Friday Already?

Oh my, it's Friday already!

Most weeks I am saying Hallellulah! It's Friday! but this week it snuck up on me mainly because I got home from vacation on Wednesday and was only on the office for two days this week. It was just enough time for me to realize how far behind I am on some things. My to-do list and desk at home is no better; it's stacked with things that need my attention too.

I would like to go to the library and spend some time working on my book this weekend.

I would like to finish (actually start) the piece for my writing circle that meets next Saturday.

I would like to spend an hour or so curled up with a book I want to finish.

I would like to try out a new recipe.

I would like to spend time in the yard and get my winter flowers planted.

I would like to update my website.

I would like.....

The list goes on and on. Some things will get done and others will have to wait - it's just the reality that I have so many things I want to do and not enough time to do them all.

I hope that everyone reading this has a wonderful autumn weekend filled with must-do's and a splash of want-to-do's!

Tell me, what's on your list for this weekend?



P.S. I do want to tell you all about the new look for Story Circle Network's Telling Herstories blog. It's jam-packed with all sorts of useful information about lifewriting.

Welcome to the Blogosphere

Won't you join me in welcoming Mary Jo to the blogosphere. Pop over to her brand new blog called Musings From a Patchwork Quilt Life and read her first post. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

Welcome, Mary Jo! I look forward to reading more from your Patchwork Quilt Life.

Signs?

I am the Distribution Editor for Story Circle Book Reviews which means I have the pleasure of receiving books from publishers, which I then send out to a member of our top-notch review team to read and review.  (By the way if you are looking for something good to read be sure to check out our site!  It's your ultimate source for reviews of books written by, for and about women.) 

I had to smile when I opened the package that was waiting for me when I arrived home today.  Hay Fever: How Chasing a Dream on a Vermont Farm Changed My Life. 

Do you think it's a sign?!

Looking Forward

I have this picture on the wall beside my desk at home. There is a caption under it that reminds me to "Take care of this girl's grandma!" It serves as a reminder for me to try and eat right, get some exercise, and deal with stress more effectively.  I love this baby girl very much and I want to be around for a long time to watch her grow up and contribute to her life.

Starting tomorrow, Gerry and I are off on a journey!  It's been much too long since I have had this much time away from work and believe me when I tell you that I am long overdue!

I am looking forward to a visit with my BFF on Friday - time spent with her is always food for my soul.  There is no one quite like her and I know we're going to have so much to talk about (and not enough time to get it all in).

I'm looking forward to a road trip with my husband that provides lots of time for us to talk and listen to music that we like. And when he wants to turn the satellite radio to the 60's station, I'll have my iPod tuned into some SCN Podcasts.  I've got my SCN tote bag packed with all sorts of necessities like lotion, lip balm, special pens and pencils and my notebook.  I've tucked in a few chapters from my book and plan to get some editing and rewriting done as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing Brandon and Nicole and Jaxon and Laurinda and Gord and Makiya!  Words can't express how much I love this family of mine.  The babies (well, I guess they're actually toddlers now) will have grown so much since I saw them a few months ago.  Skype is wonderful, but it's no substitute for the real thing.

I'm looking forward to standing on the prairie, closing my eyes, and taking a deep breath. I'm looking forward to gazing over the vast prairie landscape and just letting go. I'm looking forward to seeing the property that we have been looking at only in pictures for the past few months.

I'm looking forward...Oh how I'm looking forward....

Conference Day 2 and 3

On Saturday and Sunday the inspiration and encouragement continued. This picture is of the panelists on Sunday's Finding Our Voices Online panel discussion, moderated by yours truly. The discussion and questions flowed and even though I was on the panel, I found that I learned things from these incredible blogging friends of mine.  If you have not yet had an opportunity to check out their blogs, please do!  They are Nita Lou Bryant, Judy M Miller, Becky Lane, Kara Flathouse, Rhonda Esakov, and technical guru extraordinaire Becca Taylor.

I learned a lot about writing, publishing, and myself at this conference; I disovered a new tribe of like-minded, encouraging, talented women; and I made new friends.  I'll be sharing more in upcoming posts.  Right now I feel a tad overwhelmed with all of it and I wish I had some down-time to process it all. 

Story Circle Network is an incredible organization made up of many hard working and talented women.  Join us if you haven't already!!

Weekend Wrap-up

With Gerry away for the weekend, the girls (Chelsea and Maya) and I have been enjoying some girl time. We've spent most of the weekend enjoying the sweet solace of silence. I'm convinced that for me, it's the best way to connect with God. It's only in the quiet that I can hear that still, small voice, that whisper that directs and guides me.

It's been a productive weekend.  As you can see by the picture I've got my memoir ready for the next round of revisions and rewrites. There is a huge sense of accomplishment as I look at a hard copy of this document that I've worked so long on. In hard copy form it seems more like a tangible piece of work that is one step closer to publication.

It's been a relaxing weekend as well.  I picked up some Sugar 'n Cream Twists yarn and I've started on a dishcloth.  It's something I can work on that calms me and allows me to justify time spent sitting still.  Last night we also enjoyed a Hallmark movie called The Note.

I'm finished work for the day and now I'm off to curl up with a quilt and see what I can find on the Hallmark Channel.

Oh yes, and if you haven't yet left a comment letting me know why you come back to My Own Velvet Room along with your demographic info, please do.  I'll be drawing a name from everyone who leaves a comment with this info on December 15.  The winner will receive their choice of books from the recent reviews on the Story Circle Book Reviews site.

C'mon don't be shy, let me know why you come back.  Whether it's your 2nd visit or your 254th visit (yes, that's how many posts I've done here) I want to know!

Mornings...and a request

I must confess that I do some of my best work between 3:00am and 6:00am.  Honestly, those quiet hours when I'm laying awake in bed often provide inspiration and ideas for projects I'm working on at work and at home. Mind you, those sleepless hours can often provide much frustration as I've written about previously!

Better still is the time I spend in the shower in the morning. Now, I don't want you to get a visual here (heaven forbid!) but the truth is that my mind works best first thing in the morning, and my first activity of the day is a shower. There is just something about that hot water and the movements I make by rote that puts me into right-brain mode.

This morning my mind is on some things going on at work and so the original inspiration I had hoped to come up with for this morning's post didn't happen. So, my good blogging friend Becky Lane who will be a panelist on the Finding Our Voices Online panel at February's Stories From the Heart V conference has allowed me to borrow one of her ideas.

We are doing some pre-work and trying to learn who is reading our blogs and why they keep reading.  So would you please leave a comment and let me know who you are (names aren't necessary, you can leave an anomymous comment if you would like).  Let me know your gender, age bracket, and any other demographic information you would feel comfortable including.  Then, and here's the good stuff, let me know why you keep coming back to My Own Velvet Room. 

To thank everyone who leaves a comment, on December 15 I will do a drawing for your choice of a book that has been reviewed recently on the Story Circle Book Review site!  Why December 15?  Because I may have more blog-related questions over the next week or so and I want to include everyone who answers all of my inquiring-minds-want-to-know questions.

So that's it!  Happy Wednesday, and let the comments begin!

February in Texas

I booked my travel today.  In February I'm going to the SCN Stories from the Heart conference in Austin, Texas.  When it's dark and raining here in the Pacific Northwest, I'll be in in a warmer climate learning more about memoir with some incredible women.  I'm looking forward to it.

I wanted to introduce to a few women who will be participating on a panel with me called "Finding Our Voices Online".  Each of these women have been recipients of the SCN Star Blogger award, and if you haven't yet checked out their blogs, you better click right over and pay them a visit!

Nita Lou Bryant has two blogs, Cafe Nita Lou and Electric Nita Lou where she is sharing her adventures on an electric bicycle!

Rhonda Esakov writes at Rhonda's A "Musing'-ing Rambles.  She is shares some beautiful photographs of her gardens, is sometimes serious, sometimes thought-proviking, and if'you are looking for tax-tips for writers, it's the place to go.

You will find Kara Flathouse at Eskimo Kisses and Air Hugs.  Kara blog is choc-full of nuggets about her her faith, writing, family, home, garden, crafts, and her life in general.

Seasonality: The Common Sense Guide to Living the Good Life is where Becky Lane (also known as Hill Country Hippie) writes about living her own good life in the Texas Hill Country, including her very creative To Do lists.

The International Mom, Judy Miller is a mother of four beautiful children, a writer, and adoptive parent mentor.  Judy blog is a wonderful resource to anyone involved in adoption in any facet.

Becca Taylor, at Becca's Cyber Home also shares some beautiful photographs from her travel adventures and, in her words, "celebrates both the magical and the mundane".

What are your plans for early February?  If you have any interest at all in memoir then why don't you join me at Stories from the Heart V!

Memoir Challenge

Story Circle Network is sponsoring a challenge starting tomorrow and running for three months. The idea is to read three memoirs in three months and review each one. The catch is, that each review must be four sentences in length!

Each month a prize will be awarded for the best review and the winner will receive a copy of Susan Albert's An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries and have their review published on the Story Circle Book Review site. A monthly door prize will also be awarded of Susan's Starting Points: Weekly Writing Pompts for Women with Stories to Tell.

At the end of the three months a grand prize winner will receive a one year membership to Story Circle Network!

So, come on! Join us in reading some great memoirs! If you want to get some ideas of what books to choose, bounce over to the memoir section of the Book Review site to get some ideas!

Story Circle Network - Star Blogger

Recently I was given a Star Blogger award by Story Circle Network for My Own Velvet Room! I'm honored to be counted among the other SCN bloggers who have received this award.

The SCN Lifestory Blogger page says that "the selection is made on the basis of the blog's outstanding content, visual appeal, and the importance of its contribution to the growing universe of lifestory blogging."

You can find a list of other blogs written by SCN memebers, as well as a list of other Star Blogs here!