Taking Stock

Yes, I know, it's ridiculously early in the morning, but I have a raging case of vacation insomnia going. That, or all the caffeine from those 3 large cups of iced tea I drank at dinner is smackin' me down with a vengeance. I've spent the last two days in download-the-CDs-to-iTunes tedium (Santa brought me an iPod video--yay!), so all this time in front of the screen is makin' me think. And infosnack at Wikipedia.

Back to the thinking. I've upgraded my template (woo hoo!), losing my booklist and several links in the process (boo!), but gaining much easier ways to add new stuff to my sidebar (no more HTML!). I did notice that blog production fell off severely this year--fewer than a hundred posts in 2007. I don't know if I'm a third less interesting than before or what, but if I claim to be a writer, that's pretty pitiful output. Julia Cameron would be horrified.

Along with the template change, I'll be changing some of the regular features. The Bed List/Dinner List choices have been dormant for a while, so I'll let them rest. Maybe the guys will pick up steam again later. For now, I'll be taking a look at the ladies. One per week, methinks, in one of three categories:

• COOL CHICK: A younger woman with fizz and style. She's the kind of gal who'd be fun to hang out with, or who sets an example for others to follow.
  
• CLASSY DAME: Generally older, with the cool head and grace that comes from wisdom.
  
• GUTSY BROAD: Any age, many styles. This woman hangs it out there and dares you to say something about it.
  

Some feminist studies major out there is horrified by the terms "chick," "dame," and "broad," but I don't have a problem with them. I'm a Southern belle, for heaven's sake. By birthright, I can orchestrate the entire universe and be gracious and charming to the men gaping in awe at the sight, bless their hearts.

I'll also be taking a look at movies, but from a writer's point of view. I'm a novelist, not a screenplay author, but there's much to be learned from thoughtfully presented films. The best visual effects in the world can't help a bad screenplay. Got a favorite? Leave me a note with the title. There's always room in the Netflix queue. Ten on Tuesday is my chosen meme, so look for those at least a couple of times a month. Memes kickstart your creative juices in interesting ways.

The rest of the time, the usual ranting and navel-gazing. With two kids at home and over a hundred at school, there's always something to rant/cry/laugh about. And maybe some free-form writing exercises from my shelf full of writer books. With advisors the likes of Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, Brenda Ueland, Anne Lamott, Susan Perry, and Julia Cameron, how could I lose?

Off to bed.