Books
May 15/04
Books I?m reading:
The Great West Before 1900
Ghost Towns of Canada
Running With Scissors
Collage For The Soul
I?ve always been interested
in collage, but never knew
how to get started. This
has so many ideas, and interesting
pieces completed.
Re writing:
I sent out 1 query and 1 sub
mission this week. Not the most
productive week, but not a total
loss either. Hope next week
will be better.

lunchbox
March 20/04
I went to a site called lunchboxcollector.com. Interesting. Brings back memories of going to
school. I had a metal oval shaped lunchbox with an orange lid and handles. The site has
classifieds, photos, articles.
I sent out 1 submission to Front Porch. It sounds like a magazine I would like to subscribe
to. Has true stories, anecdotes.
I don?t know how to get over the betrayal in my life. Try not to think about it, or try to
process it and get it behind me. Every time I think I?ve forgotten about it all, my mind
reminds me. The memory is a strange thing. I can?t remember what I went downstairs
for, but the hurtful stuff is etched in the brain. Why is that?
#########

4 subs
March 13/04
Snowstorm moved in from the
west. Just when we thought
spring had arrived.
I sent out 4 submissions this
week. I sent to Alive, Grit,
Good Old Days and dabblingmum.
Will see what happens.
I wanted to send an interview
to an online zine, then realized
they only take first rights.
This interview had been previously
printed. Dang it.
I would like to interview
someone who cuts, but how does
one get in contact with someone
that cuts? I don?t know anyone
personally. I would protect &
keep name anonymous if desired.

3 subs
March 6/04
This week, I sent out 3 submissions,
all reprints, but at least they are
out at markets. One of the markets
is a freebie. The other 2 are paying.
I haven?t written anything new. It?s
as if my brain is drying up or something.

mixed
February 22/04
This week I sent out 2 queries and 1 submission. That sub
was rejected.None of my articles were printed. I have one
revision, maybe acceptance of that one.
I?ve taken my pills, did my testing.
Started cleaning cupboards, wiping them out & putting
shelving paper on shelves.
At the moment I do not have any books out from library.
I?m getting postcards from postcard exchange. It has been
fun, people in the group are so creative.

Blizzard
February 14/04
This week I got caught in the
blizzard. By the time I got
home, I was really stressed.
Visibility was nil at times.
I just kept looking for the
yellow line, as the road is
undivided highway.
It was a relief to get home.
I vowed not to go out again
when blizzards are predicted.
This week I sent out 4 articles.
Also had 1 article printed. It
is a paying gig too.
Sent out postcards for the
postcard exchange. It is
wonderful knowing that my cards
may brighten someone?s day. I
made heart themes, stars,
butterflies and mandalas.
I am no artist, but it was
such fun.
There is a writing contest I
would like to enter. What
can I write for that?
*****************************

humor
February 6/04
I?m reading Funny Business by Sol Saks. It?s about comedy
writing. I would like to write funny. After interviewing
Gina about her humor column, I think I would like to write
more humor. It gets printed, I can see that. It?s just
that I do not approve of humor that is sarcastic, where it
could hurt someone.
So I would like to write soft humor. That whole thing about
when you?re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.
Who can smile and be funny all the time? But at least one
can look for the humor in everyday things. That?s what Gina
does.

Does self matter?
January 25/04
It?s
It?s cold like -30 centigrade.
What am I reading? Self
Matters, by Dr. Phil
McGraw.Has anyone else
read this? Is it any good?
Sometimes I think self is the
last person who matters in
my life. What does one do
with difficult circumstances?
Is it really about choices?
Like did I decide that my
dad died? No. So how does
it all work?

Tired
January 17/04
I feel so tired. Tired of all the bills,
tired of life in general and its knocks.
The writing suffers every time there
is stress of any kind.
Life brings problems and stress, but
there seems to be an unusual over-
sized portion coming my way.
I now have seven furnace bills. Why does
it take seven visits to get the furnace
going?

BANG
January 9/04
This year started with a bang. Last Sunday, I was doing my usual Sunday stuff. I took
my pills, ate a serving of cream of wheat with flax sprinkled on top, orange juice, coffee.
Then, I made my bed, read my big print Bible. I was reading Ezekiel when I heard this
BANG. Then the furnace cut in. It must be an engine, back-firing, I am thinking.

I moved downstaris to the computer just in time for the furnace to make a loud
whoosh-bang sound. With shaky hands, I dialed the gas inspector. At this point, I?m
thinking gas leak. An hour later, he showed up. He concluded there was no gas leak,
however the burners needed cleaning. There are 3 burners, only 2 of which were lighting
up. After the 2 were lit, they lit the nonfunctioning burner, causing the bang.

So I phoned for cleaning Furnace guy came and cleaned the burners. Furnace now runs
smoothly as a purring cat.