I’ve Moved

Just in case any of you have missed the annoucement - I moved the blog here. Please stop by to say hi, I’ll be glad to see you. Oh…and don’t forget to change the link.

Annie aka Writer Chick

Lock, Stock & Barrel

My blogging career, such as it is, has been quite the ride and I’ve really loved every minute of it. I had no idea when I started this thing up how much fun, laughs, tears and thought-provoking moments I would experience. The people I’ve met over this last almost two years are all amazing and you couldn’t be more blessed than to have met all of those I have.

The fact that total strangers have become dear friends - more than friends, family in fact, never ceases to amaze and humble me. Never in a million years would I have thought such things were possible by hooking onto this whacky ‘fad’ called blogging.

Not long ago, it dawned on me that I have done everything I can in this place. From jokes to midnight confessions. And then of course, the next thought was, ‘what next?’ The obvious answer is to move on. And that’s just what I’m doing. No, I’m not giving up blogging - I’m just taking the next step.

I’m moving, lock, stock and barrel, to a bigger, and hopefully better blogohood. Yup, I’ve taken the plunge to self-hosting. It’s not really a very far drive but I have to tell you the view is amazing. I hope like the dickens, that you’ll all be visiting me at my new home. The directions are here. And the drinks are free.

And really, I just want to say thanks to everyone who ever walked through the door of this blog. Everyone who read, chatted, left a comment, gave me a link, blogrolled me - I’ve never encountered such kindness and friendship and it’s truly touched me and enriched my life. And a big thank you to WordPress for giving me this free platform for my rants and thoughts too.

So - hope to see you at the new place - real soon. Like now, would be a good time.

WC

PS: I did send out invites and I apologize to anyone I may have missed, I tried to get everyone, but I’m sure I may have missed a few.

Quick Update - Prayers Work!

UPDATE: I HAVE STARTED A BLOG FOR KELLY AND YOU CAN FIND IT HERE:

Hey Everybody, hope you’re having a good and safe holiday weekend.

I just wanted to give you a very quick update on my friend Kelly. She got successfully through her surgery, the swelling has gone down considerably on her brain and just last night I heard that she is responding to verbal commands. She is responding by moving fingers and squeezing hands.

Technically, she has not regained consciousness, but her responses infer that she is on the road to recovery and amazingly so. She is, indeed, living proof of the power of prayer. As you know, it’s been a rocky week for me and so much worse for her family - and I thank you all for your good thoughts and energies, prayers and well wishes. I know in my heart that they really did and do make a difference.

I would appreciate it if you could keep her in your prayers and thoughts - because she still has a long way to go to get back to normal life.

I’ve spoken to her husband and it is likely now that I will be going up to Seattle this weekend. I will bring my laptop and work and blog from there. I am strongly considering starting a blog for her - to act as an update on her condition as well as a place for her friends and family to stay in touch, swap stories and reassurances. If I do that, I will let you know - so that any who might be interested can check in on what’s happening.

Again, thanks so much for your prayers and God bless.

WC

A Day to Remember

Memorial Day is that first big picnic and three day outting holiday of the year in the states. And I have many fond memories of the family gatherings at local parks, the smell of burgers and hot dogs on the grill - juicy watermelon dripping down my chin, mom’s macaroni salad and of course the waiting for nightfall so we could light our sprinklers. It’s all part and parcel of this holiday.

Though, I would ask, that we all take a moment of silence to thank God for those who have spilled blood and given their lives so we can celebrate this holiday. And to say a prayer of thanks and Godspeed to all our troops worldwide - who carry on the tradition of standing the watch.

It’s days like these that I wish I had the wherewithall to send a home made bbq to Iraq and Afghanistan - with vat’s of mom’s special macaroni salad on ice. Unfortunately, I haven’t so…I offer the recipe instead. I suppose it is possible that one or two of our troops might find the recipe and be able to convince somebody to make it for them???

Okay -

2lbs of large elbow macaroni

1/2 small brown onion, minced fine

3 stalks minced celery

1 very small jar of pimentos

2 large dill pickles, minced fine (are you sensing a trend here?)

3 large hard cooked eggs minced fine

1/4 cup of dill pickle juice

3 TBS yellow mustard

paprika

1 can of tuna (optional)

1-2 cups of whole egg mayo (depending on how dry or wet you like your mac salad)

Cook elbow macaroni and drain and rinse. Place in large bowl in fridge and let completely cool. Once mac is cooled pull out of fridge and set aside (it works well if you make the mac the night before and leave in fridge over night - cooled mac does not absorb the liquids as much and keep the salad much more moist). Take mayo, mustard, pickle juice and mix in separate bowl, set aside.

To the mac, add the celery, onion, egg, pimentos, pickles and tuna (if you are using) and toss thoroughly. Then again, put in fridge for about an hour. This lets the flavors marry and seep into the mac first.

Then pull out of fridge and add ’sauce’, again tossing thoroughly. Sprinkle with paprika on top, cover with plastic wrap and keep cool until ready to serve. If you find that the mac has absorbed the liquid too much and is a little dry, just add a little water to bring it back up. Quite yummy.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day.

WC

The Truth About Beauty

A friend sent me this in an email, and though I’d read it before it hit home more this time around. It’s a poem by the timeless beauty, Audrey Hepburn. I really like how that lady thought. WC

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.”

Audrey Hepburn

The Bastids…

This has been quite the week already - my friend, another friend’s family member, still waiting to be paid for a job I did a month ago…gas is a thousand dollars a gallon…blah blah…

So, what could make it even better? No internet. Yup…good ol’ Verizon went belly up about 2pm today. So, I sat and checked it all day long. Called Roomie at work to see if it was the network thingie he set up. Didn’t seem to be. When he got home, all his super-duper equipment proved that it was the provider.

The bastids - they spend a bagillion dollars to get you wanting this stuff, making it an integral part of every aspect of your life and then they pull the plug, just because of some silly old 60 mile an hour winds. Jeez what a bunch of pansies!

I don’t know about you, but I actually get a twitch when I can’t get internet access. And they say cigarettes are bad. I wonder if they’ve done any studies on second hand web surfing. Or thrice-removed cyber tripping? You’d think they’d find some interesting things. I can’t stand it when I’m cut off, I’m like a drunk jonesing for their next bottle of Muscatel. It’s frightening really. I was so mad I only gave the dog dry dog food tonight, no table scraps or anything. Of course, it wasn’t her fault but I don’t know who to blame and she was convenient. Not to worry, she got her doggie cookies though.

The worst part is that I was waiting for updates on my friend and couldn’t get them until about an hour ago. I guess I should quit griping since it’s back now and the update was good.

Still, I rather enjoy calling the faceless, nameless cyber ghosts who provide my internet connection bastids. It makes me feel better somehow. Bastids, bastids, bastids. Try it, you might like it.

WC

PS: And no, the picture has nothing to do with the post, but it seemed cheery.

The Last 24 Hours

UPDATE: She is doing much better, her chest tube has been removed and she’s been taken off her sedative drip. She’s been upgraded from critical to serious and has been cleared for her next operation which will repair her broken pelvis. This is really miraculous when you consider it’s been less than 48 hours since the accident. The prayers are working, please keep them up and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Annie

So, the last 24 hours have been hell. Lots of phone calls, lots of tears, lots of worry. Lots of waiting.

She’s doing better - and that’s a good sign. But things are still so very much up in the air until she regains consciousness. Because of the incredible person that she is and how very much she is loved, she is surrounded by people doing everything they can to help. If love is a cure, then she will be cured no doubt.

I thank all of you for your prayers and good wishes, I know they make a difference. I truly believe in the power of prayer and hope and know that it does produce miracles. I’m hoping with all my heart that this time is no exception.

In the meantime, I’m around and will be doing some blogging. I have to keep my mind busy.

Thanks again,

Annie

Please Pray for my Friend

This morning I woke up to find an email in my inbox that sent me reeling. A very close friend of mine, Kelly, was in a very bad car accident yesterday afternoon. She is currently in the ICU and has brain damage. Some of you may know her as KellyToo, as she visited some of your blogs in the past.

She has two young children who really need her and a great husband and family.

She’s a wonderful mom, friend and person. She has a great laugh and is someone so full of life it is hard to imagine her not running around filling the air with laughter and fun.

The details of what happened to her are still a bit sketchy, but it doesn’t sound good. I will likely being going up there, possibly today. I am waiting to hear back from her husband.

I may not be around for a bit. But I ask you to please pray for my friend and her family. They need every prayer they can get.

Annie

Wow, This Really Bugs Me…

Imagine the horror and disdain this must have created at the local Pennsylvania post office where it was discovered that giant, mutant beetles were being mailed to folks stateside.

Yup, that picture you see is the actual item they found in the boxes. Seems there were some serious breeding plans in the works and were it not for the eagle ears of an easily creeped out postal worker we might be seeing headlines describing giant killer beetles.

What really gets me is where the heck are these people’s brains? Do they really think that someone wouldn’t suspect a package that is tapping out morse code, when it’s supposed to be a box of candy? Jeez.

I’m not sure what they did with the beetles but likely, PETA made sure they were retired to some new age petting zoo.

WC

Writerly Things

I just had one of those really stupid realizations, you know the kind I mean? Where you literally slap yourself in the head because it was so obvious, like why did it take two years? Yup - that’s the kind.

Although, I spend a lot of time yakking about writing and my writing dreams and how I want to publish and get an agent and be rich and famous and all that crap - I’ve never really done a post about writing itself. Okay, relax, this isn’t going to be an online workshop on story form or anything like that.

However, it did dawn on me that though not all bloggers are writers, many of them are and I thought I’d do a quick little post about some pretty groovy writer resources I’ve come across in recent times. So, those of you out there who are writers and want some good links - continue reading. Those of you looking for fart jokes …. I’ll see what I can do.

Currently, my number one, favorite writing link is C. Hope Clark’s Funds For Writers. She offers many things but also sends out a weekly enewsletter that is chockful of tips, articles and markets. I love this enewsletter and anxiously await it each week and comb everything possible I can from it.

Next up is Beth Erickson’s Mindset Moments - it’s a free little thing you can sign up for and you get daily little writerly inspirations. She also offers a good enewsletter that has markets and articles as well. Definitely worth the read.

Worldwide Freelance also offers an enewsletter, which is not nearly as good as Hope’s and Beth’s but often has good articles and nonfiction markets. Additionally, they have an onsite database for markets as well. Plus when you sign up for their newsletter you get a nice little free ebook on well paying markets. Definitely worth a look.

Writer’s Gazette is put out by Krista Barrett, who is an accomplished and published writer and also provides a free enewsletter with markets and articles. Sometimes it’s a little short but she is an enthusiastic person and clearly likes to help out her fellow writers.

Absolute Write is another who offers a free enewsletter and has articles and markets, plus they have other venues and resources that may be just what you are looking for.

Aspiring crime/mystery writers may like Crimes and Clues which offers lots of facts, tips and tricks on the crime trade. Great resource.

If you’re looking for an agent, you can try Agent Query. This was the first place I looked and though I didn’t find anyone they still have a very impressive database and it’s worth a look.

And of course, the list would not be complete without the standardbearer of the industry, Writer’s Digest is its own institution and has everything from books, writing prompts, news, and markets.

And finally, a great article on how to set your freelance fees.

I guess that just about does it. Have fun.

WC

Oh yeah, and here’s that fart joke: