3 generations under one roof

During this month, I have been moving some of my articles to another site, and I have realized some very painful things. I write excessively. In my desire to get, enough articles done, to earn money I screw up easily. I often miss little things that I should not miss. I am really going to make a concentrated effort to slow down with everything I do, so that it is polished.  

I have created 58 new articles but transferred 108. Some of those 108 needed a little help while some required serious editing.   If anyone knew where to look for these articles, you would see the amount of work involved. I write on associated content, e-how, bright hub, helium and of course this blog. That’s a great deal of writing for anyone.

However, this is a special month for online writers. I am a Nano participant, which means in this month I along with many others will each be writing a novel. The novel does not need to be ready for a publisher. I just need to type into a file, and will take a year to fix it. I am only about 16,000 words so I am going to have to hustle to finish it by the end of November. Sure, it sounds like much work, it is, but it is also fun.

You never know whose heart you might touch with each word you utter as you go about your daily life. Always say hello to those people you meet, and offer a smile. Who knows perhaps it is the first time they seen a smile today or heard a kind word.  

If you make them smile, it will make you feel good. This you know is true so why do you not do it more often. All it takes is a smile to get one, and you deserve a smile today. You will most likely never see this person again but they will remember your act of kindness and pass it on. Imagine what this world would be if all of us just offered a smile or a polite hello. This world would be a better place.

Tonight Ray and I went out to dinner at the local Italian place along with my six siblings and their spouses or significant others and our parents. Johnny my grandson also went with us, as I was babysitting. Tonight’s dinner was a surprise for my dad, arranged by mom to celebrate their anniversary on the 11th and dad’s birthday, which is the 14th. Tonight is also brother-in-law Willie’s birthday, so it was a triple celebration in reality.

It was wonderful seeing my parents and my siblings. It is strange that we live within a twenty-mile radius but in the fall or winter months, we hardly see each other. Blame that one on working for the man and the economy. Today it really takes two incomes within a household to get by, no wonder I am struggling. However, this is simply the way it has to be.

I am not the only one who is self-employed, my oldest brother owns a local diner, but everyone else works for one of the companies in town. The brother and I have more flexibility as far as our schedules go, but I don’t think our jobs are as secure as any one else’s.

Today I put eight of my old articles from associated content over on helium, I wrote two blogs, two new articles for my associated content queue and have an article for bright hub almost done. Looks like I wrote 13 new articles actually only 5 are brand new from my head, while the other eight are old ones, which just found a new home.

Why do I write so much? This is my job and I have to pay the bills. I hate writing this much, but I am trying to raise a huge amount of extra money to pay the sewer bill, and buy a few Christmas gifts for my children in addition to paying the bills.  

Since the first of the month, this makes this article 127. Sad isn’t? If I knew grammar, better I could really make a bundle on the higher markets. All I do is freaking write, I hate it, but I do what I have to do. My totals will make your head spin, so sit down.  For the new articles I have done 18/43 for associated content, 10/10 for helium 24/60 for today, 3/31 articles for bright hub and 4/4 for big markets. For the old stuff, I have done 23/23 for associated content, 47/153 for helium. The big numbers I am 127/324

Yeah and then there is nano, when I am trying to write a novel this month. I am not writing the whole thing just the rough draft. All this and I have a house to run, because I am the mom. I thrive under pressure! NOT

Amber had called in sick today, but the boss did not get the message so she called Amber into work, which meant my daughter was scrambling for a sitter. She woke me up, I agreed to help her out, and this was at the same time I was awaiting the results of a writing contest I entered.

 I had a crap load of writing to do so today so I was just going to do the best I could and get it done even if I had to write all night. I fed the kids, and as they were eating, the results of the contest came in I did not win or even become a finalist.

Yes, I was disappointed, but there is always next time. I also checked email and I had gotten a bigger article accepted so that means one less article somewhere else. That is cool I can deal with this. I only had the kids for 2 hours. I am grinding away with work and have two articles that are new for today, looks like a light day after all. I had planned to write two new articles for associated content’s queue add 6 old ones for helium’s queue but added another because I was not paying attention, 2 new articles for today and 2 new articles for bright hub. Therefore, I planned to write 6 new articles and post 6 old ones, but got an extra in the process. I set out to add plenty of new articles to the various places I write, and I am hanging in there at 109 right now. Some are brand new while others are being moved to another site to collect on page views. All told when this month is done associated content, helium, today, bright hub, and my other blog will share 306 articles. That means a lot of writing for me but I am doing it, I have too because of the bills.

With Christmas fast approaching, I am so in the mood for a good old-fashioned love story just in time for the season. Christmas is such a romantic time to me, even more so the Valentines Day.  Perhaps it is because when I was a child Santa and his Mrs. would visit our home, and they seemed so happy. We children would sit on his lap and get out photo taken with the small gifts they brought us just before Christmas.  

As I grew older and realized whom the helpers were, I knew they were one of the happiest couples I had ever seen in my life. I am surprised we girls did not catch on sooner, but that was all part of the magic.  Now as an adult, I miss Mrs. Claus as my dear aunt went to heaven 15 years ago, but Santa is still residing in a room at the local nursing home and not forgotten. I saw him a few weeks ago. On a wall in his room, hangs a photograph taken long ago of Santa and Mrs. Claus with five smiling children. I am the one in front with my lower lips hanging out.

My house is too quiet this morning as only my two boys are here with me. The eighteen year old lays snoring on the futon not 15 feet from me. The sixteen year old is playing x-box in the room. The pitter-patter of my young grandson and granddaughter are gone, as they have moved out of the house a week ago with their mom.

Yes, it is much quieter here which means I can write as much as I need too. I miss my grandson trying to type on my keyboard as I do, and I even miss my granddaughter tapping my arm, and asking for a drink. My daughter would be in the room and my granddaughter would still come over and ask me for a drink. I don’t think she thought I should work so much.  

I still watch my grand kids just not as much as I have in the past, which has good points and bad ones. To deal with the sadness I sometimes feel since they moved out I write as it keeps my mind busy, and I miss them less. I am sure they will be around at some point today, and I will get my share of hugs, I have too as I now need to store them up for the days they don’t visit.

Last night Ray and I went to the valley singles dance. Truthfully, many couples go there to dance, as it is a non-drinking and non-smoking dance. There are people of all ages at this dance, but last night was the first time I seen a teenager. I enjoy dancing close with Ray, as we don’t go dancing anywhere else, as he is a non-drinker and non-smoker.

There are door prizes, plenty of food, and people. What makes this best is it is a wide mixed of people getting together to have fun dancing. In our town, there are also a few group homes for mentally challenged people and the dance allows them to get out and have fun. Everyone dances together, and our friend Doug who comes with his girlfriend Betsy often dances with one of these women. This mentally challenged woman just smiles so big. A smile that lights up her whole face and makes me smile inside as well because it is so genuine.     

I am only writing a quick note to say hello today. Thanks to all who have been reading this page. I love the feedback, and try to implement things here that are asked. I have created three new articles for associated contents queue and I am so tired and just not feeling well. I think before the day is up my late breakfast will not longer be within my body. I do hope no one is eating as they are reading this, if you are then I apologize.

It has been a crappy day where I was up all night writing and had gone to bed at 8:3o this morning to be woken up before 11:30 with a cute little person who had come to visit. My daughter brought me a slice of pizza which is just not sitting well at all.

Yesterday I briefly introduced Ray, my boyfriend. It is a cool story how we met, and many people are surprised locally. A few friends thought I should begin dating after I threw out my husband in June of 2005 but I was afraid.  I got into plentyoffish’s web site and talked with a few men. I went to dinner with one but for the most part I was not thrilled with the choices.  I had been on the site for eight months and was ready to give it up, and I got a short email from a man that said if I wanted clean talk to write to him. I thought cool. Here is one that might stand above the rest. I wrote to him on March 6, giving him my yahoo address, and a few hours later, when he got home after work on March 7th he paged me on yahoo.

He had typed that he was from
Australia which very much got my attention. He and his wife had separated am few days after my own marriage broke up. We talked for a few hours on yahoo, then he said call me, so I did. We talked five hours that first phone call and I was amazed at this man. My first words to him when he answered the phone was, OMG you have an accent. He answered no you do. I laughed, and it began a wonderful friendship that has blossomed into a wonderful love affair.

For the first month, we would spend hours talking on the phone, getting to know each other. Yes, we had met, and did our first date with my friend Chrissie as a chaperone. We went out with my friends at least once a week, but never had we been on a solo date.

I wondered how I had ever missed him, as he lived in my valley for a long time. In northeastern PA, it is hard to not have an accent and not be noticed. For many years, he has been the only one with an Australian accent locally. He was out in public at a place I went on a weekly basis yet I had never met him or heard him talk. He works in the local Wal-Mart.

By April 1, 2006, we were dating exclusively and it is nice. We both come from large families so we understand family. My parents and siblings like him, as do my nieces and nephews. So many similarities it is unreal, we are both 1 of seven children, our parents each have 23 grandchildren,   Heck even our ex’s share the same birth date, and our first wedding anniversary are two months to the day apart. Now it is November of 2008, we are still going strong, and I am so glad to have found him.