tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42213212132374461502024-03-20T03:03:17.755-07:00The Merry PeriMusings of a middle-aged woman intent on changing her world.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-78486307173273807752007-12-12T17:26:00.000-08:002007-12-12T17:51:20.544-08:00Things to do during the writers' strikeWell, the Writers Guild of America strike has finally started to take its toll on TV-philes. Favorite shows are segueing into reruns and promised programming will be delayed. What's a body to do? Surprisingly, a lot. <br /><br />Here's my list of 13 things to do during this unrequested, but ultimately highly beneficial, TV hiatus:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1)</span> Read a book.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2)</span> Have a conversation with someone about something other than what happened last night on TV.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3)</span> Get on the web and research the presidential candidates. Decide for yourself who to vote for.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4)</span> Use an hour of your daily TV time to cook good, healthful meals.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">5)</span> Go outdoors.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">6)</span> Exercise.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">7)</span> Talk with your children, your parents, your siblings, your neighbors -- anyone you like. After all, you now have the time!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">8)</span> Teach your old dog a new trick. If you have a cat, <span style="font-style:italic;">try</span> to teach it a trick... then experience American hospitals' ER system firsthand. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">9)</span> Spend a half hour of your daily TV time listening to a foreign language lesson. (There are oodles on iTunes, including several free language lesson podcasts.)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">10)</span> Start a hobby. (Want to learn to play a musical instrument? Guess what? There are dozens of free lessons on YouTube.)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">11)</span> Volunteer. (Yes, having no TV is a bummer. Guess what? It could be a lot worse. Don't believe me? Visit a cancer ward or volunteer with hospice. That's an eye-opener.)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">12)</span> Pick one of the things on your <span style="font-style:italic;">Gee, I wish I'd done that list</span> -- and do it!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">13)</span> Most importantly, don't automatically make room for TV when new programs start to appear. If TV fits in with your new schedule, great. If not, it's probably not a huge loss.<br /><br />That's my list. Any ideas from anyone else?Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-23866176792371478572007-12-11T16:45:00.000-08:002007-12-12T15:36:46.575-08:00A new perspective...First of all, note to self: Either memorize The Merry Peri password or come up with something easier. Something like, oh I don't know, <span style="font-style:italic;">Why do I keep losing the slip of paper with my password written on it???</span><br /><br />Okay, moving on...<br /><br />Years ago, baseball hero Yogi Berra was quoted as saying, "It's deja vu all over again." Do you remember that? (To be honest, I never actually <span style="font-style:italic;">heard</span> him say that, but I read it once. Somewhere.) Anyway, I always found that comment to be funny. Until recently, though, I had no idea what it meant and no sense of how profound it really was. Then, one day in October, in a fit of organizational zeal, I started cleaning the dumping ground known as our library and found a list of annual goals I'd created in 1993. <br /><br />Guess what? It was exactly the same as my List of Things To Do Before I'm 50. Sure, I'd accomplished a lot in 14 years, but the big things -- the things I wouldn't want to die without doing -- were still undone.<br /><br />That was scary.<br /><br />So, in late October, I made a decision to tackle the biggest To Do: Write a novel. I signed up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and committed to writing a minimum of 50,000 words in November.<br /><br />I figured this was a good idea because, during the summer, I'd finally accepted that, while I really, really wanted to write a novel, I didn't have a clue of how it was done. My work in progress had a nice first chapter but the rest was a thinly disguised therapy session in which all of the "good" characters were a lot like me and all of the "bad" characters were a lot like, well, everybody else. It had been hard, but I'd dumped the story and read everything about story and structure that I could find. Then I'd written character profiles and done some hard research.<br /><br />With all that under my belt, I decided to complete a real first draft -- of the whole book -- in November.<br /><br />But something happened. After 14 years of putting this same desire into the world, the universe wasn't so willing to make things easy. I'll be honest. When I set the goal of completing the first draft in November, I truly felt as though a voice replied, "Yeah, well. Heard that before. If you want it this time, prove it."<br /><br />I assumed I might have a little writer's block or a few other delays. I had absolutely no idea what was in store.<br /><br />First, after several years of procrastinating, I got a mammogram on Oct. 29. On Oct. 30, a rather breathless receptionist called and said, "There are some, um, abnormalities. We'd like you to come back. Soon."<br /><br />The earliest they could see me was Nov. 6. As you can imagine, I didn't get a lot of writing done in the interim. What I did do was agonize about all of the things I wanted to do and all of the chances I'd squandered. I did a lot of bargaining and I made a lot of promises ~~ and I swear, I continued to hear a voice in my head saying, "Prove it. Prove it."<br /><br />The good news is that on Nov. 6, after another mammogram and two ultrasounds, I was told that I was fine! Yea!!! I figured I'd go home and write. Right?<br /><br />Well, no.<br /><br />Here's a brief list of some of the other things that happened in November:<br /><br />* Someone broke into my car and stole my radio. (Good news: I only paid $69 for it at Car Toys!)<br />* My dad had a health crisis during cataract surgery.<br />* My mother, for reasons known only to her, began to dabble in selective anorexia.<br />* My computer hard drive had a stroke.<br />* An organization I'd offered to do some volunteer writing for <span style="font-style:italic;">in June</span> decided they needed my help...in November.<br /><br />There were other things too. I'd guess an average of one calamity every other day.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Prove it. Prove it.</span><br /><br />Yeah, right.<br /><br />Actually, Yeah! Right!<br /><br />Here's what I learned last month: <br /><br />1) It is deja vu all over again...<span style="font-style:italic;">until one day it's not</span>.<br />2) Life is either going to be full of I Wish I Hads or I'm Glad I Dids.<br />3) A really bad first draft can be edited into a fantastic book. An excellent first chapter means nothing if that's all there is.<br /><br />This is turning into a very long post, so here's the short story: That first draft? Done! I mean, totally, completely, thoroughly DONE!!! 50,000 words? Yep...and more!<br /><br />Second draft? Underway...and set to be finished early next month.<br /><br />Am I glad to have experienced all that happened in November? Uh, no. Not really. <br /><br />Am I glad that, in the midst of everything, I heard the words, "Prove it! Prove it!"<br /><br />For sure.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-38774053576719607002007-10-29T12:27:00.000-07:002007-10-29T12:33:01.128-07:00Good things are coming!<span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">"Vision reaches beyond the thing that is, into the conception of what can be."</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">-- Robert Collier</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Merry Peri</span> is going on hiatus until December 3. There will be exciting news to share when I come back.<br /><br />See you then!Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-44410366219280342452007-09-12T10:06:00.000-07:002007-09-12T10:07:08.415-07:00Last week's Quote of the Week"Talent is never static; it's always growing or dying."<br />--Stephen KingMs. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-388975276734975552007-09-12T08:38:00.000-07:002007-09-12T10:05:36.233-07:00Beginnings and endings...It's hard to believe that it's been almost a month since I posted last. (Thanks very much to all those who emailed to ask what was going on.)<br /><br />It's been a time of beginnings and endings. <br /><br />A few weeks ago, I went to the funeral of a childhood friend. She died at 42, yet left a legacy that was staggering. Her funeral was held in small, inner city church on an unbelievably hot morning. On a good day, that church could hold, perhaps, 200 people comfortably. On this day, there were well over 300. The lower level of full; the balcony was packed.<br /><br />People from all walks of life, and ranging in age from a few weeks to more than 90 years, attended. Unmarried and without children of her own, my childhood friend touched more lives than I can even imagine. She was the director of admissions for a local college and dozens of current students, aspiring students and college graduates joined family, friends and work colleagues to say to good-bye. It was an awesome testament to the value of having a purpose in life and fulfilling it.<br /><br />Prior to this, I never really understood what people meant when they said a funeral could be inspiring.<br /><br />Now I do.<br /><br />Anyway, that was ending I mentioned earlier. Now for the beginning.<br /><br />You've probably heard the term, sandwich generation. If not, it describes baby boomers who juggle both childcare and elder care. Since I don't have children, I guess I'm an open-face sandwich.<br /><br />The past few weeks have seen the beginning of a lot of heavy lifting with elder care. My mother now requires a great deal of supervision. Whether this is the result of age-related cognitive problems, a small stroke or the beginning of Alzheimer's, I don't know. What I do know is that I've started the dance of monitoring a host of medications, removing the option to drive, finding small tasks to keep her occupied, and other tasks many of you have likely dealt with for a long, long time.<br /><br />If you have advice or suggestions, I'd love to hear them.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-11312790368828082042007-08-15T11:34:00.001-07:002007-08-15T11:37:21.688-07:00Does this man EVER sleep?I asked this question of a friend of mine. Tyler Perry's latest movie is coming out in late August. Now let's see, he's written -- what? -- four movies, a dozen or so plays, a book, a sitcom pilot and several scripts for a television show...and I'm still plugging away on my <span style='font-style:italic;'>first</span> novel!<br /><br />Jokes aside, Perry is a testament to what can be done when one is focused. Bravo!<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V0MO1NTE720"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V0MO1NTE720" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-16083317299370382602007-08-13T07:59:00.000-07:002007-08-13T08:00:12.435-07:00Last week's Quote of the WeekTwo quotes this week, both by Alfre Woodard, one of my favorite actors.<br /><br />On inner beauty:<br />"Inner beauty is not taking personally whatever you think is a disaster physically about yourself. Why would you think your thighs or your nose is the only thing nature has screwed up on?"<br /><br />On spirituality in Hollywood:<br />"I understand where my creativity comes from. It's not from me. I'm in service to the divine spirit...like an instrument. Hopefully, an instrument for healing."Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-38894474194939257142007-08-12T17:58:00.000-07:002007-08-12T19:06:31.521-07:00How much are you carrying?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCgKhqmoZxzHSCB4L9iXftuI9vFy1eLID0nvHEyI1wGnmwBPO7z2k2ZwWr3WHUUa6LCuIx0YfxiNVI4pI5w1VHmeFM7KSxqIpb-ieRBGyB6jHDSmQBd9k56MfYqT-yzwJVmpyh7OUx84/s1600-h/Clutter.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCgKhqmoZxzHSCB4L9iXftuI9vFy1eLID0nvHEyI1wGnmwBPO7z2k2ZwWr3WHUUa6LCuIx0YfxiNVI4pI5w1VHmeFM7KSxqIpb-ieRBGyB6jHDSmQBd9k56MfYqT-yzwJVmpyh7OUx84/s320/Clutter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097997504224886690" /></a>I was looking for a computer cable the other day. When I couldn't find it in the disaster that is my home office, I asked my husband, SOHM*, if he knew where it might be.<br /><br />He suggested I look in the storage rooms in our basement. There I found bags (and I do mean lawn-size Hefty bags) full of cables: Computer cables. Camera cables. Scanner cables. Printer cables. Cables to equipment we don't have anymore. Cables to equipment that doesn't work. Cables to equipment made by companies that no longer exist. (Does anyone out there remember the Commodore 64 computer, circa 1980? If you happen to own one, let me know. I've got a cable.)<br /><br />"Why," I asked SOHM, "do we have all this stuff?"<br /><br />"Because," he said, never turning from the TV, "you never throw anything away."<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Oh.</span> Once I realized it was all my fault I scampered off, grabbed a cookie, retreated to the sanctuary of my all-in-one home office/home spa/dressing room/media room/girlie library/dog zone and turned on my newly cabled PC.<br /><br />As fate would have it, I found a link to <a href="http://1000daysatsea.blogspot.com/">1000 Days Non-Stop at Sea</a>. For reasons I honestly can't wrap my brain around, Reid Stowe and Soanya Ahmad are trying to set a new sailing record for consecutive days at sea without stopping or resupply.<br /><br />One thousand days on a little boat with the same person and no diversionary shopping excursions or mind-stabilizing chic flicks? I truly don't get it -- but I do admire their chutzpah.<br /><br />For a different perspective on lessening your load, read Soanya's August 5th entry. Can you imagine going three months without restocking your refrigerator or pantry -- and then adding only those items you'd stored in other parts of your house? (And yes, this does include toiletries.)<br /><br />Can you imagine being awestruck by a new supply of dried ziti or beans?<br /><br />The adventure fairy didn't visit after I read Soanya and Reid's blog, but the declutter genie did pay another call. I may never get to the point of downsizing to the point of these seafaring bloggers, but I am willing to dump more of my rarely used stuff.<br /><br />Cables, anyone?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">*</span>SOHM: <span style="font-style:italic;">Significant Other Hubby Man</span>Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-91370929279000853212007-08-12T17:15:00.000-07:002007-08-12T19:10:36.719-07:00Guilty pleasure<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_mcsq2mpEn4UqKIPRzzWbp-4aY3gMB5wrbxQFYYBv_tMc7hNaF8MbZb5Zs41l0v9ThCABRt0a_Rlr6xI0GK-QgJTW3mTCPUzPvev_hVF5flmsxMez03mVBvR9kR2vrhPMPZ8oqXu2lQ/s1600-h/Josh+Johnson.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_mcsq2mpEn4UqKIPRzzWbp-4aY3gMB5wrbxQFYYBv_tMc7hNaF8MbZb5Zs41l0v9ThCABRt0a_Rlr6xI0GK-QgJTW3mTCPUzPvev_hVF5flmsxMez03mVBvR9kR2vrhPMPZ8oqXu2lQ/s200/Josh+Johnson.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097979413822635922" /></a><a href="http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/design_star/">Design Star</a> on HGTV is my closet addiction. Each episode of the interior design challenge reality show is like an ice cream sundae for the mind.<br /><br />My favorite contestant this season is Josh "Sparkle Josh" Johnson, an extremely talented, inexhaustibly cheerful designer from Hendersonville, Tennessee. <br /><br />Here are a few quips from his contestant profile:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">If I weren't a designer, I'd be:</span> A <span style="font-style:italic;">Solid Gold</span> dancer<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Something you'd never guess about me:</span> I was once a probation officer<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Childhood dream:</span> Flying Wonder Woman's invisible jet<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Usual skills:</span> Clogging<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">If my life were a sitcom, it would be:</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Moesha</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Why I should win:</span> Because America is ready for the "Josh Johnson Experience"<br /><br />Some people <span style="font-style:italic;">say</span> they love life; others <span style="font-style:italic;">show </span>that they do. Sparkle Josh is clearly one of the latter. No matter what my mood is initially, after an hour of watching him, I am too.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-47035129870417529192007-08-11T07:12:00.000-07:002007-08-11T08:15:22.693-07:00Wheeee!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKGCUz1dSWBXNvpktM_qdkQaWkYOAg7iPFONqJNrqiIGJE5wH_8SYXuXgPk_vl1UtQUTfNOxykQxoqmGcHW-7iZNQN32Q3qVSrFsOIQfMvPnasHbdU13LscGHRs-iQfbXvWJI97cOQcg/s1600-h/DD2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKGCUz1dSWBXNvpktM_qdkQaWkYOAg7iPFONqJNrqiIGJE5wH_8SYXuXgPk_vl1UtQUTfNOxykQxoqmGcHW-7iZNQN32Q3qVSrFsOIQfMvPnasHbdU13LscGHRs-iQfbXvWJI97cOQcg/s200/DD2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097460684852494210" /></a>If you've read the past few posts, you know my life had a major hiccup recently. <br /><br />During the course of two days, I had every work-related experience I've tried my whole life to avoid, and I presented publicly every emotion I've tried my whole life not to show. I got angry. I said what I felt. I was embarrassed. I cried... <br /><br />And guess what? It didn't kill me.<br /><br />That was the first indication that something was afoot.<br /><br />The second occurred this morning. I woke up full of gratitude -- gratitude for my life, my health, my family and my friends. Gratitude for the strength to finally go after what I <span style="font-style:italic;">really</span> want. Gratitude for having, in a world full of turmoil, a day of peace. <br /><br />The last few days brought change that was unexpected, painful, frightening and disconcerting. Ultimately, though, those days were a gift. The fall was horrible, but the bounce-back? <span style="font-style:italic;">Baby, what a ride!</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />On iTunes right now:</span> Nothing at all.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-45146591572999411282007-08-10T18:52:00.000-07:002007-08-10T18:54:56.703-07:00Last week's Quote of the Week"This is what I have learned: that everybody is talented, original and has something important to say."<br />-- Brenda Ueland, author of <a href="http://tatteredcover.com/NASApp/store/Product?s=showproduct&isbn=9781555974718">If You Want to Write</a>Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-33918553075869380232007-08-09T18:55:00.000-07:002007-08-09T19:35:04.145-07:00Calling Ashley Judd!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhY0CaaL4sZ5QgEE1WUtVUM-E5lzdC34nOsdpBsHcm1bhkK9xcisds-lrB-PYd29yXq0D7A7cydqDWMilX5hEKnq6Lp38se0-pCTzj_8s3CMqSx2AOOFHapcB399_rMUq83BhHiQr7vYk/s1600-h/Ashley+Judd.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhY0CaaL4sZ5QgEE1WUtVUM-E5lzdC34nOsdpBsHcm1bhkK9xcisds-lrB-PYd29yXq0D7A7cydqDWMilX5hEKnq6Lp38se0-pCTzj_8s3CMqSx2AOOFHapcB399_rMUq83BhHiQr7vYk/s320/Ashley+Judd.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096888749827489618" /></a>If my life were a movie, I'd want to be played by Ashley Judd.<br /><br />Whenever she plays a woman in distress, she has about fifteen minutes of angst then the music swells, she gets a determined look on her face and <span style="font-style:italic;">Presto! Change-o!</span> she's miraculously reborn. She's spunky. She's focused. She's totally in control.<br /><br />Now, being portrayed by Ashley Judd is a stretch for many reasons, not the least of which is that the personal orchestra-on-call specializing in my <span style="font-style:italic;">Presto! Change-o!</span> music is apparently on strike. Or hard of hearing. Or just too darn cranky to be bothered these days.<br /><br />But that's beside the point.<br /><br />Movies have a way of glossing over in fifteen minutes what can take weeks, months or years to accomplish. Deciding what you want, making the hard, hard choices necessary to get it, taking risks and failing at least some of the time <span style="font-style:italic;">takes time</span>.<br /><br />One of the little nuggets of animal kingdom trivia stuck in my brain is a fact about birds. Watching them struggle to free themselves from their eggs can be heartbreaking. Some survive. Some don't. Those who do emerge wet, disheveled, bruised and exhausted...but it's that struggle that gives them the strength to live, to grow and to fly.<br /><br />For everyone out there going through the struggle, I'm pulling for you.<br /><br />Pull for me.<br /><br />One day, maybe we'll all be played by Ashley Judd!Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-86314083159109955092007-08-08T14:15:00.000-07:002007-08-09T19:20:41.122-07:00Well, now...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F_AYVNXjZ_5nNP5y2klu2iZrORth8WGPFcxi0kR2mHtf3ax0fbejw6g62dRalNlXfAPkSw8Wgexwe_3_4jAtnekf-T4ozC98Lb-K8WkbbKOr2YNUF_y5-PET6zP018xdvUvYLa0yG04/s1600-h/Lonely.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F_AYVNXjZ_5nNP5y2klu2iZrORth8WGPFcxi0kR2mHtf3ax0fbejw6g62dRalNlXfAPkSw8Wgexwe_3_4jAtnekf-T4ozC98Lb-K8WkbbKOr2YNUF_y5-PET6zP018xdvUvYLa0yG04/s200/Lonely.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096890343260356450" /></a>Sometimes Ms. Peri is a lot better at offering advice than she is at taking it. And sometimes the universe gives Ms. Peri a huge smackdown, just to get her attention.<br /><br />A few weeks ago, I realized that I was drifting. I had several writing projects under way, and I was splintered in a dozen different directions. I wasn't focusing on the goals I'd set and more than a few friends advised me to slow down, take a deep breath and force myself to answer the question, "What do you want?"<br /><br />But I didn't.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Why?</span> Well, because I'm Ms. Peri, and I can do it all. And because if I don't commit, I'll never fail...and Ms. Peri does not like to fail.<br /><br />Smart move, right? <br /><br />Apparently the universal powers that be (UPTB) did not agree.<br /><br />First, they tried a friendly nudge. A local professional organization nominated me for PR person of the year. It was a huge honor but throughout the process I kept hearing a little voice asking, "Is this what you want? Is <span style="font-style:italic;">this</span> it?" <br /><br />Dealing with those issues was inconvenient and the little voice was a nag, so I blew it off...even though I knew that PR, at least this year, is my bread-and-butter, not my heart and soul.<br /><br />I didn't decline the nomination, but I didn't fully engage in the process either. I just went with the flow. I didn't commit.<br /><br />Clearly dissatisfied with that approach, the UPTB opted for a shove. <br /><br />Today, my job-share arrangement at a local magazine ended without warning. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Whoosh!</span> One more item off my plate.<br /><br />While I was listening to my boss tell my work share partner and me that we were fired, that darn little voice came back and asked, "What do you want? What do you <span style="font-style:italic;">really</span> want?"<br /><br />Apparently, I am destined to answer this question one way or the other. I'll either suck it up and commit to something or, one by one, my diversions will be waved in my face or be taken away.<br /><br />Not to bring age into the equation, but I think the UPTB are trying to tell me that I'm too old to be so ambivalent. <br /><br />Life is interesting, isn't it?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Playing on iTunes right now</span>: <span style="font-style:italic;">Everything</span> by Michael Buble. I LOVE this song!Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-12789917055861190212007-08-06T18:52:00.000-07:002007-08-06T18:53:24.889-07:00Last week's Quote of the Week"Begin anew by throwing away old things. Old shoes, old maps, old cookbooks. Outgrowing is part of growing up....For every object we cast away, for every friend we lose sight of, for every moment in time we can't recoup, and for every place that's no longer what it used to be, we receive in exchange a wealth of keepsake impressions. How strange -- no one can ever take away what is no longer ours."<br />-- Veronique Vienne from <span style="font-style:italic;">The Art of Growing Up, Simple Ways to Be Yourself At Last</span>Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-28615118719158633252007-08-06T18:33:00.001-07:002007-08-06T18:39:13.260-07:00What's your theme song?<a href="http://pajamagardener.blogspot.com">Carleen Brice</a> asked this recently on her blog. What a terrific question. If music stirs the spirit and lyrics arouse the mind, we should all have our own theme song, shouldn't we?<br /><br />Here's mine. It's <span style="font-style:italic;">Proud</span> by Heather Small. It's the theme song for me, for my novel -- and (here's positive visualization talking) for the movie I see being made from my book! <br /><br />Wonderful lyrics, yes?<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jbkysd9mQho"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jbkysd9mQho" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-7660849072820598852007-07-29T21:20:00.000-07:002007-07-29T21:32:52.521-07:00I'm not a math-phile, but...I struggled through a few calculations to better understand just what was involved with the percent of body fat issue mentioned in the previous post. Here's what I discovered:<br /><br />1) 37 percent of my current weight is 59.57 pounds. (Imagine carrying 12 5-pound bags of sugar -- or an average-sized nine-year-old -- on your back every day. That's comparable.)<br /><br />2) 23 percent of my ideal weight is 32.20 pounds. That means I should lose 27.37 pounds of fat and gain 6.37 pounds of muscle to be reasonably fit. <br /><br />Okay...27.37 pounds of fat! I'm having a total Bridget Jones moment here. How does one even wrap one's brain around the concept of losing 27.37 pounds of fat? <br /><br />Not to be whiney, but -- <span style="font-style:italic;">Ugh</span>! This is going to be hard.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-58034073890027237262007-07-29T06:20:00.000-07:002007-07-29T07:18:01.382-07:00Obesity: It's not what you think<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6npgWOtlhOQ6xAjER-9XjJUhSpJvXfT4tZ0AZSRBt-c0ODfRY7RoWRNHNeIVboRtcd51WkgKwFfKB4TmVimbB7iwfKogUdnkPYXFYTUdKjOFaG51euuEERHpRZkwhFyeOIC6whcVjIfk/s1600-h/BCH100MH.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6npgWOtlhOQ6xAjER-9XjJUhSpJvXfT4tZ0AZSRBt-c0ODfRY7RoWRNHNeIVboRtcd51WkgKwFfKB4TmVimbB7iwfKogUdnkPYXFYTUdKjOFaG51euuEERHpRZkwhFyeOIC6whcVjIfk/s320/BCH100MH.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092622232394858306" /></a>For years, the concept of losing weight and getting fit was a pleasant pastime -- lose a few pounds, get into those cute pants; firm up a bit, don't scare myself when I catch a rear-end view in a dressing room three-way mirror. <br /><br />You get the picture, right?<br /><br />The other day, for reasons I still haven't figured out, I dusted off my super-dooper Sharper Image scale (it measures weight <span style="font-style:italic;">and </span> calculates percent of body fat) and hopped on. The results left me shocked -- and not in a good way.<br /><br />I'm still roughly 20 pounds overweight, though you probably couldn't tell that by looking at me. I'm also, and this is the scary part, 37 percent body fat. For someone with a family history of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, this is not welcome news.<br /><br />Phillip Whitten, a writer for <a href="http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/Default.asp">Swimming World Magazine</a>, says obesity is defined as too much body fat, not necessarily too much weight. Translation: you can be thin and fat simultaneously.<br /><br />According to <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3871/is_199807/ai_n8795819">one of his articles</a>, men should have 15 percent body fat or less and women should have 22 percent body fat or less during their prime. There's not much wiggle room for boomers, either. Whitten says 55-year-old men who exercise regularly generally have body fat levels of 23 percent; hearty women exercisers have body fat levels of 29 percent at the same age.<br /><br />Our nation of couch potatoes aren't faring well, however. Whitten writes, "According to 1994 health statistics, at age 35, the average American male carries 25 percent of his weight in fat, average female 33 percent (the numbers are probably even higher today.)"<br /><br />I'll be honest. I'd hoped there'd be great dissent about how much body fat is healthy. (You've seen those weight charts. They're all <span style="font-style:italic;">over</span> the map.) Alas, it was not to be. There is some deviation, certainly, but overall, not that much.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Why this matters:</span><br /><br />If, like me, you have writing projects you're trying to finish or other goals you'd like to complete, and you just can't seem to make progress, if may be because your body -- and your brain -- are under stress from other sources. Becoming more fit may be just what you need to do to get going.<br /><br />Intrigued? Here are a couple of sites you can visit to see where you fall on the health-o-meter:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nutribase.com/fwchartf.shtml">Recommended Body Weights and Percent Body Fat Contents for Women</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/bodyfatpercentage.html">Sports Fitness Advisor</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Playing on iTunes right now:</span> <span style="font-style:italic;">Authors on Tour</span> featuring Allan Folsom, author of <span style="font-style:italic;">The Machiavelli Covenant</span>. Authors on Tour is a podcast of writers discussing and reading from their works at The Tattered Cover bookstore in Denver. Sign up on iTunes.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-56094672667065362092007-07-23T07:29:00.000-07:002007-07-23T07:31:33.237-07:00Last week's Quote of the Week"I haven't written a great book yet -- but I have written some really great paragraphs!"<br />-- <span style="font-style:italic;">Marianne Williamson</span><br />Author of nine books, four of which were #1 <span style="font-style:italic;">New York Times</span> bestsellers, and a former guest on <span style="font-style:italic;">Oprah</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Larry King Live</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Good Morning America</span>, among others.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-50209928521848502462007-07-23T07:07:00.001-07:002007-07-23T07:26:47.050-07:00I didn't chew.While reading <a href="http://tatteredcover.com/NASApp/store/Product?s=showproduct&isbn=9780545010221">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</a>, I gulped each chapter rather than reading slowly and savoring the book. I didn't pause to study the very, <span style="font-style:italic;">very</span> fine line Ms. Rowling occasionally drew between her mythical society and current, real world affairs. I didn't linger to laugh at the sentence, near the end, that appeared to be a friendly nod to <span style="font-style:italic;">Aliens II</span>.<br /><br />At the end of my romp through the last of the Harry Potter series, I discovered something interesting, though.<br /><br />The book, while exceptional, wasn't flawless. Every sentence wasn't perfect; every word wasn't gold. What they were, however, were pure J.K. Rowling. Her imagination. Her prose. Her best. <br /><br />All of which reminds me that striving for perfection, holding on to your creative work until it's absolutely beyond reproach, isn't necessarily your greatest contribution to the world.<br /><br />Sometimes you can change lives -- and change minds -- simply by doing your best.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-86666465585203996552007-07-22T13:32:00.000-07:002007-07-22T14:10:50.076-07:00When the mind wanders, it's not pretty...I could be writing. Yes indeedy, I could...and I was. Then I took little break and wandered over to <a href="http://www.kathyholmes.net/">Kathy Holmes</a> site. There I found a link to <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/">Shelfari</a>, an online networking site for readers and writers. <br /><br />Of course I had to go. I explored the site for a while -- <span style="font-style:italic;">loved</span> it! -- then I started reading some of the profiles of frequent contributors. One had a link to a website that lets you take a test to determine your chances of surviving a zombie invasion. Wow!<br /><br />I had to take the test, right?<br /><br />Then I had to take it again because I could not believe how badly I fared.<br /><br />I did a bit better the second time, though apparently there's an unwritten rule that says you shouldn't go to Walmart when zombies prowl.<br /><br />After a couple, er, a few more attempts, it eventually occurred to me that a Zombie Apocalypse Test (ZAT) is not wholly dissimilar to a Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT). You just keep taking it and taking it until you (or your parents) like your score.<br /><br />My final score: 41% chance of survival.<br /><br />All of which makes me think I'm probably better off writing. <br /><br /><br />Ciao!Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-37653724676853520642007-07-18T20:50:00.001-07:002007-07-18T20:51:33.028-07:00Hi, T.J.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtb5keL0RTC2SrmsAx8fr2idwyNv5bhBBENVDamlemF65wzTE_6MNEJKudD7mkkR7liKeJApXNsBFuaTwhY-ruB4-aljm121kODvVaBwnyW916uSjNcH2sUgjKOwRot9RG5xXLkvfHx54/s1600-h/Jan+Avatar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtb5keL0RTC2SrmsAx8fr2idwyNv5bhBBENVDamlemF65wzTE_6MNEJKudD7mkkR7liKeJApXNsBFuaTwhY-ruB4-aljm121kODvVaBwnyW916uSjNcH2sUgjKOwRot9RG5xXLkvfHx54/s320/Jan+Avatar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088750609094713650" /></a>Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-29406025846219575902007-07-18T20:22:00.000-07:002007-07-18T21:19:35.599-07:00The wind in your hair...You don't have to be outside. You don't even have to be good. But if you've ever been ice skating you know how exhilarating it is to feel the ice-cooled air on your cheeks and the wind in your hair. <br /><br />(Note: the wind feels wonderful whether your body is gliding over the ice, the image of coordination and grace, or sliding across the surface chin first, arms outstretched, leaving a gaggle of bruised, stunned, knocked-on-their-rears-because-they-couldn't-get-out-of-the way-fast-enough skaters in your wake....One just looks a bit more, uh, dignified.)<br /><br />If you fancy skating or dancing, take a look at <a href="http://chowskates.blogspot.com/">Figure Skating in Singapore</a>. There's a new video of the European Waltz that's really fun to watch.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Playing on iTunes right now</span>: <span style="font-style:italic;">Baby, It's Cold Outside</span> by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. What a fabulous, old tune. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Personal opinion warning</span> (POW): A lot of today's popular singers go for volume or shock lyrics. Listen to a song performed by people who mastered phrasing and vocal control. There is no contest.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-67438638117647297312007-07-18T16:32:00.000-07:002007-07-18T16:33:59.618-07:00Last week's Quote of the Week"Advice is what we ask for when we already know what the answer is, but wish we didn't."<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">-- Erica Jong</span>Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-21170871270991754922007-07-17T19:15:00.000-07:002007-07-17T20:37:02.460-07:00Online tag!I've been tagged by author <a href="http://www.tayarijones.com/blog/">Tayari Jones</a>. Here are the rules:<br /><br />1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.<br />2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.<br />3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.<br />4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.<br />5. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged, and to read your blog.<br /><br />Here are eight, no-longer-secret facts about the very merry me:<br /><br />1. I have the most eclectic taste in music of anyone I know. The last seven songs on my iPod were by Leann Rimes, John Legend, Vargo, The Mamas & The Papas, Michael Buble, John Mellencamp and Donnie McClurklin.<br />2. As a girl I dreamed of being a singer-dancer-actress-model. Or a brain surgeon. Upon reflection, I realized success was unlikely as a) I'm a little, um, tone deaf; b) I have no natural sense of rhythm; c) I don't like being on stage; d) I like to eat; e) Medical science involves <span style="font-style:italic;">science</span>. And math! Eww!<br />3. I'm horribly needle-phobic. <br />4. I once flew to Austin for a Bruce Springsteen concert. I loved it!<br />5. I'm conflict adverse and miss a lot because there are many things I don't want to see...yet I have a real fear of going blind.<br />6. I once ate an entire German Chocolate cake. By myself. In one sitting. That was not a good idea.<br />7. When I was young and impressionable someone told me that if you die without fulfilling your destiny you have to keep coming back until you get it right. I still believe that.<br />8. When I mangle song lyrics, I do it in a big, big way. (Yet another reason a career as a singer was not for me.) For years, I happily sang along to Stevie Wonder's hit, <span style="font-style:italic;">Blue Me On. Yea Cumin!</span> (known to some of you as <span style="font-style:italic;">Boogie On Reggae Woman</span>). I kept this up until someone pointed out this was not a song about food dye and recipes.<br /><br />Whew! There you are. <br /><br />I've tagged <a href="http://kathyholmes.net/">Kathy Holmes</a> and <a href="http://www.thegeminiweb.com/babyboomer/">Rhea</a>, but I need a bit of time to come up with others. Tune in later for details or comment if you'd like to play.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221321213237446150.post-29535018953642429692007-07-17T18:59:00.000-07:002007-07-17T19:05:15.100-07:00I've been SO off the grid!My husband decided to "optimize" our Internet connection last week.<br /><br />'Nuff said?<br /><br />Methinks so.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Playing on iTunes right now</span>: <span style="font-style:italic;">I Know the Truth</span> by Sherie Rene Scott (Amneris) from the original cast recording of the <span style="font-style:italic;">Aida</span> soundtrack.Ms. Perihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516609114907601654noreply@blogger.com0