Moving!

No. Not me. My blog.

Come see my new place here! In case the link isn’t working, here’s the addy – www.deboradale.com/blog1

Warning… I’m still ‘decorating’ but it’s already cozy and warm. Let me know what you think of the new place.

Ideas vs. Stories

I never have a problem coming up with story ideas. Never. I have a folder full of them on my desktop. Why? Because ideas are everywhere. They’re in overheard conversations, news reports, billboards, TV commercials, movies. Even a slogan on a t-shirt can prompt an idea. Thing is, ideas aren’t stories and so… while I have tons of ideas, I have only a few stories. So far.

Several of my ideas have grown into story blurbs. I’m excited about all of them and cannot wait to dig in to each blurb and flesh it out. That’s the fun, creative part of writing – it’s also the most frustrating.

Imagine reading a book and you really get into it. It’s gripping and you cannot wait to see how the tension escalates, how the hero and heroine overcome their conflicts and make love. So you turn the page… but it’s blank. Turn another page. Again… blank. Frantically, you leaf through the rest of the book and finally spot some words on page 82. But they’re just a tease – an overview of what’s about to happen. How did the characters get to that spot? How will they get out of it? You want to know all this but no one is around to tell you.

Welcome to the creative time in a writer’s life – both thrilling and frustrating at the same time. Thrilling because we get to decide what and how things happen. Frustrating because we’re eager to know but first must form all the pieces from nothing, then fit them together. It’s the hair-pulling time in a writer’s life. It’s also the most thrilling time because when each of those pieces fit, when the hero shakes the demons from his back or the heroine sees her own worth for the first time and they come together as equals in love, it’s the most gratifying moment a writer can imagine.

Unless, of course, you count the moment a contract is offered.

Speaking of…

I am now awaiting word from a publisher regarding my last story. Of course, I hope they love it as much as I do and offer that contract, but I won’t know… until I know. So in the meantime, I’m doing what a writer is supposed to do. I’m challenging the ideas in my folder, seeing which one can stand the plotting test, and I’m forging ahead, hopeful, eager to torture a new hero and heroine just long enough to make them see their strengths so I can, once again, provide a happily ever after.

Giving Thanks

Another Thanksgiving Day has come and once again it’s time to stand back and take a long look at our lives. We have so much to be grateful for, so much to take pleasure in, and yet many of us, myself included, fail to see it and instead look for more.

I suppose it’s a sense of comfort that overtakes us. A sense of familiarity. And when, perhaps, some of our luxuries are taken away – maybe the dryer doesn’t work, there’s a long line at the grocer and the self-checkout machines are out of order, or maybe we run out of flour when we feel like baking some brownies – we forget what life would be like if we never had those luxuries in the first place. Like so many people in the world.

This Thanksgiving, like all, I am grateful for all I have that makes my life complete – family, friends, health, shelter, food… and a wonderful country, faults and all. I am grateful I’ve been able to travel back and forth from home to Colorado – again this fall – to be there with my mom while she battled yet another illness. I’m grateful for the doctors and for my sister – also a doctor – who helped my mom recover from a month-long hospital stay. I’m grateful for the craft of writing, that takes me away from life’s upheaval and helps me turn it into something more manageable.

In writing, I create hell for my characters. I deal them one adversity after another, make them suffer and decide whether to give up or fight. And in the end, I give them something for which they are grateful – a happily ever after where they’ve learned to bend, adjust and overcome.

To all of you, I wish the same on this Thanksgiving Day – a happily ever after you appreciate and never, ever take for granted.

Kittens!

It’s kitten season again! The shelter is housing a dozen and about a dozen more are being fostered by some of our most generous volunteers. See how precious they are… and remember… they ALL need a safe and loving home.

When the economy turns downward… rev it up

It’s hard to shift from having a specific job within a company to having to do additional jobs without additional pay. It’s just the way it is. We’re hardwired to expect more for doing more. But in these tough economic times, we all have to roll up our sleeves and dig in, help out, and not expect anything extra in return besides job security.

Some people don’t understand that and still hold to the ‘that’s not my job’ mentality. Those are the people who will lose their jobs. Those are the people others look at as saboteurs. Those are not team players. And in these times – as in others, though the focus isn’t so heavily there when times aren’t so tough – team players are the ones in demand.

Daughter and I have to become team players, now, too. Not that we haven’t been but the game is up there in innings and the score is tied. It’s up to us to help turn this game into a winner as team players with hubby and his crew.

Fortunately, Daughter’s homeschooling is winding down. There are more hours available to us now. We’ll be picking up the slack in hubby’s office – getting orders out quicker, making those follow up calls, and learning who indeed is a team player and who is not. This is not the time for ‘it’s not my job’, it’s the time for ‘what else can I do to help?”

So, wherever you are, whatever work you do, swallow that false pride and find a way to make the work flow smoother. It’ll benefit the company which in turn will benefit you. And who knows? You just might turn that false pride into pride earned and well deserved.

Birthdays – Celebrating vs. Aging

Let’s face it, unless you’re 12 going on 13 you’re not into aging.  At least I know I’m not. Yet, it’s happening every minute of our lives, like it or not. That, I think, is the purpose of birthdays. To remind us that we’ve grown up over the last 365 days. That we’ve aged. And with age comes maturity. Or at least, it’s supposed to.

I celebrate my birthdays. I don’t think of them as a signal that I’ve grown ‘older’ but rather more comfortable. I am who I am and no longer apologize for it. I’ve learned to recognize my weaknesses and am in the process of learning to recognize my strengths – AND acknowledge them. That will take some time for someone like me, but hey, I’ve just reached what I think is the mid-way point so I’ve got a lot of years ahead of me to do just that.

Would I go back in time and be young again? I don’t think so. Maybe 30. I wouldn’t mind that but I don’t long for it. By 30 I’d gotten past a lot of stupid thinking that had me making equally stupid mistakes. Not that I didn’t make mistakes in my 30’s, but they were much less dramatic… or I handled them in a less dramatic way. “Maturity” and all that, ya know?

So now, in my 40’s, I’m comfortable. I realize what it takes to be me. I also realize how much harder it is to be me now than it was a decade ago – it takes more exercise, heavier weights, more concealer under the eyes and a separate towel for when I… ‘fix’ my hair.

I don’t mind getting older. I just don’t like looking the part. Whoever said “Youth is wasted on the young” had it right. And what’s worse is by the time we realize how right that is, our own young are at the stage where nothing we say has any value. Ah, if only we could pass these messages on to them in a language they understand… and hear.

It’s okay, really. I’m happy with who I am. I’ve learned which battles to fight and which to ignore. I’ve learned to gracefully side-step certain situations and I’ve learned how to stand up for the people I love. I’m not quite “there” yet, though. I’m not finished. I’m simply a work in progress. And, unlike the way I felt years ago, at this point in my life, I don’t mind one little bit.

Adam Lambert to join “Queen”?

QUEEN, for me, is a band fronted by the late, highly energetic, slightly shocking and ultra-talented Freddie Mercury.

  

Freddie’s presence filled arenas, stole the show from the other talented men in the band. Mention Freddie’s name and most people know his music – Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Somebody to Love and on and on. Mention the other band members by name and fewer people will recognize them, let alone know their compositions. Sad, but true.

QUEEN, as a whole, was a unique and amazing band. The four members worked together to make music that has stood the test of time… and will continue to do so. Unfortunately, Freddie’s been gone for nearly 17 years now. John Deacon, bass player, retired from music soon after, and Roger Taylor and Brian May have continued to tour with the QUEEN name and with another singer – Paul Rodgers of the bands Free and Bad Company.

Paul, in his own right, is a great talent. However, avid QUEEN fans resented him “taking Freddie’s place”, not that any one ever could. QUEEN + Paul Rodgers, as they called themselves, had a great run. They attracted the attention of old fans and new. They’ve brought the music of QUEEN out for live performances again. What QUEEN fan wouldn’t want that?

Of course, we want Freddie. But we can’t have him. Some fans have a hard time understanding that. Some fans feel Brian and Roger should simply give it up. Drop the band’s name and go on performing under a new name. Let QUEEN rest as Freddie rests.

Others, however, are thrilled to hear there might be a new QUEEN + in the works.

QUEEN + Adam Lambert.

copyright - Yahoo News

I’m an avid Freddie Mercury fan. Freddie’s flamboyant, over the top performances can never be outdone. However, truth be told, I wouldn’t mind hearing Adam sing some of Freddie’s songs. He could do it. He’s got the range and he’s got the guts. Adam with QUEEN just might work, in my opinion, because Adam is that kind of showman. He seems to enjoy prancing around on stage – much like Freddie, only not. He sings high and low notes with amazing ease. He can pump it up to a frenzy and take it down to almost lullaby bliss. He’s high-energy. Shocking. Non-apologetic. Young. Appealing. Controversial.

Sorry QUEEN purists, I think Freddie would be impressed. As would I.

Here’s hoping.

Apparently…

the answer to my last post is… “Kris”.

I found the entire show stunning. A little scary at times, I mean KISS all these years later, and Rod Stewart!? Well, I just didn’t know what to expect. They pulled it off, though, didn’t they? Carlos Santana… well, what can I say? THERE’s the man. But the stunner of all stunners for me was QUEEN! Yes. I’m an avid fan. In my opinion, Adam Lambert is the closest Brian and Roger will get to someone whose range is as impressive as the late, great Freddie Mercury.

Alas…

Adam is not the American Idol.

Who can say why the votes went the other way. Kris, is absolutely adorable and he certainly held his own tonight, but push to shove, Adam’s voice soars miles above. There is no doubt. So, it can’t be his voice that didn’t sway the public. Could it be his supposed lifestyle? Are we STILL that backward? Or was it simply the opinion that he wasn’t as good as young, sweet-smiling Kris?

Though I find the last one hard to believe, I guess we’ll never know for sure. One thing we can guarantee, however, is Adam will not fade to black. Without being bound by American Idol contracts as Idol, he will produce his own music and continue to sing his heart out.

Well, I’m not all that upset. Kris, after all, is fun to watch. So all in all, tonight was in fact a win-win night.

Now if all that’s true… why don’t I feel happy?

Adam or Kris?

I have to say, I love both of these guys.

I think Kris is the most adorable guy I’ve seen on TV in a very long time. When he sings, I have to smile. He’s just so dang charismatic.

Adam, on the other hand, doesn’t make me smile as much as gasp. He’s stunning in his confidence and range.

Okay… so tonight’s the night. One of those two will be crowned the American Idol of 2009. They’re both deserving, in my opinion, but since only one can be crowned… my vote goes to…

Well… let’s break it down…

Kris is sweet. He’s charming and adorable. He’s got a killer smile and an attitude that brings out the mothering instinct in me. His arrangements are fantastic, taking the old and making it fresh while keeping it familiar and classic. That’s a knack not every artist has. So, kudos to him.

Adam is a force. He comes onto the stage and simply commands it. I. Am. Here. His voice is amazingly powerful and covers a range like few others. In fact, one other artist comes to mind when I hear Adam sing – the incomperable Freddie Mercury. Adam, like Freddie, has a way of making a song sound so easy and yet when you try to sing along, or when you hear another artist try to sing the same piece, and wind up gasping for air or having voice cracks and cringe-worthy pitchiness throughout – you realize the raw talent behind the master.

The Idol crown, in my opinion, will crush the delicate though talented Kris Allen. Adam, on the other hand, will stand yet taller than he is with it set upon his head. So, yes, my vote goes to Adam. However, I’m pretty certain both men, winner and runner-up, will have plenty of opportunites ahead and long careers in music well after the glow of American Idol has faded.

Well, here I am, back again with a Contest

I’ve taken the advice I received and decided to post when the timing works. And so, here I am.

I’ve been researching fundraising ideas for the shelter. A small group of the volunteers met a few weeks back, and discussed ways we thought we could improve conditions and chances for adoption at the shelter. We formed a Cleanup Day and decided to carry it out quarterly.

Our first cleanup day was about two weeks ago. It was a lot of work – 12 solid hours the first day and another 8 the next. We’re not finished but we did a bang-up job, if I may say so myself, and the cats were quite intrigued.

We thought they’d be afraid. After all, we certainly upset their normal, peaceful routine. We moved everything, scrubbed and powerwashed their cages, the floor, their toys and climbers. They weren’t fazed in the least. Instead, they watched intently. Eyeballing everything that went on, each clearly hoping to be the first to check out what we did when the opportunity arose.

The place smells better, looks better and, hopefully, by the time we’re finished with this first-in-a-long-time cleaning, we’ll be able to make potential adoptive families eager to adopt and to bring friends by to do the same.

So beyond the cleaning, we decided to work out ideas for fundraising and adoptions. We’ve yet to come up with a new and exciting adoption event idea, but we have a potentially profitable fundraising idea – magazines. Yup. Simple, plain ole magazines. A person renews their subscription or orders a new one and the shelter receives 40% of the sale. Sounds like a win-win plan to me!

As for adoption events – or even other fundraising ideas – I’m open to suggestion. And to make it interesting, I’ll make it into a contest.  Whoever comes up with the best and most usable adoption event idea, or fundraising campaign idea will get to pick a magazine of their choice from the above campaign and it will be my gift – to the winner and to the shelter. Another win-win. Now THAT’s what I call a successful campaign.