Oooh-gratuitousness!

DSCF1896_edited-1

Speaking of the bright side – do I have a treat for you!*  The Bright Side Project – whose mission is to bring you a daily dose of sunshine – offers themed, daily giveaways.  That’s right, glorious, gratuitous gifts!  AND(!) they ship internationally.  *Squee!*  All you have to do is visit their website and leave a comment – for each day, you see, they pose a question and you must answer.  Sometimes the question is light-hearted, other times, thought provoking.  The artist or designer chooses the response they like best; and the winner appears in the Winner’s box.  It’s once a day- so you can’t be too bitter that I hooked you on yet another diversion.  Not to mention, you might find the very thing you never knew you always needed.  All while working on your commenting skills.  It’s a win-win, really … go on … see for yourself! 

*If you happen to be girly; I did so try to find something for the manly, but, alas …

The bright side of summer

If you happen to be more the fall/spring sort – such as myself – no doubt you tire of summer before it ever ends.   It’s hot.  There are bugs, there are weeds, there are endless outdoor chores.  And let’s not forget the odoriferousness – throw meat in the trash at your own peril; stand in close-quarters  with a group of strangers and the stench could take you down.  

So what’s so great about summer? 

What’s so great indeed … 

  • Fireflies
  • Garden parties
  • Fireworks
  • Iced tea
  • S’mores
  • Fresh cut grass
  • Starlight
  • Flowers
  • Long walks with the one you love
  • BBQs
  • Laughter around the campfire
  • Water fights
  • Butterflies
  • Fair food     

And that’s precisely what I wish for you, my dear readers – the bright side of summer!

Gone to the dogs

The funny thing about working from home is you never quite know what your title might be; it changes from day-to-day, minute-by-minute.  I may be a writer, an editor, a researcher – a maid, a chef, or chauffeur.  Yesterday I was pups-sitter-extraordinaire.   My charge was a pups named Bella Blue …

bella_blue

Someday Bella will be a great hunting dog.  But for now, a grouping of finches were a bit disconcerting.  She had to stay close.  Not that I minded, mind you.  All the closer to kiss that sweet face… 

bella

Still, we managed to play, and munch treats, and gulp water, and play, and meet lots of new friends.  It was enough to make one very sleepy…

sleepy_pups

But the little miss missed her sister, and begged me to go home …

pretty_pups

So we did.  And she was very happy.  Unfortunately, her big sister Tilly did not share the love …

tilly_pups

Someday. 

There I go again…

I took on another spec assignment.  Another large spec assignment I might add.  A book; this time around I will be writing a memoir.  Will you never learn, you ask?!  It seems no, no I will not.  I’m what you might call an oblivious overachiever.  That is to say, I would never purposefully overachieve.  And yet … somehow …

Happened all the time at college.  Art 101, for instance, we were assigned a final art project.  There were all these postcard sized abstract paintings and mine – a poster-sized clown face in pointillism.  Or medieval studies, where I decided to write a paper on women knights in the middle ages.  What was I thinking?!    

And here I go again…

And the Oscar goes to…

It’s not Oscar season.  There are no Oscar-worthy news items floating about – no lists, no speculations, no pictures.  I don’t even know an Oscar.  So where this dream came from, I’ve not the slightest …

I’m backstage at the Oscars.  At first, I’m surrounded by the cast of Twilight.  They’re getting ready to go out for an award of some type or another, when Robert Pattinson puts his arm around my shoulders.  All I could think was he was much taller and skinnier in person – and how I fit nicely under his armpit.  From there I drift to getting ready to present an award.  This had elements of real life.  One, I was petrified to walk the long expanse to the podium.  This is totally understanble.  Me, high heels, a long slender dress, a smooth walking surface and national television do not bode well.  Two, I was inwardly working myself into a dither at having to be the center of attention AND pronounce a name.  What if I couldn’t pronounce the name of the winner?  Luckily I made to the podium.  I must have paid no heed to who was up for the award, however, because the contents of the envelope came as a complete and utter shock.  And the Oscar goes to … me?  ME?!  [looking at the audience]  I won the award?  [looking at my co-presenter] I won an Oscar?  [looking at the lovely person holding said statue] Oh my … I don’t know what to say.  Is this even legal?  I didn’t think I would win since, you know, I’m presenting the award.  That’s a little awkward.  Well … okay … let’s see … I would like to thank my mom …

That’s probably about the time music cut me off.  There’s no way of knowing since – as far as I can recall – that’s where my dream ended.  Still, it’s comforting to know that even in my dreams I’m nothin’ but grace…sigh.