceived as conceit. We can never be too informed. The order of things, knowing the order, will make life smooth and stress free. That's my belief. I believe that's why organizations, like the military, have existed and grown stronger. It's easy to rant about the process, the paperwork. The tedium can become... unbearable at times.

am I rambling? I feel like I'm rambling. My point is that maybe we can all take one more online class or join an FRG [family readiness group] or ask your soldier about it... and better understand the inner workings of Armyland.

Wow. I just had a revelation....
More people should take this advice for lots of things.

Sunday Summations--Thank You Economy

It's LOOOONG. 61 minutes, but I watched it while making lunch one day. It's fast and absorbing. You won't be board or checking your watch...unless you're uninterested in ecommerce. [includes SWEARING]

I watched this You Tube video, marketing strategy with Gary Vaynerchuk, which--besides make me chuckle and laugh out loud--gave me a lot to think about in regards to this NEW publishing world. We've been talking about the changes for a few or more years. E-publishing has taken over where traditional publishing, and even self publishing, left off. It opened markets for people with unusual story lines and hard to place themes. It changed the business structure for authors--in good ways, mostly.

One point Vaynerchuk talked about was the Thank You Economy. It struck me that even as a traditionally published author, we ARE responsible for the Thank You. Bantam might look at all the advice this guy has and use it. Social media is becoming a huge part of marketing and promotion. But the Thank you economy he speaks of...

That is the author's.
Thanks for buying my book.
Thanks for sending me that note.
Thanks for reviewing my book. [yes, even if the review left you with a one star rating]
Thanks for friending me on Facebook.

I love how he ended his speech. It blew my mind a little and made me want to make my husband watch it... my husband insists that technology and the internet has depersonalized business. He would rather go to the hardware store or to the bank...so he can chat the with clerk or the teller. I agree, there's value in his approach that the internet has eliminated. BUT, social media has put us THIS close to our customers, our readers. In fact, the internet has brought us full circle, back to a time when personal interaction will be the winner, the money maker, the ultimate return on our investment.

~~~~~~

Nothing new on my writing this week. Just a few words down with hopes of getting a lot more done in the coming week. I'm getting antsy about my submissions... did I mention that last week? If I did, well it's even worse this week. hahaha.

Have a great week.

With Love,

Bethanne

Saturday Sweets

I keep hearing all over--on twitter and facebook--this week has been long and tedious--crappy, even.

My suggestion for those having a crappy week is to get in the kitchen and make something. There is nothing like work in the kitchen to get rid of the blues. This past Thursday I made biscuits...and though I can't say my day was bad, it didn't go as smoothly as expected. Making those biscuits was therapeutic. And for me, a mindless activity.

For something easy, you could stick to cookies.
If you want to step it up a bit and really get ambitious, do a cake...yummy chocolate cake with peanut butter cream filling. That sounds so good.

For me, eventually today I'm going to do sugar cookies and then possibly a parmesan loaf for dinner--I love kneading dough! Anyhoo... here's an abbreviated version of what I do.

Take your favorite bread recipe and after letting it rise that first time, divide it into sections for 2-3 inch balls. Roll the balls in melted butter then again in a bowl of parmesan cheese. Place coated balls into a greased/sprayed bunt pan--they'll fit on top of each other. Let rise for your recipes second rising, usually about half an hour. Then bake at about 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Yum! I haven't done this in so long, I'm looking forward to dinner.

Friday Five

Spring is on the Way

1. Daffodils are blooming
2. Rain is always in the forecast
3. Allergies plague us
4. I can't sit still and have this great need to get out of the house and do something
5. Love is in the....

Whoa. Hold on there a second, little lady. It's only March 1st! Love is NOT in the air. Get back in that cabin! Hole up for another month and get some of that winter work finished. This season is NOT over yet.

Wordless Wednesday -- Sometimes, Walmart Wins

Meme, Now and Then

This isn't true anymore for most people...but there were times when people would print out their emails! I know! How crazy is that?! My mother sent me an email I sent to her. One of those Q&A types in order to get to know the people in your address list. Copy and Paste... Forward to the people you know, including the one who sent it to you. yadda, yadda, yadda. I guess I wasn't always so anti-social. :D haha. On the other hand, this one came to me in 1999. I only had one kid... I might have been bored. hehe.

Now we'll see what's changed, eh?
Full Name: Bethanne (Patrick) Strasser SAME
Nickname: Betty Not many people call me that anymore
Birthplace: Islip Can't change that one, either
Hometown: Denver Now: Columbus [that's going to change, though]
Spouse/kids: husband, Matt and daughter, Virginia Now: Matt and 5 kids
Croutons or Bacon Bits: Croutons Now: Bacon Bits
Favorite Salad Dressing: Balsamic Vinagrette Now: Sesame Something or other 
Red or White Wine: White Now: Oh, definitely RED!
Have you had your appendix and tonsils removed? Nope. SAME still got those suckers. Looks like they'll be with me for life.
Favorite Shampoo and Conditioner: Suave (for only 89 cents) Now: Wish it was still 89 cents. And I sound like I'm lying to myself. :D I still buy suave today, but I sure do wish I was buying something else!
Have you ever gone skinny dipping?: Certainly NOT! Now: still true... but I wouldn't say it that way. Now I'm thinking, "Boy, I wish I could find a nice private lake somewhere so I could go skinny dipping"...preferrably with someone I've been married to for 13 years. :D
Do you make fun of people? occasionally...against my better judgement Now: Absolutely, whenever the occasion arises. 
Have you ever been convicted of a crime? just the 72 dollars worth of a speeding ticket. Now: Nope...and look at me trying to be my bad self back then.... pfft.
Best type of on-line friends: the kind that keep in touch! Now: the kind that keep in touch. (notice the lack of exclamation point...)
One Pillow of Two: Two Now: One 
Pets: None SAME
Favorite Types of music: Country, classic rock, oldies Now: now, oldies is classic rock and eighties rock and all the stuff I listen to. So, Oldies.
Dream car: Wagoneer SAME, I would sure love to own one of those... maybe I'll find one in Colorado.
Type of car you drive now: Ford Taurus Now: Dodge Caravan Crap


....I'm sorry, here's something about me. Too long emails and blogs DRIVE ME CRAZY!
I guess I'll have to continue to be something of a mystery to you people out there, cuz there is no way I'm going to sit here and finish this Meme.
Have a great week.
With Love,
Bethanne

Miracle Monday

How about...
I need a miracle this week!
If you're a diabetic, you know illness can cause wacky sugar levels and mine have been slightly off. Just a hair. Just enough for me to be pulling my hair out. Then by the end of today, I got a funny feeling in the back of my throat. Not a good feeling.

I'm drinking lots of water and keeping my fingers crossed. Must be the weather! You just can't figure it. LOL