Gobble....Gobble....

Oh, gosh, it sure does feel good to chill today. I'm not going to think about work or anything. Wonder if I can pull that off? Heh.

BF is still in bed, but he's going to go to his sister's for a huge family meal he couldn't get out of, my daughter is over to her father's where she's got to cook for him and her brother BEFORE going to work...might I say she's not happy about that.

And, me?

Well, I really have no family to speak of except for my kids, so I'll be sitting home and, hopefully, decorating the tree. I'm going to see if I can't talk BF into helping me get into the attic before he leaves so I can get the decorations down before he leaves so I can at least get that out of the way.

I love Thanksgiving usually, but this one is kind of weird. Before today, I had it all planned. I knew everyone was going to be busy elsewhere and the first thing I thought of when I learned that was...I don't have to cook! Visions of kicking back, watching holiday movies, trimming the tree, and having the house to myself sounded delicious!

And...then...it's now Thanksgiving and, well, I'm thinking maybe the idea of doing those things sounded really good, but I don't think it's cutting it.

It's kind of quiet really.

And I'm starting to look back at what's happened lately - an ex-boyfriend died of cancer a few days ago and a young man of 31 who my daughter knew was drinking, ran his car off the road and killed himself just a day or two after that. I'm sure the families of both these guys aren't exactly having a Happy Thanksgiving either.

And it's kind of making me sad.

The ex-boyfriend was Mike Huether of Pungoteague. I had known Mike throughout high school, but never really got to know him. It wasn't until years later when I saw him again and I'm not really sure where it was or what happened, but we decided to go out on a date.

We had fun times, but it didn't work out. Two years down the road, we broke up and I never saw him again.

His death came as a surprise because I didn't even know he had cancer. He was only 52. Talk about a wake-up call.

Then, a couple of days ago, the son of the guy my daughter worked for had stopped off at this restaurant that his father owned and he was very drunk, so I hear. They tried sobering him up with pepsi, but they let him go out the door. It was only about 5 in the afternoon.

He was on the road going to his house when he went in a ditch, the truck overturned and he was tossed out into the field. He died on the way to the hospital. The guy was only 31.

Horrible, simply horrible.

So, it's kind of a sad Thanksgiving this year and being alone isn't helping.

I guess I'll go do some cleaning. Maybe I'll take a nice, hot shower and pull out a Christmas movie. Hope everyone is having a Happy Thanksgiving...and...can you save the drumstick for me?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I want to thank all the wonderful friends who have stopped by and visited with the Boomer Chick. May all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving and may you find it a day of abundance! Me? I'm stuffing my face full of turkey! Have a nice holiday everyone!

And a Parakeet in a Pear Tree....

Okay, I got it. The 7 1/2 foot Donner Fir Walmart special. Comes with stand and in 3 easy-to-assemble pieces. Ahhh...

Right now, it's sitting in the box on my couch so the dog won't pee on it. Okay, Max has a territorial problem and we gotta watch it. He lifts one leg and he's going to be minus it.

I want to put it up, but it's involved. The corner where it goes year after year has my seven foot curio cabinet, a small park bench with assorted country dolls and a bird. And that's going to be a little problem.

The bird in question is a bit territorial himself. His cage sits in front of the picture window and he likes to chirp back at the other birds he hears beyond it. There's a berry tree where the birds congregate and we've let it grow up the side of the house so it can provide shade in the summer.

We move the bird and there's going to be hell to pay.

We did this last year, that's how I know. Because this is a rather small house, there isn't but so many places we can perch Floyd's humungous castle bird cage (he's very spoiled), so the only open spot was on top of the entertainment center in the living room. The only thing I hadn't counted on was that now Floyd can't see out the window unless he holds a magnifying glass up, which I doubt I can expect him to do because the damn bird doesn't even know how to say Polly, Wanna Cracker yet. Talent, he's a little short on.

But to make up for it, he has a voice that can carry into the next door neighbor's house especially if he hears someone stirring. Over by the window, he's pretty laid back keeping an eye out for his other feathered friends, and pretty much ignores us, but over on the entertainment center, HE SEES AND HEARS EVERYTHING.

Now, you would think this wouldn't be too much of a problem only if it's 4:00 in the morning and the dog gets out of bed (make that, my bed) to go pee, Floyd thinks it's time to get up. Throwing a towel or a blanket on him works to a point, but it takes him a long time to settle down.

So, now we have a problem where to perch Floyd this year. We tried the kitchen table but feathers in my cereal bowl wasn't cutting it.

And of course he couldn't bunk up with either of us because of all the racket he makes.

So, we have a slight problem. I guess I'll figure it out when the time comes.

Testing the Unknown Waters of Self-Publishing

Interesting story I just read in The Wall Street Journal about a man by the name of C. Ben Bosah from Ohio who believed so strongly in his wife's book, "Letters to My Sisters: Plain Truths and Straightforward Advice From a Gynecologist," that he decided to forgo finding an agent or publisher for it (claiming he wanted all the profit for himself) and self-published - to a tune of 15,398 copies and a debt of $40,000.

What makes this an unusual story and the reason why it ended up in The Wall Street Journal I suppose is that it shows what people will go through to get their books published with doing little homework on what really goes into the process.

It ain't easy.

I have a friend who had a book published (as did I) whose publisher went bankrupt; now all we've got to show for our efforts is a book with no home, no profit, and probably a book that will never see life again. While in my case, my co-authors and I are trying to ignore this ever happened, my friend is looking into all different ways of trying to get that book published again and self-publishing was something that was suggested to her.

There are many authors who have gone this route; although, it's not for the weak of heart. As was mentioned in the article, a distributor must be found, as well as a printer and everything else that is involved that the ordinary person might not know a thing about.

I have a friend, though, Theresa Chaze, who is going that route and she swears by it. Having started her own publishing business to publish her books, she has done her homework and will test the waters out soon.

My opinion of self-publishing is that it does create an attractive alternative to having your book published only after you have exhausted all other means of publishing. What I have found in setting up book tours is that often the self-published author is turned down by a prospective blog host simply by the method of publishing which I find ridiculous, but you can't fight city hall.

Like I told my friend who is looking into the different methods of publishing, start at the top. If you can't find anyone interested to take it on, self-publishing could be the way to go - ONLY if you've done your homework first and go in with your eyes peeled wide open. But, isn't that with any publisher?

Tags: self-publishing, Letters to My Sisters: Plain Truths and Straightforward Advice From a Gynecologist, Wall Street Journal

Sniffles Up the Ying Yang

I have a major vent. How many times have you come in contact with someone who is so filled with cold and yet they still parade around in public with their germ-infested self? Doesn't it make you want to scream at them?

When my kids were young and they were sick, I kept them home. Then, they implemented some kind of stupid rule where if kids missed a certain amount of days, they'd be suspended and I'm talking they only gave them maybe 4 or 5 days a semester to miss! I mean, one common cold could take them out for 3 days so that means they can't miss more than 2 more days the rest of the semester???

The workplace is no different. You miss a day and you have to have a doctor's note before you can come back, so what is the worker going to do? It's just a common cold; why see a doctor? So, not only do they miss a day of work, they have to pay a doctor bill, too?

I am ranting today because I am sitting here, trying to get work done and trying to fill better to go to Wally World to get a dang Christmas tree, and feeling like shit! I'm all stopped up, I can barely keep my eyes open, I can't breathe (oh, I mentioned that) and I'm feeling as if I've been thrown through the wringer and left outside to dry.

Okay, I'm being a baby, but I just can't function like this and it's all because a co-worker went to work sicker than a dog and spreading his germs all around. And of course, I was prime bait.

As soon as I saw him come in, I told the boss to let him go home but because he was short of help, he didn't let him go home although the guy could barely function! What freaking kind of world is this?

Well, I'll tell you this one thing. When I force myself to go into work tomorrow night, they all better watch out because I'm going to tell them all straight up that if ANYONE comes to work sick like that, I'M going home.

Okay, I feel a little better now that I got that off my chest, but don't you agree?

Happy Birthday, Becky!

Psss...come a little closer....

There now. That's good. I have a little secret I want to tell you. I know someone who has a birthday today and this is supposed to be a surprise so shhhhh don't let out a peep, but...

IT'S BECKY CAMARENO'S BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!!

Becky is one of my tour coordinators at Pump Up Your Book Promotion and well we all can't be there in person to wish her a happy birthday, so we're gonna do this.

Everyone...go to http://www.rebecca2007.wordpress.com/ and wish her a Happy Birthday! Don't be shy...she won't bite!

And now...for Becky...here is a little Happy Birthday celebration for you...

Happy Birthday, Becky!!!!

Jingle Bells...Jingle Bells...

Jingle bells...jingle bells...anyone in the Christmas spirit yet? Okay, stop smirking. I'm sitting here watching a Christmas movie and the holiday cheer is contagious.

Actually, I've been thinking a lot about Christmas lately. And the first thing on the agenda is getting a new Christmas tree. I've had my old tree for nearly twenty years and it's time for an update!

Amanda was over from King George for a few days. Oh, you remember her. She lived with me for awhile, called me Mom, the whole shebang...then she moved on. Quite upset at the time but I'm good with it now.

So, she came over for a few days because her father is co-signing for her for a new Jeep Cherokee - the same kind as my daugher's only newer - and she wanted us all to do something Saturday night. I had waited on tables all day long and really wasn't in the mood, but the girl is relentless. I had so much work to do with the tours, but I just couldn't say no.

My daughter and I had planned to go to Salisbury to look at Christmas trees so I told Amanda that's what we'll do....shop for a tree and go out to Texas Road House afterwards.

It was a plan.

Our first stop was Target, and they had beautiful trees, but the price tag just wasn't in my budget, so we kept on. Our next stop was Boscov's in the mall. Now, Boscov's has an excellent Christmas section, but again, price tags were in the $200 - $400 range. Ouch.

We gave up on it and did a little shopping in the mall (got my son a sweatshirt from Hollister's and a couple of pair of boxers from Aeropostle), then headed out to Texas Road House where we dined on steak, baked potato, salad and all the rolls you could eat - ymmm.

So, no tree, but at least we have an idea what's out there.

This tree I have now has a little bit of history to it. I had just gotten a job at a department store and used my first paycheck to buy it. It was the most beautiful tree in stock. I remember paying about $80 for it but at that time, that was expensive. And, for someone who had to go to work to support the kids, I really couldn't afford it but it's lasted for almost twenty years. The tree stand has to be supported with a book, but the needles are all intact.

So, why a new one? I'm not sure except there's a certain kind of tree I'm looking for and it would look so good in here. The one I really want is $400 but I think that's kind of ridiculous to pay for something you're only going to use once a year.

Ah well...I'll keep you updated. Meanwhile...jingle bells...jingle bells...

Tags: Christmas shopping, Christmas spirit, Christmas movie, King George, Texas Road House, Hollister's, Target, Jeep Cherokee