Sunday, May 30, 2010

This evening, I went to see Star Wars in Concert. For those not in the know, it is a performance by an eighty-plus member live orchestra that accompanies synchronized footage from all the Star Wars movies. In addition, there are occasional laser light shows, just for added effect.

I admit that I’m not a Star Wars fanatic. Though I’m not judging those who do, I never quite understood the whole making it a part of one’s lifestyle thing. But along with millions of other individuals, I have long-appreciated the graphic elements of the series, not to mention marveled at the ahead-of-their time special effects that still hold up today. In addition, I’ve enjoyed the complex storyline—kept me guessing and entertained.

So, having the opportunity to see and orchestral performance of Star Wars was something I was intrigued by. Especially since I’ve enjoyed attending orchestral performances of other movie greats over the years.

The British actor Anthony Daniels, whose unmistakable voice charmed the masses as C-3PO, hosted the event. Though his presentation did get a little corny. Seems he wanted to maintain the dramatic flavor of Star Wars as he narrated the storyline. But in doing, so, he took things a little too far, and his dramatic delivery quickly turned comic relief. Not all of it, but a good portion. Oddly, that was fine. In fact, it lent itself to the overall nostalgic flavor of the event, and I found I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in space and time for a bit, listening to the classic Star Wars music and watching the selected clips that accompanied it.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Moments after replying to a comment made on my last blog, my Internet service decided to take a tank—again.

Ugh!

Had just gotten it up and running late last night only to have it malfunction, stall out and then completely die this morning. This after the repairman who had been here last night came by to pick up his tools he’d left behind.

Great! Just great!

I find myself seriously wondering if the chimpanzees that work at my Internet provider know what they’re doing. This because every time I call to let them know there’s a problem, they assure me that “it’s working fine.” Then, when they do come out, which takes an inordinate amount of time to accomplish, they assure me that “things should be working just fine now,” and that “you should notice a significant increase in the Internet speed.”

Well, I would certainly hope so! I mean, things can’t get any slower than it being down all together.

Anyhow, by exacting patience the company didn’t deserve, we were able to get them to “fix” our Internet woes—once again. Here’s hoping that it stays working. (This, by the way, is just another in a long series of Internet malfunctions we’ve had to deal with over the past nine years!)

I hope all of you have a great holiday weekend! That it’s stress-free! That you can relax! That it revitalizes you!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Yesterday, I wrote of my technology woes. The final score was technology: 2, me: 3. Foolishly, I’d been led into a false sense of having won. Today has shown me the error of that thinking.

As I write this, I’m sitting in the café section of the Borders where I just did my book signing last weekend. Why, you ask? Well, that’s simple. My Internet is still nonfunctioning. And, although the charming company that provides me said lack of service had assured me yesterday that someone would be contacting me “first thing” this morning to have a technician come out and fix the problem, I’ve heard nothing. And this is the “service” they provide when they’ve listed my problem as an “emergency” on their paperwork.

Hmmm….

Anyhow, not wanting another day to go by without being able to upload my blogs, here I sit in the Borders Café about to send yesterday’s and today’s blog entries to my Webmaster so that he can upload them.

He has Internet capabilities.

Not sure how things will play out over the weekend. If my Internet will be restored, or if I’ll end up residing at the Borders Café to get my blogs launched. One way or another, I will manage to keep my blogs going.

So, without my Internet working, the score now stands at technology: 3, me: 4.

Stay tuned….

Thursday, May 27, 2010

There are days when I come to realize just how dependant I am on technology. Today is one of those. All week my Internet has been failing, limping across the finish line and just basically messing with me. Personally, I sometimes wonder if technology is more intelligent than I give it credit for since it waits until the worst possible time to f**k with me.

Case in point, I’ve had a huge project on my desk that needed to be completed and sent to my publisher. Now having intermittent Internet service is bad enough, but when my computer threatens to cannibalize the data contained within, because it’s gasping out its last technological breath, things get a little stressed.

Anyhow, I managed to get my work completed and sent to my publisher just in the nick of time—before my Internet decided to completely flat line. Realizing my ability to connect with the outside world “the modern way”—through technology—had come to a halt, I decided to go about things the old-fashioned way. Well, mostly.

I called, made some appointments and then found myself driving into the city to continue getting things done.

Technology: 1. Me: 1.

Of course, technology, being a versatile little bugger and still not done f**king with me, decided to follow me. Driving along, I got one phone call after another on my cell phone. That part went fine. It was only when I needed to return or make a call or leave a message that things went haywire. That’s when I got all sorts of delightful messages that “my call couldn’t be completed at this time,” or “all circuits are busy,” or my personal favorite—there was no indicator at all that my message or text had NOT, in fact, been delivered as I’d been led to believe.

Oh, how special!

My technology fun continued for the entire hour drive into the city, only ending when I was less than five minutes from where I was to pick up someone. And oh, what a joy that became.

In an attempt to simplify things, it had been decided that I would call the person when I arrived so they could come out of their building and get in my car.

Seemed like a good idea, since finding a parking space less than a quarter mile from where you need to be is near impossible in the city.

Arriving in front of the building, I attempted to make said call. But, seeing as technology was having so much fun with me, I got a recording that my call couldn’t go through at that time.

Oh, joy!

I attempted to make the call several more times, each time reaching the same recorded message. Looking at the building that had a security entrance, I tried to figure a way to contact the person I was meeting. As an added means of protection, the building had assigned a specific code to each occupant. Without said code, individuals weren’t granted access. Knowing that code would have been dandy, but no one had thought I’d need it since I was going to call my intended. So, without knowing the code, my only way to get to the person I needed, was to phone them.

Hmmm…. Technology: 2. Me: 1.

Seeing how I was determined to outsmart technology, I decided to drive around a bit to see if I could locate one of those ancient contraptions—a payphone. About a mile away, I spotted one. Slowing, to survey it, my hopes were quickly doused when I realized that the hand piece was missing.

Damn hard to make a call without one of those!

I continued driving in search of a payphone that might have all its parts intact—not a large possibility in the city. In between, I kept trying to use my cell phone to make the call. Driving miles and miles away from my destination, I finally arrived at a spot where my call was able to go through.

Technology: 2. Me: 2. Things are looking up!

Of course, by this time, I was probably five miles away from where I needed to be and to get back, I’d need to join in with horrific city traffic.

Ugh!

I reached my contact, told them what was going on and asked if they would please come to the curb and wait for me. They agreed, and by the time I got back to them, thirty minutes had passed from the time I’d exited the freeway.

Ah, the city.

Though my cell phone and text messages continued to taunt me throughout the remainder of the day, I did manage to have a productive day. Not the one I’d originally planned, but productive nonetheless.

Technology: 2. Me: 3. Ha!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Dignity…grace…what are those?

There are certain moments in life when I find myself so far lacking dignity and grace that I can’t help but laugh. Today was a prime example.

Taking a break from work, I ran a few errands, one of which was a trip to the nutrition store. When I got there, I was pleased to discover that they had what I needed in stock. Item in hand, I headed to the register to pay.

Just then, in came another customer who looked like he’d just gotten out of the shower and forgotten to dry off, this despite the fact that he had a large bath towel draped over his shoulders like a shawl.

Odd, but to each his own.

The clerk, like me, noticed the man, taking in his shirt that was soaked from the shoulders down to his chest as if someone’s wet hair had been hanging on it. I finished my transaction, bid the clerk “good-bye” and headed for the door. In turn, the clerk turned to help the wet man.

Nearing the door, all semblances of dignity and grace left me. Since I was on break from work, I was wearing a pencil skirt and five-inch stiletto heels. Not an unusual outfit to find me in, and certainly one I have no trouble walking in. Well…that is until today.

Just about halfway to the door, my foot came in contact with a slick spot on the floor. Though I tried to recover, my effort was futile. I knew I was going down. My first thought was, go limp like a rag doll (this is a technique most athletes learn as a means to minimize getting hurt when they fall). My second thought was, wow! Falling in slip-on stilettos and a pencil skirt is not going to be pretty.

Realizing there was going to be no graceful way to make it to the ground, I began laughing. This, as I fell in slow motion. Now here’s the interesting part. As I fell, fate smiled upon me, and I was able to gracefully fold my legs underneath me so that by the time I hit the floor, I looked like I’d planned all along to have a seat on the ground.

Sitting there, I began laughing harder unable to get over the fact that there I sat, kerplopped on the middle of the floor, heels intact, ankles not twisted and pencil skirt looking as graceful as ever. Heck, I was even impressed that I still had my purse strap over my shoulder and my bag in my hand.

How the heck did I manage that?

Hearing me laugh, the store clerk turned. When he saw me, his eyes widened. Then he noticed me laughing and asked, “Are you okay?” a smile upon his face.

I replied, “Yes, quite! Just thought I’d take a break and rest.”

That got the clerk laughing, while the wet man looked at both of us as if we were crazy.

Okay, he’s one to judge, Mr.-can’t-seem-to-dry-himself-after-a-shower guy.

Anyhow, I took a moment longer to assess that I was fine before, and I’m still not quite sure how I did this, I got up in one fluid motion—nearly impossible while wearing a pencil skirt. I looked back at the clerk and wet man and said, “Have a great day!” as I headed out the door, attempting to muster as much dignity and grace as possible.

Ah, humbling experiences, they are the spice of life. And laughing at our own awkward moments makes life richer.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

I was looking at a fortune today. You know, one of those little tabs of paper that come out of a cookie. Some of them are goofy, but a good many have profound philosophies and thoughts interwoven in their seemingly simplistic words. My fortune said, “Be prepared to receive something special.”

How nice! I do like special things.

But then I got to thinking. How does one go about preparing to receive something special? Doesn’t it just happen? Or does one need to prepare themselves mentally, spiritually and possibly even physically?

As I pondered the concept more, I began to lean towards the need for one to actually make a conscious effort to receive something special. I mean think about it. If a person is in a foul mood or has adopted a doom-and-gloom attitude, are they in the best place to even recognize if something good comes their way? Or are they so focused on negativity that anything positive simply passes them by utterly unnoticed?

I seem to have stumbled onto something. Perhaps it’s even profound. (See, this is why one should read the fortune before eating the cookie. That way, they’ll have the cookie to offer them sustenance to thoroughly digest the words of the fortune.) Anyhow, I’m digressing. Back to the subject.

It would make sense that if one is walking around with a dark cloud of despair looming over their head, everything they come in contact with will end up with a dark edge to it. But, if on the other hand, they have adopted a sunnier disposition, one where they’re willing to seek out the positive in things, they will be more in tune with recognizing the snippets of good that come their way.

So let’s go back to the tab of paper in my fortune cookie that said, “Be prepared to receive something special.” If what I’ve surmised is accurate, then my positive attitude will serve me in being aware when something special comes my way.

Excellent!

Monday, May 24, 2010

A reader commented that it was a rarity to have the opportunity to view behind-the-scenes of the writing, publication and promoting process. I couldn’t agree more. In fact, when I got into writing, I now realize I was clueless to the whole process. Well, other than that I knew I had to write.

But how to get my written word out there, what went into preparing it, who to contact, how to get it polished and then what would come once it was accepted, those parts were a mystery to me.

Ironically, I think I was in good company. Oh, sure, there are tons of books out there that “tell” you what to expect. But honestly, that’s like a first-time mother reading up on what it will be like to deliver. And we all know how everything one reads beforehand goes right out the window with that first labor pain.

The whole taking one’s writing across the finish line to being published and beyond is quite similar to the first contraction of a new mom. One could have done all the research in the world and think they’re prepared, but as soon as they get that call, email or letter telling them that their work’s been accepted, their brain basically melts on itself, overwhelmed by a litany of emotions and uncertainties.

At least, that’s how it was for me. I distinctly recall sitting there, staring at my computer screen, unable to process the words displayed that told me my manuscript had been accepted. That, in fact, the entire Little Girl Lost Trilogy had been accepted based solely on the first book.

And everything I’d experienced up until that point: the long hours, the bleary eyes that didn’t want to focus, having stared at a computer screen too long, the search for just the right word or phrase to sum up my characters’ thoughts or portray what I wanted the reader to gain from my story, all that fell by the wayside to be replaced by a whole new series of hoops and hurdles I’d have to navigate if I was determined to see my work to publication.

And oh what a ride that first publication process was! Now don’t get me wrong. I adore my publisher and am beyond grateful that he’s so marvelous to work with. But my expectations of how things should go…wow, I didn’t have a clue. How could I? Like that new mother and her first labor pain, I had never before actually undergone the publishing process despite having researched it heavily.

And that’s when I got an idea. I realized that what I was experiencing was what others might find interesting or entertaining or even amusing. Heaven knows, there were times when I found all three to be true. So I endeavored to shed light on the behind-the-scenes process of what it felt like to traverse the waters I found myself treading.

Who knows, perhaps one day I’ll put all I’ve written about my publication process together into a book. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy vicariously living it through my writings.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

My book signing yesterday went really well! Had a great show of people who stopped by to say “Hey,” and to pick up copies of the book. It was fun to see me friends come from far and wide to offer support.

One was so enthused, that they brought in their already signed copy to have it signed again. Told me that they’ll bring it to all my signings. Had to laugh at that, envisioning it looking like an overly signed yearbook by the end.

Had been nervous before the signing but settled into a comfortable mindset as soon as it began, seeing my friends arrive. Always good to be surrounded by those you know and trust when in an uncertain situation.

I enjoyed meeting new folks, some of whom were also published writers, impressed with my work. It felt good to hear their kind words of praise.

In the end, almost every copy of the book that the store had purchased for the event was sold. The store manager was thrilled. I was excited. And more signings will be the result.

Yeah!!!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Well, today’s my first book signing for Little Girl Lost. Wow! Can’t believe it’s here. Seemed to take forever to arrive, and yet it’s happened in the blink of an eye. Am nervous as can be. What if no one shows up? What if people show up who read and hated the book? Will I be tongue-tied? Make an idiot of myself? Or will things go smoothly? (God, I hope!)

These are the thoughts that have been crowding my head this week. I know, probably all this worry is for nothing. But I can be a worrier, especially when it’s regarding something I’m passionate about.

I suppose a good thing is that I’m so crazy busy today that I don’t have time to obsess too much over the signing. Speaking of which, I have to get going. Have a meeting that precedes that signing. Don’t want to be late.

Check in tomorrow, and I’ll blog about how the signing went.

Friday, May 22, 2010

I’ve always believed that cooking things from scratch teaches lessons in patience. Today, my girls proved that when they set out to bake meringue cookies, one of their favorites, but which they’ve never made before.

My oldest daughter asked me where my recipe was, and I told her which book I thought it was in. (It’s been a few years since I’ve made them.) Didn’t take long for my daughter to find that which she sought and into the kitchen she headed, a happy camper. I could hear my girls laughing and having a good time in between my youngest daughter coming in every few minutes to ask how this or that needed to be done with the recipe.

After they were done adding the sugar, I heard the mixer going and going and going forever. Then my youngest daughter appeared at my office door and asked if I could come and see if the meringue looked right. I went in and immediately realized that they must have added the sugar too fast, as it had only poofed to half the volume it should have. Not to dampen my girls’ enthusiasm, I tasted the batter, said, “It tastes fine,” which it did, and told them it would bake up fine.

The girls beamed. Inspired by their success, they decided to make more meringues.

Apparently the four dozen pastel pink ones the other batch made weren’t enough.

They set those on cookie sheets and began mixing a new batch. I gently advised that the slower they added the sugar, the fluffier the meringues would be. From my office, I could hear them debating what color this batch should be. My oldest daughter suggested they get the neon food coloring from a friend of hers. I made a point to chime in that neon meringues would be cool. In the end, my girls decided that pastel green ones would be better—more visually appetizing.

Good point.

They whipped the egg whites in this batch thoroughly before adding the sugar a tiny bit at a time. After a bit, they called me in to take a look at their progress. Inside the mixer bowl, I saw perfect fluffy peaks.

Great job, girls!

Just about the time the first batch came out of the oven, the green batch was ready to go in. I was called in to take a look. What I saw impressed me. I’d shown my youngest daughter where my press was that she could use to squeeze the meringue onto the sheets to create professional-looking star shapes. Viewing them as they cooled, I was pleased to see that they’d turned out great.

When the green ones came out of the oven, an hour later, I was called in to sample one of the pink ones. I’m proud of how well my girls worked together and how beautiful and tasty the meringues turned out.

In the end, my girls learned that taking one’s time while setting things up yields more favorable results. And I learned that it’s okay to get pulled away from my work to help them. All in all, the Hanna girls had a productive learning day that ended with a yummy treat.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Unlike yesterday when I was out and about, getting attacked by creepy homeless men, today found me holed up in my office all day writing the first half of a short story that will go into an anthology I’m working on. As the hours passed, I looked up every so often and gazed out the window, admiring how pretty the day was, wishing I could break away to go for a run.

The hours slipped away with me sitting at my desk. Not that I didn’t enjoy writing. I did. Been taking opportunities whenever possible to work on this anthology. But the day was gorgeous and calling me to come outside. The bad thing about writing on a laptop is that ambient daylight puts such a glare on my computer screen that I can’t see what I’ve written, thus my need to stay indoors. Anyhow, I was thrilled with how far I got with the story.

But I was racing against the clock, as I needed to take our youngest son to his soccer team’s end of the season party. Had to be there by 6:00 PM. I managed to get to a good breaking point in the story just in time to take my son. By the time the party ended, it was 8:30 PM, and I wasn’t looking forward to having to go to the gym to use the treadmill.

But when I got home, I was met with a pleasant surprise. My husband was just heading out for a run. I was going to join him, but then our oldest daughter asked if she could go walking with us—she’s not a runner. I told her, “Sure!” and the three of us headed out.

Although bright sunny skies didn’t shine over us, we did have the opportunity to walk under a half moon, shining bright, and a gazillion stars. Where we live is considered rural, and no one is allowed to have bright outdoor lights in their front yards. Also, the streetlights are few and far between and are only fog lamps. The reason for these regulations is so that residents can experience a feeling of being in the middle of nowhere and actually see the brightness of the stars. I must admit, it is pretty amazing—all those stars.

So although I’d originally planned to go for a run by myself during the day, having the opportunity to walk with my husband and oldest daughter was even better. Had the rare opportunity to catch up with one another and share stories of our mishap hiking adventures, etc. with one another.

Always fun to spend time together!

Tuesday, may 18, 2010

Have spent a good portion of yesterday and today sending and being sent documents to/from my publisher and proofer in final preparation of Dark Awakenings going to print. This time round, I feel less out of my element than I did while going through the same procedure with Little Girl Lost. I can more easily understand the publishing process on a level beyond an intellectual one, having gone through it before.

But, there’s one part that gets me each time. And today I received an email from my publisher that triggered that reaction. It contained the formatted version of Dark Awakenings up to and including chapter one.

Although I’ve worked up close and personal with the manuscript through the writing, rewriting, editing and proofing phases, I’m still in awe when I click on the file from my publisher and there, before my eyes on my computer screen, is the exact layout of how the book will appear in printed form.

I must admit that seeing the chapters formatted is pretty cool. But the page that stops and makes me sit back in my chair is the title page. Next to seeing the finalized cover image of the book, this is what has the biggest impact on me. Looking at it, my brain stalls out and all I can think is, wow, that’s awesome!!!

That’s where I was today. Lost in a blissful haven of two books in the trilogy down, one to go. Not sure if I’ve mentioned it before, but I conceptualized this trilogy when I was seventeen years old. Can’t tell you how rewarding it is to see it to fruition.

Monday, May 17, 2010

When my husband and I returned from New York late last night, we found the three kids that were home, sick. (Our oldest daughter drove in from Arizona last Friday for her summer vacation. Ironically, we ended up missing one another, so it was good to reconnect.) Not sure what it is about people being sick in my family, but when they are, those same individuals are drawn to bake. Of course, the fact that today’s grey, gloomy and all around yucky probably is playing a good part in that desire.

My youngest daughter was inspired to bake homemade banana cupcakes with homemade frosting.

Yum!

She opted to do this with her younger brother. A little background is in order here. On any given day, the two can be driven to attempt to annihilate one another. So I was thrilled to see them want to work together. Didn’t know or care what the kitchen would look like after, was just glad that they wanted to spend some positive time interacting with one another. (Side note: this is the second time in a week that they’ve baked together.)

Good God! Alert the presses! Things are looking up. : )

Anyhow, the cupcakes turned out great. And so did the frosting. But then it came time to put said frosting on the cupcakes. I stress the word on as that’s what most tend to aim for when decorating cupcakes.

Well, just a few minutes ago, my oldest daughter, grinning like Cheshire cat high on catnip, came into my office and said, “Come here! You’ve got to see what your daughter did and why it’s imperative that she not be allowed to bake!”

Okay, that got me out of my chair pretty fast.

Entering the kitchen, my oldest daughter pointed. “See that disaster?”

I looked at what she was referring to. The cupcakes were all sitting on the counter in neat little rows. Two had been frosted. Alongside one was what my daughter was referring—about half the frosting globbed into a sugary goodness mountain. From said spill, my younger daughter was calmly scooping frosting with a knife and spreading it on a cupcake she held in her hand.

I looked at my oldest daughter, silently expressing that I didn’t see what the problem was. Exasperated, she pointed at the burst frosting bag, spilling its contents and said, “She broke the it!”

“That happens.”

“But, ewwww! She’s scooping frosting off the counter.”

“And…? The counter is clean. You don’t have to eat them if you don’t want to. Besides,” I said playfully poking my oldest daughter’s chest, “I don’t see you doing any baking.”

That got all of us laughing. It’s great to have most of our kids back under our roof, even if they are sick and spreading germs while baking. What can I say? They’re givers. : )

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Yesterday was a fun day! Set out to meet up with a friend who lives in New York. Had just seen him three weeks earlier in Atlantic City, but weren’t about to pass up the opportunity to meet again.

Such fun!

My husband and I met up with him at a great wood-fire pizza place within walking distance to our hotel. Great pizza, awesome starter salads, but better yet was being able to share valuable time with a cherished friend!

When we got up to leave, we walked past a great wall fountain set back from the sidewalk. Our friend paused, stunned, and said, “Oh, my God! There it is!”

We looked from the fountain to him for enlightenment. He shared that when he moved to the city fifteen years ago, he’d stumbled across the fountain and had never been able to locate it again. The smile on his face was priceless, and we were glad to share the reunion experience with him.

After lunch, we got to spend several hours with our friend—the only thing better than breaking bread with him. It was fun to reconnect and learn a bit more about the Big Apple. Added, was having the opportunity to see Manhattan through the eyes of a local as we ambled along the streets, soaking up local flavor.

Our friend and we parted ways late afternoon so he wouldn’t be late for a date, and so we could prepare for dinner and then to attend an event we had flown here for—the filming of the season finale of Saturday Night Live.

What a hoot!

So much better to see the show in person. Got to see everything that happened, not just what was on camera. And by watching the off-camera activity, we got a better feel for the chemistry between those participating in creating the episode.

There was joking amongst the celebrities, and I enjoyed seeing how the “stars” interacted with the behind-the-scenes cast responsible for pulling the show together. Lots of hustling and running by the celebrities to get from one set to another, undergoing quick changes in the process, before their next scene came up.

Alec Baldwin was the host. By watching him, it was apparent what an easy-going individual he is. Friendly with all, laughing, and full of genuine smiles, he made all feel comfortable in his presence.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was the lead band. Although I like the group, I was disappointed to see Tom’s lack of enthusiasm while performing. At one point, I wondered if he was stoned, but then realized he was just “going through the motions” of performing his two songs. Not caring to add an air of energy to performing, he looked like an anesthetized Matrix individual. Not fun to watch. And the two songs he chose to perform—not amongst his best.

Too bad!

After the show, we attended a private gala at Rockefeller Center (where the annual giant Christmas tree overshadows the ice-skating rink). There we met up with a bunch of our friends, executives at Saturday Night Live, to catch up and converse about the season’s ender. We each agreed that although the show was good, it wasn’t great. We attributed that to it immediately following the episode hosted by Betty White.

Hard act to follow.

The party, which began at 1:00 AM was a season wrap and attended by easily 350-400 people! Amongst the attendees were current cast members as well as famous ones from seasons past. It was fun to interact with them and see how everyone got along. I like that, when people adopt the mentality that everyone’s equal. That no one is less than them. That each person involved plays an integral part in pulling off the production.

That’s a class act!

We laughed, talked and danced away the wee hours of the night. Around 4:00 AM, my husband and I looked at our watches. It was then we made a difficult decision. Having only had nine hours of sleep in the past two days and needing to be ready to head to the airport several hours later, we realized we should probably head back to our hotel to pack, etc. Our friends were sad to see us go, yet took solace, knowing that we’d return to New York. As we watched staff members clear the food from the buffet tables in preparation for the party to end, my husband and I headed back to our hotel.

All in all, today was an awesome day—busy as heck, but great fun!

Saturday, May 16, 2010

Da-da-da-dum, snap, snap! Da-da-da-dum, snap, snap! Da-da-da-dum, da-da-da-dum, da-da-da-dum, snap, snap! So, in case you haven’t guessed, I have The Adam’s Family on my mind. Went to the Broadway show of it last night. Didn’t have a clue what to expect other than that the set design was supposed to be great. Also, the actor that played Uncle Fester is a friend of one of our friends and was supposed to be really good. And he was!

I had a hard time imagining how the writers would honor the memory of one of my generation’s favorite shows while growing up. It could have either gone well or tanked in the worst way. I’m happy to say that the show was a raging success!

Each of the actors personified the characters they played while lending a modern edge tinged with their own flair. Great combo! And it was obvious that the writers had a lot of fun creating tongue-and-cheek one-liners, relating to things relevant in today’s society. Those got the audience laughing every time.

Wasn’t sure how the younger boy who played Pugsley would do. That’s such a difficult time for adolescents to control their vocal chords, much less boys. But he did a wonderful job of hitting the high notes, holding them when needed and carrying off an angelic voice. I know, that sounds strange, referring to a boy’s voice as such, but hey, it’s how he sounded.

And the actress that played Grandma was excellent. One could tell that she’d had a lot of fun with the role. Wednesday’s actress sang and performed beautifully, with a good number of solo parts. And, of course, the stars, those who played Morticia and Gomez stole the show. Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to see the goings-on behind-the-scenes during rehearsals, for it appeared that all the cast got on favorably with one another. Great chemistry that delivered an amazing show!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Had an interesting thing happen while on my way to New York today. My flight from California to my layover in Utah was nice enough. Pleasant flight crew, and I got to catch up on some sleep, having only gotten an hour and a half before heading to the airport.

Ugh!

All in all, the time seemed to fly (ha!) on my way to Utah.

My layover went equally smooth. Got into our gate on time. Had a chance to go up to the Sky Club and catch up on some work before heading out to catch my connecting fight to New York.

Loading the plane took a bit longer than normal. For some reason, people seemed to be perplexed with the whole put-your-bag-in-the-overhead-compartment-and-sit-down-so-others-can-board concept. Anyhow, with some gentle prodding by the flight crew, all bags got stowed. The doors were closed, and our plane got hooked up to the vehicle that was to back it away from the terminal with a push bar. The massive truck’s engine started and we slowly began to back up.

So far so good.

Just about the time we were backed into the center of a runway intersection, the truck began to turn us. And that’s when it happened. There was an extra loud sudden boom from outside the front of the plane.

What the heck?! Haven’t experienced that before.

The entire plane shuddered and jolted. And then it seemed to make a sharp backwards turn of its own accord before stopping rather abruptly.

Passengers questioned what happened? Flight crewmembers looked towards the cockpit and out their windows on the doors. And I, sitting a little in front of one of the wings, looked out the window to witness said wind bouncing up and down like a teeter-totter, shaking the plane in the process.

Yeehaw!

It took a few moments for the captain to come on the PA. He told us, “Everything’s okay with the plane. The stress tow bar that connected us to the truck snapped, pushing our plane away from it with the force. But our plane’s fine.”

Hmmm….

I looked out the window again and saw a sight I’ve never witnessed before. There our plane sat, like a broken down car on the freeway during rush hour, blocking an assortment of other planes. Now, had I been in my car on the freeway when this happened, I would have been stressed. But, sitting on a plane with no control over the situation, I found myself intrigued with how things played out.

Trucks could be seen hustling to our plane. And the blocked planes began to make what seemed like random turns, though I’m sure they were orchestrated by the control tower. And let me tell you, when a plane’s at a dead standstill and then begins moving again, the process occurs in hyper slow motion. Like I said, it was really quite interesting to see things play out from my bird’s-eye view.

The other planes got redirected. The part of the stress tow bar still attached to our plane was removed, and we got under way to join the line of other planes to prepare to take off.

Quite interesting!

I’m currently writing this about five minutes outside of landing in New York. This flight’s been uneventful, though now we’re banking hard left and hitting turbulence, which is making keeping my fingers connected with the keyboard a challenge. But hey, it’s flying—never dull.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Completion is one of those things that seems so elementary yet is infused with complexities. For some, completing a thought is a challenge. Others can’t seem to finish a task. And still more find that setting a goal is easy but seeing it to fruition is beyond their capabilities.

Why is this? Most times, completion of an endeavor yields a new beginning that’s better than the old. Perhaps that’s the problem. People are inherently opposed to change. And completion cannot be achieved without undergoing change. Change of one’s Self. Mindset. Behavior.

So I guess people get stuck. Like a caterpillar, trapped in its chrysalis, they’re unable to break free of the obstructions holding them back in order to emerge better. Stronger. Balanced.

What makes it possible for some to reach completion while others remain stagnant? Do they resolve to clear away the old, which in turn releases tension and uncertainty, freeing them to move forward? Do they possess more of a willingness to separate themselves from past behaviors and traits that they’ve outgrown? Or are they simply more capable of completing a thought?

Perhaps the ones that stay stuck are fearful of what moving forward or completing a thought might involve. Where it might lead them. Movement/change can evoke a sense of being in danger. But that same movement/change may be exactly what’s necessary to carry one out of danger.

Completion. In order to achieve it, one must be centered, grounded and determined to see things through. One of the best ways to do this is to free one’s self of unwanted outside influences. Now is not the time to be swayed by what others think. Instead, one should turn inward. They should consider what it is they want to complete and be prepared to allow nothing, including themselves, to derail their objective. Adopting this mentality will provide one with the calm certainty required to reach completion.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Today was a great day!

I finalized the plans for the first book signing of Little Girl Lost! You’ve all been so very patient with my getting to the point of setting that up. And I thank you. Now for the information many have been waiting to hear. My first book signing will be on Saturday, May 22, 2010 from 12:30-2:30 PM. It will take place at Borders Bookstore, located at 5055 Plaza Lane, Montclair, CA 91763. Copies of Little Girl Lost will be available for sale from in the store. I will be signing copies sold there and ones that folks bring in. If this signing goes well, there will be more at other Borders Bookstores here in California and throughout the United States. So, please, spread the word and stop by.

In addition, the second book in the Little Girl Lost Trilogy—Dark Awakenings—officially began its final leg to publication today! My best guess is that it will be available this summer—2010. As soon as a release month is known, I’ll announce it here. Copies of Dark Awakenings will be available wherever you can purchase Little Girl Lost. In addition, more locations from which to purchase electronic versions of both books will be available by then, and I’ll post that information as it becomes available.

And…since great things tend to happen in threes, I’ll add that my youngest son, who begins high school in the fall, went in for his callback interview with the co-editors of the high school’s yearbook! The co-editors were impressed with his writing and computer abilities, not to mention his aptitude to articulate. This has been a long process for my son, and is something he not only wants but also is quite qualified to handle, having worked for my E-zine as a contributing writer for over a year now. Keep your fingers crossed….

Yes, today was a great day for at least a couple of the writers in the Hanna family!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

On my run today, I thought of another bothersome trait that many have. In fact, such a large percentage possesses this nasty little trait that companies, corporations and municipalities have had to rewrite their policies as a means to shield themselves. Of what do I speak? Those who feel entitled to sue others for their own lack of paying attention or keeping themselves safe.

I thought of this as I was running along a winding sidewalk that had been turned into a veritable rollercoaster by tree roots, which had lifted the slabs to extreme levels, creating uneven sections that would be easy to trip over if a person weren’t paying attention. And that right there is the crux of my gripe. Since when did it become okay and even acceptable for people to not pay attention, get hurt and then reap financial gain as a result?

Now I’m not suggesting that roads should be allowed to turn into treacherous off-roading experiences from lack of being maintained, or that sidewalks should never be fixed or that warning labels shouldn’t be clearly visible. But a little common sense on the part of individuals is called for.

Let’s take, for example, the infamous case of the woman who spilled scalding coffee on herself from her McDonalds cup. True, it was a damn shame that she got hurt, but…what the hell was she thinking placing the cup containing scalding hot liquid between her legs as she drove? Had she never experienced a pothole? Had to suddenly brake? Her putting herself at risk is what caused her to get burned, not the fact that there wasn’t a disclaimer printed on the lid of her coffee.

And what about individuals who are so busy texting, talking on their phones or conversing with others that they don’t bother to watch where they’re walking? Is it really too much to expect a person to pay attention to where they’re placing their feet. I mean really, when I was a kid, I learned early on that if I wasn’t attentive to where I was going, I could trip. As a result, I learned to avoid getting hurt by paying attention. I didn’t rush out and sue the entity I thought could financially benefit me the most. That thought never would have occurred to me—too embarrassed by my own lack of attentiveness.

So what changed? When did being embarrassed by one’s stupidity get replaced with the sense of entitlement that others should be held accountable for one’s actions? I don’t get it.

Our country has become so obsessed with those wanting to turn a fast buck by suing that soon we’ll all be walking around in bubble wrap in order to “keep us safe.” I, for one, hope I never see the day when people aren’t held accountable for their actions. When the courts turn lack of common sense and taking care of one’s self into something that should be viewed solely as a means to profit financially. That will be the time when people stop learning. Yes, I’m one of those, the few who firmly believe that people need to learn from the consequences of their actions instead of rushing out to sue others.

Monday, May 10, 2010

I’ve always been a firm believer in karma. Suppose that’s why I try to be careful about how I handle myself and treat others. Of course, there are times when I fall short of my own standards. That makes me try harder the next time.

With this being the guidelines by which I function, I find myself frustrated, on a regular basis, by those who have the poorest behavior. Those who feel entitled to treat others as if they’re beneath them. Or worse, feel others should be treated like crap, just because the urge strikes them.

What’s up with that?

And as if this doesn’t get me frustrated enough, the thing that really puts me over the edge is when those same individuals are coddled, and those around them enable their bad behavior.

That really irks me!

I hold myself to a high standard of treating others with respect and handling myself with dignity and grace, fully accepting of the consequences when I fall short of my mark. I view this as accountability. And I hope that others are willing to get in my face and let me know if I’ve stepped over lines so I can make amends.

When I see those who act poorly towards others have little or no regard to how their actions are affecting others, I shake my head. Though I do get frustrated and sometimes angry at their behavior, I know it’s not in my control to do anything about it. Moreover, I realize that those people will reap what they sow. The consequences of their actions may be swift or they may take years and years to materialize.

Sooner or later, however, karma always has a way of catching up with a person. Well, that is unless others interfere. And by that, I mean those who feel the need to enable individuals with bad behavior. Far from helping the situation and person in question, enabling only serves to complicate matters and prolong the inevitable—karma exacting its will.

I firmly believe that those who behave with little or no self-control should be allowed to fall on their faces. That they should have to suffer the consequences of their actions. If that process is derailed, then the person will never have the opportunity to see the errors of their ways and learn to behave more favorably. And in the end, isn’t that best, to have people grow and learn from their actions?