Sunday, August 31, 2008

Six Quirks

I was tagged twice for the Tag, You're it! game. So I've come up with 12 quirks. LOL apparently, I'm very quirky. I'll post the first six today with the first tag. I'm not tagging 12 bloggers though (hears a sigh of relief from my friends). I'll tag three with each post of quirks.

Adele Dubois, who is fabulous, tagged me. So here it goes...

First, here are the rules for the Tag, You’re It! game with other authors:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.

4. Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.

5. Leave a comment on each person’s blog to let them know they’ve been tagged.

Now without further ado, the first six quirks:


1. Sheets and I don’t get along. After 10 minutes, somehow the sheet winds up down at the foot of the bed. I don’t mean to push them away, it just happens. If I manage to keep them on while I’m awake, while I’m asleep, they migrate away from me.

2. I shake my leg(s) when I’m sitting. It’s a family quirk. One sister does that as well, as did my dad. My DH hates being “Shaken, not stirred.”


3. I’m scared of giant squid. The bridge to the Outer Banks used to creep me out because I could imagine a giant squid attacking it. Why? I dunno.


4. I’m superstitious. Always doing “Knock on wood” and am leery of telling good news until it’s set in stone so as not to jinx myself.

5. I’m not big on going places and crowds. The hubster says I’m bordering on agoraphobic LOL. I don’t mind traveling (like the trip to the Outer Banks), it’s the day to day trips I have to make that get me nervous.


6. I like finishing what I’ve started and I think about things until they are done. They gnaw at me.


I'm tagging Melissa Lopez, Mari of Marissa Alwin, and feyrhi

May the muses be quirky
Mechele

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Blogging at Loose Ends and more

The Old Shoe

Just got back from the Outer Banks and am catching up. I have been tagged *arched brow* by the fabulous Adele Dubois and the lovely Lyn Cash. Double teamed even. I will answer the challenges posed but may take a couple of days as we arrived back to school open houses and such.

Mechele Armstrong

PS Diva Kitty says, *sniff* If I ever leave her alone that long again, she's going to smack the dog for it. Oh wait, she already did that...

Thursday Thirteen

13 things on my summer wish list by Mechele--How I did by Mechele

Edited to make it stand out more and one time confusion


1. Write. I have to finish Dark Raiders and start the next Settler’s Mine. I’m behind *sigh* due to the cold. Dark Raiders is done and the next Settler's Mine is started. I'm about 5K into it.

2. Go to the library at least biweekly. My oldest loves to read and is reading several serieses. I’m hoping in the next year, my youngest will make the leap to chapter books. She’s going to be reading to me and picking her own books. We spent a lot of time at the library. They both read over 50 books this summer. They both really enjoyed picking out their own books, too. The youngest is bordering on chapter books but still not quite there yet.

3. Spend time with grandma. I’m hoping we see lots of her this summer. Not as much time as we would have liked but did go see her a few times. Grandma is very busy herself LOL.

4. Go to Busch Gardens several times. The kids love it, and it’s pretty much going to be our vacation this year. Ha! We did this. Went about four times.

5. Spend lots of time at the pool. Let’s see, gymnastics practice is 12:30 to 2:30 two days a week. Why yes, that’s the hottest part of the day. LOL I see pool visits on those two days and I’m thinking at least one more during the week. The youngest has also said, “You know I could practice in my bathing suit instead of a leo…” We did the pool some but not as much as I thought we would. Especially after gymnastics.

6. Spend time with my sisters. I went to Tennessee with them and had a ball even in the short time we were there. Arggh. Not as much as I would have liked. :(. Did some time with them but definitely wished for more.

7. Go to the Richmond Zoo. We didn’t last summer  so I definitely want to try this summer. You can feed the giraffes! Nope, not yet. Between Busch Gardens and unanticipated trip to the beach we took, haven't made it there yet.

8. Go to Maymont. We love walking around and looking at the animals. See reason above. It just hasn't worked out.

9. Write. Did I mention this one already? Did this one!

10. Find fireworks on the 4th. We did last year, which was fun. We did find fireworks on the 4th! Lovely ones.

11. Have picnics. We have a great park system. All the more reason to do picnics. Ah yes, we did this one a few times. *G*

12. Survive the critter camp the girls are doing at the local SPCA without adopting a new pet LOL. Hmmm maybe, maybe not... We'll see...

13. Eat lots of watermelon. Yes, we went through a few watermelons.

Things we did that I didn't anticipate.

14. Got closer to our best friends here. Which I didn't think was possible. Every time I turned around, they were trying to get in playdates, visits, seeing them. We had sleepovers about 2-3 weeks.

15. Went to Lewis Ginter Botannical Gardens. And the girls LOVED it. It was their prize for over reaching their goal of 30 books and reaching 50. They liked the plants as well as the children's stuff. So much so that we joined it so we can go back next summer and maybe visit during the fall.

16. Swim lessons. I made the mistake of asking them...of course they wanted to do them. Until we actually did them. Every day, the oldest had a discussion with the teacher about why she doesn't like freestyle. Every day, the teacher said, "Well you just have to do it."

17. We're going to the beach. In summer. Defintely didn't anticipate this. I'm probably there as this posts and getting ready to come home. I have missed the Outer Banks SO SO SO much.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Blogging over at the Romance Studio today

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Chat tomorrow night

I will be chatting tomorrow night at M-spot chat with pals, Melissa Lopez and Mari of Marissa Alwin. Chat starts at 9 EST, but I will probably be slightly late but will eventually get there.

Mechele, the ever hopeful, late author

Saturday, August 16, 2008

A Rant

A post you will only see here. *Major spoilers for Robin Hood on BBC America behind the cut. Highlight and read if you want to know.* Last year, I discovered Robin Hood on BBC America. It was a great little series, that while not exactly being true to the era, had its moments. Jonas Armstrong rocked as Robin Hood and he had great chemistry with his band and also with Lady Marian.

This season, the show has had its moments but wasn't as good as the first season. But I stuck with watching it, enjoying its good episodes.

Last night, we watched the last three episodes from the 2nd season. And they were really really good. Eleanor of Acquitane was wonderful. The action was well done.

Until the last 15 minutes of the season finale.

They killed Lady Marian. I repeat, they killed Lady Marian. I'm stillllllll soooooo pissed. I almost tossed things at the TV. Once I realized there was no bringing her back, I wanted to chop up my season 1 dvd into pieces.

They drew me into her relationship with Robin Hood and the chemistry. And then they stabbed me in the heart.

I realize not all legends of Robin Hood have Marian nor do they have an HEA. I researched that this morning. But most of the ones I know of had Robin marrying Lady (or Maid) Marian. I definitely didn't expect her to DIE.

*sigh*

Mechele, who's still feeling betrayed

Friday, August 15, 2008

Gone Olympic Watching

Addicted much am I. Oddly enough so are my kids. We've been watcing gymnastics, beach volleyball, diving, swimming, and volleyball.

See you on the flipside
Mechele

Monday, August 11, 2008

Blogging at Ladies of the Club

Friday, August 08, 2008

Haul out the celebration

Dark Raiders is done (until the revisions). It topped out a little over 83 K. I'm thrilled to have finished it and that it was so long. I expect it to grow quite a bit during the editing process.  The basic story is there, it just needs fleshing out and TLC.

 

But I'm celebrating for now!  Whoo hooooooo! 

 

Now onto the next project *G*...  No rest for the wicked.

 

May the muses have TLC

Mechele

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Last week's recap

My oh my what a busy week.

I wrote 7500 K on DR. I'm over 75 K and really nearing the end. I'm not going back and fleshing out, just getting the basic story on paper. I'm happy that I'm nearing 80 K. I had worried I wouldn't be able to write long enough. I don't think that's going to be a problem *Grins*.

My cowritten author ego had a release, Law's Deliverance, from Loose Id! We're so excited.

I blogged at Georgia's Crossroads Cafe on rejection. Timely as I really hope to submit DR to agents this fall.

We survived a week without the best friends. I wasn't sure we could do it...

They also survived 4 days of swim lessons. We have four more days this week.

We are ready for school to start. All supplies have been purchased, save one thing. Things are labeled and in backpacks. I feel so accomplished *grins*.

We went to hear an author speak on her book about monarch butterflies. Got to see several caterpillars.

Went to Busch Gardens and had an awesome time. The youngest rode her second roller coaster, my personal favorite, The Loch Ness Monster.

I went to a seminar on Anti-heroes. Learned I kind of like anti-heroes, i.e. like Mal from Firefly and Riddick from Pitch Black.

Got an awesome new idea for a story. But must finish DR. Must finish DR. *sigh* but I love the idea. LOL.

May the muses have new ideas
Mechele