Tuesday, March 30, 2010

* Various Thoughts On a Tuesday Night *

Part 1)  Yesterday, I received the two fabulous blog prizes I recently won. One arrived in the mail and the other was delivered by Fed Ex. The large box that came by mail contained the two exquisite pillows I won from Kathy at Oregon Gifts of Comfort & Joy. They are so beautiful. And in addition, Kathy tossed in a couple of new note cards she obviously made. They both have lovely landscape photos on the front, of....I'm assuming areas near her home. Thank you again, Kathy! I'm so pleased with them all.

The Fed Ex item was the book I won from C. Hope Clark's blog. I wrote about it earlier this month...probably the day I won. It's called: The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide, by Becky Levine. And, hey, if it's written by someone named BECKY, it's gotta be great, right?! I can't wait to get into it, especially since I just recently joined a critique group! Thanks again, Hope! I am thrilled with my prize.
Although it felt like Christmas-time, receiving gifts at the front door, I'm sure glad it isn't....weather-wise! Spring has definitely sprung here!

That reminds me of a silly poem my dad taught me when I was just a little bitty thing:
Spring has sprung
The grass is riz
I wonder where
The flowers iz.
Thanks, dad! That never fails to make me smile!

Part 2)  I've noticed on other blogs who have a Play List installed, it's on the side column instead of at the bottom, like mine. There's a few things that puzzle me about having it there. For one thing, half the "player" is missing and therefore I can't scroll down and read all the songs on their play list, or click on them to listen, or even mute it if I'd like. I just wonder what the reasoning is for having it on the side like that. Please leave comments and let me know!

Part 3)  Just a reminder to check out my friends on My Blog List. You never know what you might learn! Most of them pertain to writing: contests, calls for submissions, our own thoughts, etc.
I also have a few that pertain mostly to decorating, but you'll meet such interesting people. And as we all know....one blog leads to another and another and another...etc!

Tonight, I'd like to highlight one of those blogs: "Six Questions For....." by Jim Harrington. Almost every other day, Jim interviews a different editor, by asking six questions that "list, in excruciating details, all that each editor desires in his/her stories." AND, Jim even states that he'd be happy to accept suggestions. Go to his blog and read all about it. Plus, he has two other blogs, which I plan on following, too!

4)  Speaking of Calls for Submissions: Chicken Soup for the Soul has quite a few right now, and some with deadlines that are very near. Somewhere along the line, I signed up to receive a newsletter from  Poets & Writers Magazine that is just full of great information. Some people have asked where I find all these sites, and my answer always is: Google!

5)  Hey...Don't forget my contest ends tomorrow, March 31st, at midnight!!

Well, I hope I haven't lost everyone by now!....Probably y'all nodded off to sleep, right?! I won't be doing that for awhile, because I'm trying to read about 4 different books right now, while also working on my book, while also working on a couple of things for submissions!!

One more thing....a special THANK YOU to a couple of new blog buddies: Lynne at Lynne's Gifts from the Heart and Speedy Cat at Speedcat Hollydale. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving comments! I really do appreciate it and please come back!

" 'Friendship,' said Christopher Robin, 'is a very comforting thing to have.' " -- A.A. Milne