Seriously.
I wasn't able to get a single short story published this past year despite being short-listed a few times and waiting almost a year on two other queries. My mid grade book -- that I'm still dearly in love with -- hasn't been picked up yet and my agent says we should move on to the next book and resubmit this one later when the timing is better. And worst of all, I still don't have that "next" book written. Why? Because 2010 kicked. My. Butt.
2011, I'm counting on you.
I do have some ideas, plans, and super secret projects in the works already, so I'm hoping it all pans out in the end. May the mighty rabbit of the animal zodiac bring some good news.
Next year I'm also planning on blogging more here. I sorely miss my bloggy friends. I'm sorry. I apologize. I've been cheating on you with Twitter and Facebook. I haven't blogged and I haven't even checked up on you all. But I've learned and grown and I think I can balance the three evils of Twitter/FB/Blogger without anyone's feelings being hurt. Time management--I'm getting better, but I still have so much more to learn. Which brings me to...
My dog. (Not a segue at all.)
Recently when Cha and I go for walks he brings home little souvenirs. Sometimes I see him pick them up. Sometimes not. His souvenirs of choice are mittens. Single mittens that he finds in ditches or in the middle of the road. If I see him snag one I "convince" him to drop it and I place it on a fence or somewhere easy to see. It's what they do here for the owner to find later.
But the other day he found one way down by the school and would not release it for anything. After he got it home I discovered a name on it. It turned out it belonged to the kid who lives across the street. So now I'm thinking maybe my dog can READ! Well, anyway, we returned the glove to the child and Cha Cha was given a vigorous head scratch as thanks.
Yesterday he brought home a small bag of rice crackers.
Here is Cha posing nobly with a glove that he somehow snuck into the house without me knowing.
Today we went for a walk and he brought home the most surreal souvenir of all. I don't know where he found it, but he brought home this:
It's a ball. A small cement ball. How cool is that? Since I can think of no reason anyone would make a perfectly round small cement ball, I'm calling this lucky. Cha decided after carrying it all the way home that he had no interest in something that wasn't soft or tasty so I claimed it. It's my lucky cement ball. And I'm going to set it by my computer. It will remind me to get my butt off Twitter and back to writing. It's also going to remind me that I have to be tough (like cement), yet I have to keep moving (like a ball). (Oh, stop groaning, you.) It's not a very creative analogy, but remember it's still 2010. That and I can't think of any motivational images for a mitten or a package of rice crackers.
Look at that cement ball. It just oozes good luck.
And if it works I can sell it on Ebay at the end of next year and make a fortune. Hell, I can do that even if it *doesn't* work.
Oh! Before I forget there is a new post (well, kind of old by now) on the HNN site. This one is Frightful Japan: The Devil's Gate. One of the stories in A Robe of Feathers is called "My Devil's Gate". That would be a fictional piece based on this superstition. All these superstitions calling doom and gloom. I think what everyone needs a cement ball. Hey, maybe I can start MAKING them! *idea*
I do hope everyone had a much better 2010s than I did and I do hope that next year is even better than that (with or without a cement ball).
18 comments:
A magical ball of cement. Why not?!
That Cha. Such a gooby dawg. Who'd've thunk he'd have a mitten fetish.
There are only three Mercury retrogrades in 2011 and then again in 2012, whereas for the last two years there were four retrogrades apiece. I figure things've gotta get better, you know?
Love you, MusubiGoob! xoxo
I love the way you think. It's *got* to get better. I agree. Although my mother-in-law just visited and told me how her particular stars are the worst in a very long time. But that's another blog post all together.
I look forward to our growing friendship in the coming year. Give my love to Miss Mama. I owe her (and you) some kitty photos. ^^v
Just found your blog! Good luck with the writing, I can see how hard / frustrating it can be!
A literate dog? That in itself bodes well for you! (As if his cuteness alone wasn't enough...)
2011 is going to be a fabulous year. Year of the Bunny, you say? Coolness - I like bunnies! And I'm looking forward to more KNH blogposts...especially the one about your MIL's stars. Here's to a wonderful and writingful year for you, Terrie!
Oh, this made me chuckle. I bet Cha recognized the scent on the mitten that belonged to your neighbor, but I love it that he picks these things up. There's a story in there somewhere. I had a neighbor's cat for a friend once. He brought me half of a mouse and left the other half for his masters. How sweet was that? In a cat way. ;/ I hope you have an awesome 2011. My 2010 started off outstanding, but ended with me totaling our car, so I'm with you: come on, 2011!
What a funny dog Cha is. I'm glad he gifted you with a magical cement ball. Just think how much that will be worth after you've achieved world fame and fortune with your current and upcoming books.
Please give sweet Cha a scratch behind the ears for me. :)
JY, I used to be so much better at updating. I've got to get back into that head space. Thank you for the well wishes. I'm excited about 2011 already.
Thank you, Pat. I've missed you and K terribly. I'll be more around and when I make my fortune in the traveling circus (Cha reading newspaper clippings for the crowd), we'll all go to Scotland together. I'll pay!
Victoria, SCENT! You, my dear, are a genius.
I am so sorry about your car but mostly very happy you're okay. I will keep up with your posts to make sure I don't miss anything. I did see you on AW - you queried VC? - I am sending all my positive vibes. I'm rubbing the cement ball for you!
Hilary, yes! But then I foresee me reaching the point where I've got to carry the thing around with me all the time, can't leave the house without it. That mitten is starting to look luckier and luckier. (^-~)
This is an adorable post, and now I'm inspired to find a lucky item of my own! Even if I have to completely make something up. Which I'm sure will be the case.
I'm thinking positive with you! 2011 has to be better, I can't take another year of agent rejections. Sounds like the doggie knows what he's doing! He'll fetch some luck for you. We used to have a cat who would occasionally bring back paper money. If there was a dollar bill or a fiver blowing around a parking lot, she found it. I miss that awesome cat. ;)
Deidre, I'm for making "anything" lucky. My theory if I say it's so, then, by gosh, it's so!
Beth, I love that cat story! That was seriously a lucky cat. And a lucky you for being the recipient of her finds. How adorable. Much better than a stinky mitten. ^^
A friend of ours once had a cat who would bring home the most amazing things: long-stem roses, lace handkerchiefs, doilies, toys. All our cats bring in is dead mice and birds -- I feel so cheated.
If that cement ball gets rolling, maybe you can share it with other writers by sending it to us one by one, a la the traveling pants? I'm staking first dibs!
Here's to a really good, LUCKY 2011 for all of us!
Mary, but maybe those are *LUCKY* dead birds and mice. Well, okay, not too lucky, they did get caught and slaughtered. There is a great story in those cats who bring home long stemmed roses and lace handkerchiefs. That blows my mind.
You've got first dibs on the ball! But I'm thinking you'll have plenty of good luck without it, even without lucky dead birds. ^^
Hi there, Happy New Year! Hope this is our year!
I've got a feeling it is. TGFML!
Happy New Year!
I love the lucky concrete ball!
My daughter actually received a heart shaped rock from a boy at the Junior High School...
Father concerned....
Woah, woah, woah! That's a big age difference. Although the idea of receiving a heart-shaped rock is really sweet.
Interesting way to begin the New Year. Good luck with your WIPs.
i have several of those "cement balls" there's a fast flowing river by my house and the edges of the river have a lot of those round stones. i was excited when i first saw the too. i had never seen anything like it before. im guessing since the river flows so fast that rocks get caught in some kind of current and the river bed smooths the rock until its round. they're pretty neat.
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