Way to go, Mom!

Ohio went blue thanks in part to the tireless campaign efforts of my mother. She's been devoting all her time - not just her spare time - to the Obama campaign. When I was at my most pessimistic about how the majority of Americans would likely vote, she never lost faith and told me about all the people who had never voted, but would vote in this campaign now that they finally had a candidate. I'm glad you were right, Mom!

I am overjoyed at the results, and I am embarrassed to admit that the only support I gave was monetary. I had completely lost faith after the last election.

Thank you to all the Obama supporters and campaign volunteers - thanks to you we once again have hope.

Go Obama!

This photo was taken in Stonetown Zanzibar this fall.

The world is watching!! Please do the right thing.

Encouraged!

I just got back from hearing author Louise Penny talk at a local library, and I am officially out of my whiny funk.

LP had writer's block for years - whenever someone asked her how the book was going she cringed as she LIED and said 'fine.' ouch - I'm right there.

Luckily for me she shared some lessons learned:
1) add structure to your day - schedule writing time
2) set attainable goals - don't think about writing a book, think about writing 1,000 words or a page
I KNOW this, but I guess I needed to hear it AGAIN - just like Kili - step by step - pole pole
3) Don't let your critic do the writing - send her away

I can do this.

Oh, and the BEST part of the night? I WON a draw for one of her books !! I LOVE free books : )

Oh, and the EVEN BETTER part? She signed it specifically for me after hugging me when I confessed to suffering from a paralyzing fear of writing.
Here's what she wrote:

For Karen,
My sister in writing - one K a day - that's all. And send the critic out of the room!
Louise Penny

Awesome.

Where is Julius when I need him?

One of the most rewarding parts of climbing and summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro was the necessity of single-minded focus. All I had to do was put one foot in front of the other. All the mental clutter - fear, fatigue, what if, maybe I..- had to be shut down completely. Step, breathe, step breathe - even though we moved slowly, we made progress camp by camp all the way to the top.

Ideally I'd be able to tell you that I stood at the summit feeling the enormity of what I'd accomplished and realizing a deep connection to Africa where we all trace our roots, and that I had a life-altering epiphany about achieving goals, prioritizing and realizing what's important in life.

Unfortunately, now that I've been back for two weeks, recovered from jet lag, laundry done and climbing equipment in storage, everything else is the same. I'm right back where I was when I left - working evenings and weekends and wondering if I'll ever collect the thousands of outstanding dollars clients owe me. Obviously I'm doing something wrong. Ideally I'd be able to say NO more often and spend more time working on my book. If people aren't going to pay me anyway, why do I even bother doing the work?

I wish Julius - my guide from Kili - was here. He showed the way, set the pace and every so often he'd stop, turn back and ask, "Sawa, Karen?" (ok?) I'd answer Ndio (yes) or hapana (no). Julius and E would help me fix anything that wasn't ndio so we could get back on track.

goal: finish that freaking book. steps: write, breathe

I'm on my own for this one.

Hujambo, habari?

I'm on it

Excellent book progress. I have not found a way to time-travel, but I'm getting it done. Ever since I named my anxiety "JoJo" she/he/it has disappeared. I'm sure JoJo will be back, but now I'm ready.

On the training front, I'm on week 4 of upper body/core and ab strengthening via P90X - I hate it, but I love it, so Bring it. (insider joke for any P90X'ers out there)
Why? Because I hurt my back twice this year, so obviously I need some core strengthening.

We're off to freaking Mt Washington again, and I'm pretty sure E tricked me into it. We were supposed to go to Franconia, but through some odd twist of events completely out of E's control (so he claims) we HAVE to go to Mt Washington. GRRRR

Quick reminder of my last trip to Mt Washington with E: click here and scroll down to "As bad as it looks."

That Mt Washington experience also prompted one of the best K/E difference explanations ever, courtesy of an anonymous commenter (Sgt. Yahoo):

"Remember: E*** is only happy when he's straining against the envelope. He's also had years and years to develop the mental and physical stamina to get him right to the edge, where the fragile grip of life gives way to the brittle touch of death. -70? Howling winds? I doubt he saw it that way;

What he saw was a dark, hooded figure looming on the ice wall, beckoning to him with a crooked finger, the promise of secret knowledge gained only at the terrible cost of life wagered, and this drove him mad to test his limits and he hacked his way up that wall with his Sasquatch ice picks and cratered the wall with his Ice Fang boots until he got to the summit and looked around and wondered where, in all the excitement, his babe had gone.

Why, she was nice and snuggling around a toasty fire, popping mini-egg rolls and reading about long-haired, barbarian men, with arms like tree trunks and pects like tank armor, who carry their women off to tropical paradises where the women give way to worshiping their hero, usually at their feet, where the moment is invariably captured by a passing artist forever on an easel.

VERY different views on what makes a relaxing weekend I think."

I DO like mini egg rolls, and yet here I go again with freaking Rock CruncherX boots.
Apparently I'm Charlie Brown with Lucy and the football. AARGH

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

I'm going for a Cheetah approach

Kilimanjaro is a snow-covered mountain 19,710 feet high, and is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. Its western summit is called by the Masai "Ngàje Ngài," the House of God. Close to the western summit there is the dried and frozen carcass of a leopard. No one has explained what the leopard was seeking at that altitude.

— Ernest Hemingway, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," first published in Esquire (August 1936)

I don't particularly care for that short story. Too bitter for my taste. Yes, yes I get the leopard and hyena symbolism - yes, he's a genius, but still TSK is not my favourite of his stories.

In the third installment of my apparent fascination with Hemingway, I will soon be off to another of "his" places: Mt Kilimanjaro. I won't be hunting big game, but I will be climbing the mountain while there are still a few small bits of glacier left, going on safari during Wildebeest migration season, and then off to Zanzibar where E and I are having trouble deciding exactly what we want to do - we've already overshot our budget, so Zanzibar is suffering. We'll definitely make an effort to go diving - the Indian Ocean! It's supposed to be gorgeous and shark-infested.

I have all of my shots and we're more or less ready to go. I'm all about training and shopping - like the cheetah I want to look good and look like I could outrun a predator if necessary, thus making it unnecessary and allowing me to spend my days lounging and sunning myself.

What? oh, riight.. that book I'm writing when I'm not working to pay for fancy vacations, training for fancy vacations or on a fancy vacation. Um, well, I've set a goal for myself to finish it using some magical time expansion method before leaving for Tanzania. I want to be able to start something new for NaNoWriMo 2008. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro will seem easy in comparison...

E. is also training in part by winning the Laurentian Rogaine this past Saturday. Even after somehow incorrectly mixing his electrolyte-replacement drink, making it undrinkable and making him nauseous, dehydrated and suffering for the last 4 hours of the 8-hour race, he and Speedy still won. Freaking E.

Chick lit is alive and kicking

I'm happy to report that rumors of the death of chick lit have been highly exaggerated. Our group had a great time discussing Something Borrowed and trying to define the Chick Lit genre. My definition is 'modern, non-depressing women's fiction that's like reading a friend's diary' There was some heated debate about whether Jane Austen would be considered CL - in my opinion YES, but not to others. Even though she's not modern now, when she wrote it, she was contemporary.

We struggled with the fact that most chick lit ends up happily ever after - i.e. she gets the guy, but we all agreed that we do not like the message 'a woman needs a man.' We kept coming back to that problem, and we finally agreed that a CL heroine must first reach a place where she has discovered/accepted/reinvented herself and would be fine on her own - she is NOT in need of rescue. As a strong, independent woman she then finds her love interest and as equal partners they have a happy ever after ending. We tried to think of a CL book where she ends up alone in the end, but came up blank - is there one?

As for my contribution, I somehow managed to change the organizer's mind about "Something Borrowed" She loved the book before the meeting, but changed her mind about liking the heroine Rachel after I pointed out how spineless she was, and how much stronger her friend Hilary was. She pointed out some of the Darcy/Rachel friendship parts that I had missed, so I now have a better understanding of their relationship.

Bottom line - I had a great time and I'm looking forward to re-reading "Watermelon" by Marian Keyes for our next meeting. Apparently I've done such extensive reading in the genre I'm going to be doing a lot of re-reading : )

As a side note, I wore a snappy sundress to the meeting, and E told me, "Hey, you look really nice - you should wear that more often" I told him if he invited me to do something other than shovel gravel that I would gladly wear the snappy sundress. We'll see what happens.... and no this does not mean there is any trouble in K&E happily ever after land - I was just making a point.

In another side note, I am completely obsessed with Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series, or as I call them, "the Naked Navy SEALS books." I met Ms Brockmann at the writer's conference I went to in April, and everyone was raving about her books. I finally started reading them a few weeks ago and have not been able to stop - I haven't been this obsessed since I started reading Harry Potter, although her books are completely different. If you're looking for excellent summer reading, pick up the first in the series, "The Unsung Hero" by Suzanne Brockmann. You can thank me later.

Meeting a local Chick Lit Book Club tomorrow

I can't wait!! I'm meeting 7 other ladies (total strangers - I found this group online) tomorrow night to discuss Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin I hope HOPE HOPE it will be a good meeting, and worth the drive downtown. Wish me luck!

Power Surges

What's an appropriate gift for a woman's 50th birthday? I am absolutely, 100% against anything over-the-hill, black or depressing. Is a menopause joke card appropriate? I was really stuck while shopping, and not at all sure what to do. Since turning 40, I've had nothing but fun, and I intend to keep it that way as I approach 50 and beyond.

I saw a bumper sticker once that said, "They're not hot flashes, they're power surges"
I love that! I am not in power surge territory yet, but I think that talking openly about menopausal symptoms is healthy. Oprah deserves credit for bringing many women's issues into the open and eliminating a lot of fear and uncertainty. I don't have time to watch her show and her magazine makes me crazy, but a bunch of female colleagues were raving about a book O reviewed: How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp. I ended up buying this book for the friend who is turning 50, but I feel compelled to add a disclaimer saying that I don't think she needs it. I really hope she doesn't take it the wrong way, and I still have no idea what others will be giving her - what is appropriate? I have no idea. Now I'm second guessing that book - maybe I'll keep it and give her something much cooler, like a gift certificate for surfing lessons.

And I though shoes on the side of the road were weird

Why do we often see stray shoes on the side of the highway? Okay, I was ONCE responsible for one of those, or was it my sister - the details are foggy, but one of us threw one of the other's shoe out the car window on one of those horrifying Griswald-esque family car trips. However, my dad turned the car around and we retrieved the shoe - we didn't just say "oh well" and leave it there. How can you not notice that a shoe went out the window?

What's weirder is feet washing ashore in B.C. If the feet were missing shoes, there might have been a direct link, but these feet still have shoes.

Still, I wouldn't discount the possibility of a connection.

Just finished reading Eat, Pray, Love

Eat Pray Love is a memoir (? - the cover doesn't specify, but it doesn't say novel, so I'm assuming that her first-person accounts are true) by Elizabeth Gilbert about her post-divorce healing journey through Italy, India and Indonesia. It sounds awful, and the title was enough to scare me off, but a friend insisted I read it and even put the book in my hands. I loved the first part about Italy. I aspire to write as well as EG!! She's funny and doesn't overwrite.

That being said, she lost me in India and didn't recapture me in Indonesia. The whole prayer thing was too long and too, "look, look - I'm healed, no really - I've found the Lord - see SEE how balanced I am now." Sheesh- I wish she would have hung out with the Italian guys sipping latte through the whole book, but still, I DO recommend it. The Italy part was so strong it carried me through the rest. I will definitely look for more of her books.

What's on your summer TBR list?

Surprise Me

While Barack Obama is my choice for U.S. President, I'm not sure he's the best choice as the Democratic candidate. The country is so divided, I think it would take a White Southern Male to give the Democrats a win. I'm scared that the U.S. is still so racist it will not allow Obama to be elected - even if he wins the popular vote, the results will be fixed the way they were for GWB.
I really hope I'm wrong, and I used to be much more optimistic and hopeful about the U.S., but the last 4 years have left me bitter and pessimistic.

Please, please prove me wrong.

If you have constructive ideas on what I can do to help Barack's cause, bring it on - I sent handwritten letters to women in Ohio begging them to vote against GWB in the last election, but Ohio still went the wrong way. Apparently the Republicans blocked 350,000 Ohio votes from being counted. Hopeless? Too corrupt to fight?

I know some (many) people are eagerly waiting the fall of the American Empire, almost salivating as the country implodes on itself. I don't want to see it. Can't the good guys win?

I wish I could think of a plausible way to create a Happily Ever After ending for this one, but I'm afraid it's going to be a horrific bloodbath that will leave us all with nightmares.

Preparing for my dream cycling trip

Cycling in Italy has been on my dream vacation/to do list for ages. Now that I've just returned from a 6-day cycling trip around Lake Champlain I feel a little bit closer. Some woman in Italy is probably blogging about how she just got back from a local trip, and how she hopes and dreams one day of being able to cycle in Vermont and New York.

My trip was beautiful - sunny weather, good food, quirky B&B's and excellent company.

highlights:

• day 2 in Vermont. Postcard-beautiful. Green like I've never seen green before. E was on 'truck' duty (3 of us cycled and one person drove our gear to the next destination - called a 'sag wagon' on tours) , and E had ice cream ready for us at one stop. : )

• dinner at Turtle Island restaurant: delicious soft-shell crab, a real cappuccino (ahhhh) and lemon bars. mmmm

• finishing 2 books! 1st: Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin - splurged on this one as a brand new hardcover right before the trip as a vacation treat. If you liked her other books, you'll like this one, but if you don't like her flawed heroines, this one won't appeal to you. I enjoyed the book - she had me wondering what would happen right up to the end. I also finished Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes about an Irish woman who is forced to leave her partying NY life to go to rehab in Ireland - but she thinks it's a spa. V funny and full of Irish slang like "eejit" and "Jayzus."

low lights:

• morning of day 1, struggling to figure out how my bike worked. Totally my fault - I had a new bike and had only ridden it once prior to the trip. It took me all morning to figure out how to shift properly. Hilly Vermont is not the best place to practice

• being chased by dogs - also not fun, particularly after you've just climbed a steep hill and could really use a rest. The last thing you want to hear is PEDAL! DOGS! BIG ONES! aargh. They never caught us.

We cycled about 30-35 miles per day and some of those days were tough - lots of hills! The scenery was unbelievable - Green Mountains on one side, Adirondacks on the other - for the whole trip. The B&B's each had their own character - some inspired me to toy with the idea of running a B&B until E would say, "Right - waking up to make breakfast for strangers is exactly what we want to do." We agreed we'd have to have a Bed & Brunch. And neither of us wants to chit chat with the guests, so that probably won't work. My favorite hosts were nice, but didn't hover. A couple of them hovered. After cycling for four hours you don't want anyone hovering.

Feels weird to be back, not moving and not dressed in lycra...

Awaiting Reader Feedback

I just sent 177 pages to a select group of volunteer first readers. I originally wanted to send the whole thing to them - my deadline was today, but I ended up revising the last 1/3 of the book, and right now it's only outlined, not written. Still, I feel good about being able to send 2/3 for critique. At this point I need feedback! I can't wait to hear their comments - good and bad.

It's difficult to give a good critique - you need to balance encouragement with useful suggestions for improvement.

I signed up for an online plotting course that starts June 2 - it was highly recommended, so I hope it's worthwhile. I am not a big fan of online classes, but I'm open to having my opinion changed.

Emily Giffen has a new book out: Love the One You're With. As soon as I can get a copy it will be next in my TBR pile.
Currently reading: Rachel's Holiday - an old one from Marian Keyes that I never got around to reading before.

Gone cycling as of tomorrow - I'm doing a 5-day trip around Lake Champlain. Hoping for minimal rain!
Not packed yet....
some things never change

I found the perfect museum exhibit of interest to both me and E!
We're seriously trying to find a way to go.

Recommended Reading

I just finished Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella and loved it! The description of the book sounds lame because it's an amnesia story - I know I know, I rolled my eyes at first, too thinking of bad soap opera story lines, but Kinsella makes it work.

There's an "E" character who has automated his house, but he has disco lights and the toilets are on the circuit (making me realize my E/lighting situation could be much much worse).

Even if you aren't a big fan of her Shopaholic books, I still recommend Remember Me?
Kinsella is getting better and better. Can't wait for her next book!

I'm a photojournalist

One of the diving photos I posted on Flickr got picked up by "now public" (with my permission)

See the article here.

nifty.

It might actually be E's photo so I might only know a photo journalist. I'm the one who uploaded it to Flickr... apparently I'm in charge of PR for our photojournalism efforts.

: )

Gone Fishing

Not me - E!

I've got a book to write. I can't be hanging around drinking porto in front of the campfire and eating E's famous jambalaya.

aargh - I really wanted to go, but if I have any hope of meeting my self-imposed deadline I need to start prioritizing.

The sacrifices I make for my art...

It's not all bad - I made arrangements with a fellow writer to carpool together to the writer's group in Ottawa on Sunday - remember I met some of those writers at the conference I went to in Boston? I actually followed up this time : )

So, no jambablya or porto for me - I'll be scrounging together whatever microwaveable food is in the freezer and keep work, work, working.

Staying Upstairs

E: Are you going to be busy upstairs for a while?
Me: Probably, why?

E: I'm going to do one of those things that freaks you out if you see it.
Me: Like what - crack your neck?

E: I'm just going to....
Me: I don't want to know any more.

E: No no - it's nothing.
I go upstairs and revisit the entire conversation searching for something that would explain the excessive racket coming from downstairs. What is he doing? I can hear waaaaayyyy too much power tool noise and the occasional *crack* for it to be "nothing". Freaking E.

Mota-mota-mota-mota motivation

Last Friday I went to a writer's conference in the Boston area. Before leaving I wanted to go for a run and buy a new outfit because everything I own became completely hideous when it was time to pack. I woke up in a cold sweat at 6am, but instead of tossing in bed worrying about getting everything done I got out of bed and went for a nice 45 minute run. yessss! big improvement over the old worrying Karen.

The conference was fantastic. My favourite networking tactic worked like a charm. Instead of barging in on someone else's conversation (a la Animal House - Hey guys! You playing cards?) I get a drink, sit at a table by myself and then see who sits with me. I met two published authors at my first conference this way, and this time I met a handful of writers from Ottawa.

Besides the chocolate and free books, I love conferences because writing makes me feel like a crazy person, and at the conferences I feel less crazy and better able to focus on the possibilities and opportunities. The free books and chocolate are also excellent. I won a 10-page critique in one of the workshops - that means I get to send 10 pages to the published author who gave the workshop and she will send me feedback. To a writer, this is a huge help. To date I've only had feedback from friends and family who tend to encourage everything I do. "No really, it's good."

I've set a goal for myself to get my SECOND draft in readable shape and in the hands of my readers by the time I leave for my bicycle trip May 24th. I will need to embrace my inner Stephen Covey to find/make the time.

I have no shortage of distractions - I've been training for a half-marathon and am actually in shape to run in, but choose not to because it costs $60, and it's not how I want to spend Sunday. I'm also training for my upcoming week-long bike trip, the summer triathlon season and potential other active upcoming trips.

One of these possible upcoming trips is either a huge distraction that I shouldn't even consider or the opportunity of a lifetime that will transform me into a stronger, richer person with a greater appreciation of life and give me excellent background material for a unique novel. I'm still not sure which one and E is confusing me because he can be extremely convincing. I know he means well, but there was that Mt. Washington incident of'07 that I do not want to re-live in epic proportions.