* MORE...LIVING THE WRITER'S LIFE *

In spite of time flying by every day, I'm managing to get a few important things accomplished.

 



Papers, notes, printed e-mails, bills, pencil holders, and stapler, etc. Oh, and the much needed diet soda. I think there's also a cup of coffee hiding behind my laptop!

(I really must get my desk painted (the one with all the drawers!) and brought into my office/spare bedroom.) 

~~~

1) On June 16th, I mentioned: The Royal Nonesuch National Humor Writing Contest, Deadline June 30, 2014  https://twainhouse.submittable.com/submit/26632

Well....I'm happy to say I've been working on something to submit to this. Just hope I can get it completed in time!

2) I hadn't said anything yet about another contest I entered last month, but receiving an e-mail today prompted me to do so now. No, the e-mail didn't contain any exciting news! At least, not what some of y'all might be thinking! BUT, it was exciting to me. Here are the first couple of sentences:
 
Greetings!
We wanted to give you a quick status update on your entry in the 22nd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards. Your book has been processed and has now shipped to the judge!  

I'm pretty sure I first heard about this contest from my friend, Marcia Gaye. (Thank you, Marcia!) I was in a panic to get my entry form mailed on the deadline date of May 30th, and a few days later I noticed it was extended to June 13th. That didn't bother me, though, I was just glad I got it sent in! The factor that held me back was the entry fee. It was exorbitant!! But I emptied my piggy bank and dug under the couch cushions and collected enough money for it. Winners will be notified by October 17th, which sounds like a long way off, but it's only four months. Please keep your fingers crossed! 

3) I've been reading some of the books my author friends wrote and I will be posting a review of sorts as soon as I can. Also, if anyone would like to be highlighted on my blog, please e-mail me. (Even if we already discussed it, because I might need a reminder!)

Myrna, this photo is for you!

(I'll explain it on another blog post.)

~~~

One of the books I've been reading is a pure gem: Round Up the Usual Subjects: Thoughts on Just About Everything, by Robert Brault
(Robert is the amazing author of many sayings, some of which have been posted over the years on his blog, and particularly a very famous one: "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

Here is another new favorite I just discovered in his book. The chapter is "Perseverance," and it's the Keynote Thought:





"How often in life we complete a task that was beyond the capability of the person we were when we started it." -- Robert Brault

* YAY! I GOT A NEW (USED) DESK! *

Not too long ago, I mentioned that my "desk" is really a very small, wooden kitchen table. It has plenty of room for all my paper messes, but no drawers, which I could really use.

 

Recently, I saw one at Hobby Lobby that I just fell in love with. It's really small, shabby chic with some light green in it, and had matching chair. It would look so cute in my bedroom/office, BUT, even on sale, the price is way too much. It didn't have any drawers, either.

 

I even called them today to ask if they still had one and if it was any cheaper than last week. J 

 

Yep, they still had them, but the price was the same, too. That's when I decided to look again on Craigslist. It's fun, like going to resale shops or Goodwill. You never know what you might find! So...

 

Here's the desk I found. It had only been listed three hours earlier, was the size and "look" I wanted, the people lived only a few miles away......AND the price was right! It was the fastest transaction I've ever made. I called about it, The Ronald was in the area, he went to the house, paid for it and brought it home! Voila!

 

seller's photo on craigslist

 

I'm going to take the knobs and drawer pulls off of it, paint it white, and shabby it up a bit! I'll probably go to Hobby Lobby to buy different knobs and pulls, too. It will go perfectly with a couple of other pieces I already have. I haven't been so excited about a purchase in a long time! It's solid wood, too, and very heavy.

And the price was $40.00!

I'll post pictures when I'm finished painting it....Wish me luck!

google

 

 

P.S. My post on February 25th, about the empty ink cartridge....I did take it back to Walmart, explained what happened, and they exchanged it for me! So, I was able to get new ink, AND keep my other items I was going to return, to make up for the "lost" money. Next time I buy ink at any store, I'll have the cashier open the box right there, to make sure it's a good one. 

* Hodgepodge *

Tonight's Blog Menu: Hodgepodge!

This Week's Happenings

I entered a local art contest, in the photography catagory. I didn't win anything, but below is one of my entries:

I received (still!) some ideal birthday gifts from a dear friend this week. Below is one of them:

Awww...look at the books, growing in the garden. And the sentiment inside the cup.

I'm doing pretty well in the "Month of Letters Challenge."

(courtesy: Clipart)

I'm writing quite a bit: memoir chapters and/or calls for submissions. (This is an old photo. My desk hasn't looked like this in a LONG time. I've now taken over our dining room table...for a while!)

However your week has been, I hope you've managed to enjoy a few simple things; whether it was watching the Sunset, going for a walk, or drinking from a favorite cup!

 Welcome to my newest followers, The Elephant's Child, Jo's This and That, and Karen W. Berner. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see. Thank you!

 

 

 

“Some people have a wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder, and even ecstasy.” -- Abraham H. Maslow