Cleaning Out the Bitters

Generally, I don't care much for Holidays. Back in 98, when my younger daughter's dad left, I decided then I would drop them altogether. They held too many bittersweet memories for me anyway. Who needed them?

Things really changed after he left. Besides, it reminded of God's so called goodness. I blamed Him for everything that went kapoot in my life. Not to mention, the church people were cruel when it all fell apart. I was totally alone. Not even my family offered a shoulder to cry on.

It didn't help that the ex had all the five girls for Christmas and Easter every year plus every weekend.

Those days were especially dubbed for cleaning out my closets. It kept me from missing them and gave me a good excuse not to have to spend any spare minutes at mom's. She's another story that I've been writing about over at Two Fur-Peeps and a Writer, www.shellysnovicewritings.blogspot.com/ .

As for getting together with other family members it usually spelled disaster. So and so didn't speak to so and so and on and on. Everyone within my family had their own little clique leaving me somewhere in the middle. 

There is no excuse for bitterness and anger or trying to make people be something they'll never be. Everyone is what they are. No one can make another person self-reflect and apologize. One can only do that for themselves. Something I learned since I had a few bitters growing on my own unhappy tree. But it took time.

So for years, I spent holidays quietly at home. In 2005, I ressurected Thanksgiving. It was always my favorite holiday and least commercialized. It also forced me to reflect on and count my blessings. And stop ... Being so bitter about all the crap that had exploded into my life. Kaka happens! And since we can't change the past. One must go forward. Right?

I also discovered that God wasn't at fault here. Bad things happen either because of our own personal choices or someone else's. And if any of us are guided by our own selfishness to do or not do something, well ... God had nothing to do with it. If we didn't ask Him in the first place to do or not do something, why get upset over it?

The path to forgiveness has been a long one. And I know I'm not there yet. People and family can be downright mean, self-serving, and critical. But so can I. Although, I've been diligently working on those areas. 

For every wrong someone has done to me, I can say I've bounced a lot of bad basketballs off of them. 

Yeshua told us to forgive someone seven times seventy. To forgive is to love thy neighbor as thyself. If we can't forgive others, how can we possibly expect God to do the same for us?

And yes, our family members are our neighbors.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and all went well with their families this year.

I had a very special visitor on Thanksgiving Day.

His mom and dad tagged along, too. The mom is my youngest daughter, Sticky Bun.

And of course, my dad came. Hair Ball claimed him as his own for the day.

Is anyone out there working on forgiveness? 

Hugs and chocolate, all!

Shelly

Facebook Eats Socks

Washing machines and Facebook have something in common. They eat things like socks or conveniently make things like comments disappear. 

About a month or so ago, I put up a question to other authors and writers: how do you keep from being overwhelmed? 

Anyway, peeps gave me feedback. But all those lovely comments magically disappeared. Hmmm... I don't understand. It had nothing to do with political views or the UN's Agenda 21. It was just a simple question so I could share some tips with other writers in the blogosphere.

It's a good thing I am still able to remember certain things. There were two good tips: make lists and hire someone to do your marketing, your querying, and handle your social media.

I make lists for everything. If I didn't, I'd be lost. 

When I worked in a law firm, I used what was called a tickler system. It's something in an Office Program. Keeping up with deadlines was of utmost importance and logging them into the system helped.

At home, I use a calendar and Post- It Notes. But what doesn't help is having a Sweetman with OCD. He's always closing my calendar and hiding it on me. He's also known to throw my Post-It Notes away. Although, he's been very good about not touching my storyboard on our office wall. He knows he'll get a meat-slapping from me--- not really. I just threaten him.

As for hiring someone to do other writerly chores would be grand as long as you can afford it.

When my daughters were little, I used to hire a teenager to watch them two afternoons a week. I paid her 15 dollars each time so I could get house chores done. 

Think about it, a teenager could at least do some social media for you since they're all computer whizzes these days. I've been thinking about that myself.

However, I wouldn't suggest them handling your queries.

What do you think? How do you handle being overwhelmed?

Also, Norma Bieshir will be sharing her writing wisdom over at her blog. Click on the following link: http://windchasersjourney.blogspot.com/2014/11/okay-maybe-this-is-good-idea-after-all.html?m=1

I find her to be to the point.

Have a chocolate-filled week!

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

Some Shelly History

I posted over at my other blog. Just make sure you've got your seatbelt on.

http://www.shellysnovicewritings.blogspot.com/2014/11/severed.html?m=1

Alrighty Then...

I thought I'd update everyone on my computer issues. This week has been the first good week in months with this thing. My printer is even on an even keel.

Thankfully, after a too long hiatus from Killer Stilettos, I've begun working on it again. The first chapter reads very different from the first draft to the thirty-third one. But I guess my absence had my brain crock-potting some surprises. So maybe having these massive issues meant something good for Killer Stilettos and my creativity.

Also, my nephew, Tyler Bradford, created a cover for a brand new project that will be released in 2015.

 

I've got to fix a few things, get a final edit, and send it off to the copy-right office before I release it.

Alrighty then ...

How's everyone else doing?

Hugs and chocolate, all!
Shelly

Two Fur-Peeps and A Writer: Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

Two Fur-Peeps and A Writer: Liar, Liar Pants on Fire



Just started a series over at my other blog. It'll be about family members. Some will be light. Some sad. Some heavy.



Hugs and chocolate!

Shelly

Friggin Fritters!

So the computer is working fine now. I also found my original draft of Killer Stilettos in my email. I mislabeled it.

Now I have a problem with the printer! Friggin fritters! The darned thing won't print. There's a command error.

I just want to write. ARG!

How's everyone else doing?

Hugs and chocolate!

Shelly

Corrupted

While I type this post on my iPhone, I'm printing the chapters that I do have for Killer Stilettos.

Fortunately, I was able to find up to chapter 34. So I'm only missing a little less than half of what I'd originally written.

Skinny-computer-guy ended up blowing up my hard drive this past week. It was corrupted. I asked how ... and well ... he told me it had to do with Windows 8 downloading 50 updates to my computer in one day. This actually happened 7 days apart after I got my computer back from him the first time.

He said when this happens, sometimes one of the programs may have been written with errors.

Beats me! I just wished I could push a button here and there on my computer to get where I need to go without any problems. And why do these software companies have to keep updating their software anyway? If it ain't broke why fix it?

Windows 7 was fine with me. So was Windows XP. I never had half the problems with them.

Anyway, I'm glad to have my computer back. And actually look forward to getting  back to work on Killer Stilettos. It's been way too long. I really miss torturing some of my characters.

How is everyone else coming along on their projects?

Hugs and chocolate, all!

Shelly