One Word

I recently came across an interesting project on WeBook where the creator ask the writer to describe themselves in one word, but then we kind of cheat a little and explain ourselves. Did you ever write something personal about yourself, say in a journal and then have an "aha" moment? That's what this exercise did for me. I know I am breaking a pattern by blogging again so soon, but what the hell. Here is my submission:

One word to describe myself: Evolving

My Story:

For some reason, when I was a kid, I thought that 26 was my magical age. I don't know why. It was not printed on a fortune cookie or anything. I just felt that 26 would be it. I would be complete and happy and well.... there.

I was wrong. I can quickly sum it up like this:

In my twenties, I was free and wild. I had it all going on, you know what I'm saying. I was ready for the world, but was the world ready for me? This is it, I thought, I don't ever want to get any older. I'm grown and loving it.

My thirties were fabulous! Not only did I still have everything going on, but now I knew what to do with it. This is it, I thought, I'm in my prime. I'm going to squeeze every last drop out of my thirties, because at 40 it's over.

My forties have been awesome! I still got it going on. I not only know what to do with it, but when to actually put it to good use. I also realize that this is NOT it. I am always evolving. Every accomplishment, every failure, every sob cried in the dark, every laugh captured by the wind forges who I will be. I cannot wait until my fifties and beyond.

So, who am I? I am evolving and loving it!

Found at www.webook.com
Project: Power of one

Yippee Kai-yea, Mamacita!

Well, it started innocently enough. I wrote a couple of articles for a collaborative book and it was chosen for publication. Finally....published! No, it's not a full length novel that I sweat out over a couple of years, but hey; published is published. Now, here's the fun part. Because we live in a global community age, advertising jumped all over that particular bandwagon. An email went out to the 28 authors of "101 Things Every Man Should Know How To Do" asking for a short video revolving around our contribution(s).

I wrote two articles: "How to Be a Chef in the Bedroom" (all about the art of foreplay outside of the bedroom) and "How to Cook One Thing Well". Since they were both "kitchen" based, I decided to do a video set in the kitchen. I wanted to make it funny and memorable. I dressed up in a red apron with hearts (how apropo, thought I) and had a pot of water up to full boil in the background.

My neice filmed it on her digital video camera and I flubbed the first few times. But once I was up and running, we did it in one take. We watched it play back and laughed and laughed. Now... to transfer it to the computer and send it to New York. What's that? No memory card in the camera? Where's your transfer cord thingy? What?! You don't know? Well, hells bells! I've filmed it and now have no way to get it onto the computer and EDIT it.

Not to fear. My resourceful husband took the cassette disk thingy out of the camera and presto magico, converted it onto a DVD by configuring two devices and lots of color coded wires. Now, I'll just pop this into the computer and.....well, hell! Turns out, I can play it, but can't load it or EDIT it. Through all of this trial and error, I am in constant communication with WeBook Publishing in New York. Finally they just got tired on waiting on me to catch a clue. They suggested I just send them the disk. I did with an email apologizing for the UNEDITED bloopers and invited them to slice and dice as needed to make it fit for the promotion.

The next email I received talked about how clever, how very funny the video was, ESPECIALLY THE BLOOPERS....(gulp). They went on to say it was up and running on YouTube under WeBookCommunity videos and thanks again. I immediately pulled it up by link provided and yup: There I was in my red apron saying the "F" word. Should you want to view my blunder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX0VbIDZkdg

I broke the news to my mother Saturday. She took it rather well actually.

What Drama in Yonder Window Breaks?

There are days like today that I really wonder if one of two things are happening: has Ashton Kutcher decided to punk little old me or has the world gone clinically mad? When I was growing up, one of my favorite shows to watch was Candid Camera. Oh my! How I laughed at the surprised looks on the faces of the duped. How I looked forward to Allan Funt coming forward and saying, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera!" In moments like the many today, I kept thinking someone had revived the show and I kept waiting for the prank to be revealed. Where are the cameras?, I wondered in those "truth is stranger than fiction moments".

One of my personal favorite sayings of my own making is "When life hands you lemons, cut 'em up, stick 'em in a Corona and make the best of the moment at hand". But even me, Pollyanna, Suzie Sunshine, Silver lining and all that crap.....even the smile on my face cracks in the face of unrelenting melodrama. Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part, said Garfield...the cat, not the President. Amen and pass the chicken!

So prevalant was the drama I was cast in today, I even said at one point that should it continue, I would need to pass out Oscars by days end. No sooner than one histrionic person would exit stage left, but another would enter stage right proclaiming, whoa-is-meisms. Still, I kept waiting for the prank to be revealed. Surely, not everyone was this Florida-dinner-theater emotional!

Then, it was revealed....twas a full moon but the night before. Ahhh, such answers to my wandering reason do appeal. But, of course, the full moon and it's instinctive control over mankind and their emotions. It was the one reason I had not considered. Seems I was punked by the best; mother nature!