Checking In

Just checking in because I feel like I've been neglecting the blogs! Mostly I've been on Twitter, but I did have other things going on the last couple of days.

I woke up the other day with a story in my head. Felt nice. Even nicer, I put down what amounts to damn near a full outline.

I'd forgotten what it felt like to have that spark. I've been so mired down in life that I forgot one of my favorite tricks for fanning the spark. Wanna know what the trick is? If you are a budding writer you do! Here it is: Any time you run into an interesting situation, just ask the question "What if?" You don't even have to wait for an interesting situation to arrive. If you're bored and find your mind wandering, let it wander productively. "What if?..."

Anyway, at least I haven't been away doing nothing!

The Twitter addiction is a loving monkey on my back, arms around my neck, teeth snatching me back to TwitZap if I walk away for more than a couple of hours.

It's a good addiction. I get all kinds of news, encouragement, random and fun conversation... I feel like I almost personally know some of the people I've run into on Twitter. Of course, I have my favorites. There's LilianChisca and JimQuillen and this so-sweet lady, ViolaJaynes, and so many others that I start to miss if I don't see their avatar popping up in the timeline. And I've got SoSoulfull and bustabitch, not to mention the other poets, writers, workers, lovers, artists, jokesters and just straight up cool folk.

Now that I'm getting to be a Twitter vet, I've gotten wiser about not only who I follow, but even who I'll let follow me. No kidding. There are people who pop up as new followers & when I go to check out a profile, I get something like a link to some porn or something. Damn people. You've already got my Spam folder full! Give me a break. Or - and I think this is even lamer: they won't have anything in their bio. Or they have thousands of followers and 10 updates (or none!). Come on. Why are you here??? And, by the way, don't follow me if when I check your profile I'm gonna have to see your naked ass. I'm not into you, porn chicks & guys. If I want to look at naked bodies, I have a mirror and a husband. If we get bored, we'll figure out. Don't you try to handle that without at least asking me first. Please and damn.

Some Twitter-ers are sneaky. They have a bunch of cool updates - quotes, maybe - but then for hours all you see are, basically, ads. They want to sell you something or get you to their site or tell you about their friend's site... Shameless. Today was one of the very few times I linked to one of my sites. (And that's only cause I finally updated it with some new jokes!)

And other than Twitter? Well, I've been watching dang near back-to-back episodes of all my fave shows: American Dad, Family Guy, Paranormal State, A Haunting, Frasier.

Been dealing with the family life thing. My sis, after finally getting both leg prosthetics, finds out her dialysis port is going goofy. So... probably back to peritoneal dialysis. Some pros and cons to that situation. Just hoping it's not like Arizona where she had an infection every time we had a dust storm or rain... I don't know. She's a strong, strong woman. I tease about it, but I feel so serious: if it were me - after all the surgeries, the hassle, the amputations, the hassle, the not being able to drive myself, the being stuck in a damn wheelchair for almost 2 years - I just don't know. My sis? She just reminds me every day of how good God has been. Tell me she doesn't have a reserved seat at a feast in Heaven.

On my end of things? Still struggling with the marriage, the finances and the separation. Still having the anxiety attacks and insomnia. Still have days where I wake up and make real sure to check if God is there for me.

Couple of good things (other than waking up, breathing on my own and not being as bad off as so many other people are!): I made the coolest friend via the blogs. Busta is one hella cool chick. This woman CALLED me to encourage me and lend me some sisterly strength. There are people I've done for who haven't done anything that beautiful. I mean, I have the best fam and some solid friends, but this woman and I just vibed. To think that someone out there has a heart this good... Does the spirit well.

So that's the latest. When I work out the new story (at least through a few chapters and a finished outline), I'm going to take a deep breath and think about submitting. (Do I know how to commit or what???)

Keep smiling. Keep being a little as good or better than the best around you.

Peace
--Free