Reading and Stuff

Reading Update! ('Cause I know you were just dying to know what I'm reading:)

I last posted that I was muddling through The Hickory Staff by Robert Scott and Jay Gordon, but I gave up. It's not something I do very often, but I've just decided I don't have the time for certain books, and unfortunately, that's one of them. It's just freakin' gigantic, and moving way too slow for me.

I basically reached my hand into my TBR pile and randomly pulled one out. Turned out to be Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger - one I've been meaning to tackle for awhile, but kept getting turned off by the lack-lustre review of friends. I'm halfway through and I can say this about it: it's a slow read, not a page-turner. She's created characters that are strangely compelling through their total ordinariness. It's quite bizarre that I'm still interested in finishing this, as I don't usually stick with the uber-slow ones (As exhibited by the above title...) so go Niffenegger! I can't explain why I'm enjoying this one. I suppose it just works out that certain books work at certain times.

Also, this week brought the end of school for my kids!! Hooray!! My son is officially finished grade 1, and my daughter is a preschool graduate! I'm not ashamed to say my son totally kicked ass on his report card too. That kid totally rules. Their school finished off the year with a talent show (of course Evan practically raced to sign up for that;) and an indoor hamburger lunch for everyone. Once the bell rang at the end of the day, I was deafened by the cheers of students ringing in summer break. I thought that only happened in movies. Nope.

Unfortunately, our summer of fun is no longer in the realm of possibility, but hopefully we can still fit in a few of the plans we made despite the sudden changes. So far it's not looking good, as our first plans (to go to the Calgary Zoo this weekend) were kiboshed by Mother Nature and her "rain" of fury on Calgary this past week. But, stay positive, right?

Help?

I had an interesting talk today with some other women - who happen to be Moms. We were discussing most women's difficulty in asking for help, even when you desperately need it. Why is it that when we are at our most vulnerable, our very weakest, that we still feel the need to put others before ourselves?

"I don't want to put her out.."
"I don't want to be an inconvenience..."
"She had other plans..."

It seems ludicrous when I think about it: if a friend of mine were in my position, I would give her the shirt off my back, yet I have SO much trouble accepting even the smallest of aid with things. Is it pride? A lack of confidence? WTF?!

So that will be my goal over the coming months...to ensure I take the best care of my children (and myself) I'm going to accept help - even ask for it! (If needed.) But in baby steps:)

Focus!

Nothing like a completely devastating life event to change your focus, right?

While I was looking forward to several months off school to spend time with my kids, write my pants off, and generally take it easy for the first time in my life, apparently my lack of anything ever going the way I want it decided to kick in. I am now forced to change my focus and prepare to job hunt and create a new life plan for my children and I. My stress levels are at an all-time high, yet in true Kelly-form, just when I don't have the time to think about writing, my creativity nags at me.

I wanted to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo next month with some friends, but as usual, my word count will likely suck, as it appears I'll be now working full-time along with taking care of my kids. Booooo!

BUT! I still intend to write as much as I can. Another typical Kelly behavior is to cram as much into my life as possible, without killing myself:) And nothing like staying inhumanly busy to take your mind off your own misery. On that note, I'm working on outlining my new book to begin writing it! It's a paranormal piece - a first for me, so we'll see how that goes! I'm also editing my completed YA fantasy, Aryx. And I'm slowly working on an illustrated children's picture book with my friend and talented artist, Jessica Casson.

So I can do all that, right? Totally.

Sometimes things happen that forever alter your life. I'm having one one of those this month.

While I don't know how this is going to end, I am doing my best to stay positive:
- I am trying to only spend minimal time feeling sorry for myself / sobbing incessantly. This is hard.
- Bake like 13 Dwarves are coming over. Seriously. Bakin' like a damn fool.
- Count my blessings. I have 2. One is six and one is four, and I am soaking in their awesomeness as much as I can these days.
- Plan ahead. While I am uncertain as to what my future will hold at this point, I love to organize and am covering my ass and planning ahead for things as much as possible.
- Clean. This is the best tool to fight emotional outbursts, I find! Gonna cry? Scrub that toilet! Angry as shit? Stomp around the house dumping garbages!

Honestly, staying positive is so hard, but I find so important in what I am dealing with. How else will I get through this except to continually remind myself of my own awesomeness? Right? Right!

FREEEEDOMMMMMMMMmmmmmm....

So Friday marked the last day of my semester and while for the last 4 years this is always cause for celebration, (at least until 2 months later when the next semester starts) this is an extra special one. After feeling extremely burned out for the last few months, and knowing I have about a year and a half left of school, I've decided to take a few months off before starting my next semester. So today marks my first day off until JANUARY.

I keep stumbling over my own feet racing to my bed for sleep! (Well, not quite, but that would happen if I tried to run to bed.) Instead, I've been cleaning my house, as it's been super neglected the last few weeks. I was careful to take many breaks (I know you were all concerned at me overworking) so I also happened to finish the new Dan Brown book (quite excellent - pick it up).
I'm pretty excited at the prospect of all that I now have time to do! Oh, the writing that will get written! Oh, the books that will get read! Oh, the baking that will get...baked!
On that note, I'm going to continue the book I didn't finish before I started my last semester: The Hickory Staff. Amazingly enough, I remember it well enough to continue where I left off! (That is truly remarkable, for me).
On another note, I have a friend that revealed to me how "addicted" she
is to the Harry Potter films but has NEVER - brace yourselves - NEVER READ THE BOOKS. I nearly had an aneurysm, as this woman is not illiterate, she enjoys reading! But anyways, I'll stop my snobby book rant. You know who you are! I'm coming for you! (And I'll bring my copy of the first HP book, and you'll read it! And you'll love it!) So now that I've publicly outed you, I'm off to bathe my kids:)