The soaring crimson arches of the Golden Gate Bridge― possibly the most beautiful bridge in the world― loomed overhead as my cab made its way into Marin County from San Francisco for the Algonkian Writer Conferences by Michael Neff and published fiction author Anne Garvin.  The pinnacle of the famous steel structure disappeared into the cool, wispy morning fog, reminding me that I wasn’t in Texas any more.        

Morning Commute on Golden Gate Bridge

I have attended several writing conferences in the past, so why did this Texas-writer- chick select this three-day event  from the hundred or so available each year?  

There were several factors at play in my decision.   Let’s start with the most obvious—the stunning scenery and temperate climate—certainly a vast departure from the triple digits and desert landscape of my home town. Can you blame me? Second, and more importantly, this cozy writers’ get-together addressed some of the more pressing topics on my agenda: Story premise, social platform, and market execution. A tri-fecta in my book.

With a completed, unpublished, an unrepresented fiction novel waiting patiently on my laptop, I needed a conference that would provide me with a reality check and test my story for market compatibility, while at the same time help me hone my agent pitch skills. I’m pleased to report that this conference delivered as promised. Not only was it informative, but it was fun, too. Made lots of new friends and learned a ton of stuff. Thanks Mike and Anne!  Can’t wait until next year.

Here’s a recap of the event: 

Prior to arrival, I filled out the PPE online evaluation form, which automatically entered me in the conference’s Best Manuscript Contest. By the way, “PPE” stands for: Premise (concept/plot/drama), Platform (expertise/pubs/social media) and Execution (voice/narrative/dialogue/novel opening.)   

I waited for official acceptance into the conference and received it a day later.  Yeah—I was in—part of the club—just had to wait a month before I could hop on the plane and head west. Did I mention it was 105 degrees in Texas? My suitcase  seemed to pack itself.   

The conference itself was instrumental in shaping my pitch and presentation to the agents.  The pitch sessions allowed each writer to be in a position to get face time with a number of agents.  There were pitch practices beforehand where writers worked with the staff one-on-one or in front of the group, whichever you preferred.  The feedback was valuable.  The goal is not to sign an agent (I guess that could happen), but to get them to want to see more.  My goal was to be able to bounce my query ahead of all the hundreds of other queries that the agents get each week by putting three words in my email subject line: Requested Material Enclosed. 

On the last day, I met with several agents and they took the time to give me feedback.  One agent even asked to read my manuscript.  Fortunately, I had my laptop with me.  After he read the opening, he asked questions.  He provided some good, straightforward feedback about my work.    I found that to be a personal touch that I had not experienced in any conference in the past.  And yes, he did tell me to send an email marked; RME.

This conference was helpful to responding to what new writers need to work on.  The small audience provided a sense of camaraderie one feels in the presence of fellow writers.  I created connections that can help advance my writing career.    

I learned that as long as my book had sex, death and cats, I’d be sure to get published.  Ok, not really. But I did take away, that you don’t ever want to kill a cat in your story. 

I applaud the Algonkian Writer Conferences for delivering an environment that eliminates the problems of not being interactive.  The presentations were thorough, engaging and there was plenty of opportunity to collaborate.   The conference schedule was packed with two full days of classroom time and study, with a heavy focus on how to perfect our agent pitches—the key to landing an agent.  Class time included guest lectures by published authors and industry professionals. Each guest author told us their publishing story and outlined what to expect after you land and agent and publisher. They were all lively and entertaining, which kept the class time moving right along.

Another reason I chose this conference was that there was a writing contest.  Ok, so what if I’m a competitive writer?  While winning a contest may or may not help me get published, it’s a nice-to-have credential to put in my query letter or to mention in my pitch.  In addition, the pre-work analysis and the contest entry meant someone would be reading the first few pages of my book. And that was a good thing. 

Legendary film producer and literary agent, Ken Atchity announced the winners of the contest.  For a brief moment, in a Hollywood Academy Award style I had the distinguished honors to walk on stage and accept my Oscar, um ― Award Certificate― for my story, PLUSH.  “I’d like to thank my mom and my dad, my family, Michael Neff and Anne Garvin, and I’d like to thank my agent― wait a minute, I don’t have an agent.” 

I’m back at my desk sitting in my favorite writing chair inspired by everything I’ve learned at the conference.   All and all, the conference left me with a sense of new understanding of what I need to do and where to go next with my story. 

One of the wonders of the Algonkian Writer Conferences was the tremendous amount of unselfish volunteer effort contributed by very few people (mainly authors, agents, writers participating) so that many people can have the opportunity for a stimulating learning experience―and a fun time!

I would like to thank the staff for their outstanding conference.  Keep up the good work!

Writers do you want a conference to practice your pitch and meet agents? Check out this writing conference.

http://algonkianconferences.com/        http://writetomarketconference.com/ 

   Have you attended a writers conference?  What did you find valuable?  

Get your Kleenex ready for the final episode of Friday Night Lights airing tomorrow on NBC.  And “you-know-who” is sitting in the stands cheering for Dillon East!  That’s right, I am proud to admit I was an unpaid extra on FNL. 

I’ve had the opportunity to appear on TV on several occasions, from a brief shot on The Tonight Show, to a 10 minute planned event on QVC in front of 7 million viewers, to a paid extra on the original “Dallas” series.  But the highlight of my TV experiences was last summer when my daughter Courtney, and her friend Morgan, and I were on the set of final episode of Friday Night Lights filmed in Dallas , Texas at the Cotton Bowl.  

After enduring many hot, humid hours in the Texas sun, we had the excitement of being involved in the filming and appearing at the last Dillon football game, The Texas High School State Championship.  OK, “appearing” is a bit of an exaggeration.  A big exaggeration, since our shot lasted a nanosecond. 

Coach Taylor standing next to Number 18

We didn’t even know we made the episode until it aired.  We figured that with the 1000s of fans there, we would end up on the edit floor.  So we were pleasantly surprised while watching FNL finale that aired in February on Direct TV, (tomorrow night’s the NBC finale) to see we made the episode.  There was a lot of screaming and hitting rewind when they flashed the three of us in the stands.   My daughter posted on Facebook a photo taken from her iPhone of our TV of us in the stands cheering.  An ensuing “convo” on that picture started amongst all her FB friends.   I think that photo got more “likes” than the cheerleader mishap photo. (Hmmm, you missed that one too.)

Vince Howard (Actor Michael B Jordan)

 In any case, there’s no doubt that FNL has entertained us for 5 seasons.  And the last throw of the football had a “Hollywood” ending.   After the Direct TV season, we know what happens, BUT that night last summer when filming this episode, we didn’t know jack.  And the producers were careful not to spill the beans.  We filmed three endings to the game.  Spoiler alert! With 3 seconds on the clock, Dillon East is behind by 5 (26-21), the Lions QB (Dillon East) Vince throws a Hail Mary, his final desperation pass,  and it lands… in the STAR actor “Luke’s” hands. We (the fans in the stands) go wild. They film us cheering and screaming.  BUT then they film it again.  AND it’s intercepted by a Hudgins Hawk player. We all BOO & get sad.  THEN they film it AGAIN, and it’s incomplete. SO you won’t know how it ends until the actually airing on NBC.  Spoiler alert # 2, the ball never even lands in any of those places in the final episode.  (It lands in Philly.) How it ends you’ll love it, trust me.  Even though you are hating me right now, giving you a glimpse into the true ending, you’ll still love it. 

Final Seconds to the end of the Game, the season....the series.

For those readers that are not familiar with FNL (then why would you still be reading this blog?), the Emmy nominated series was adapted from the book and movie (2004 starting Billy Bob Thornton) of the same name.  FNL explores a rural West Texas town where the weekly ritual of Friday night high school football games is the obsession.  

The book by H.G. Bissinger’s profiled the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas and their heroic high school football team, The Permian High Panthers.  The town struggled with a city racially divided and economically dying, but thrived for that one night that gives the town something to live for, Friday Night Football.

Luke (Actor Matt Lagoria) getting instructions for the next play.

The drama series Friday Night Lights since 2006 has explored the cultural scene in a rural town in Dillon Texas that includes the importance of football, dating and church to students at Dillon’s high school.   Even though the series is based on rural America high school issues, it could easily parallel the problems infused in urban high schools.

Our family started watching the series when Tami Taylor (Dillon Football coach’s wife) begins to coach the Dillon girls’ volleyball team.  We found the series engaging and thrilling.  Plus my teens found the lead high school characters “hot”.   I agree the characters, (the likes of Matt, Luke, Vince, Tim, Tara, Landry, Julie…) are beautiful people but they are authentic and served as an alternate reality check to all the TV images from reality MTV pumped into our kid’s culture.   They struggled weekly with the drama associated with high school issues.  

Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler)

As a Texas high school alumnae, and mother to three Texas high schoolers, I have personal experience of the real world of Texas HS football drama that has been depicted in the series.  FNL is an outstanding show that’s only incidentally about football. The drama actually returns each week with a lesson on small-town America touching on issues like race, class, and religion with a rare eloquence. 

Two Fans of Dillon East

The cast has always been about family on and off the field. And after our pleasant experience of spending 10 hours with the cast, I would add behind and in front of the cameras as well. It’s going to be hard to say good-bye to certain cast members.  Pass me more tissues, please.  We’re going to miss them.  So from Clear Eyes, Full hearts, to wet eyes, broken hearts, we say good bye Dillon, Good bye Friday Night Lights!

One second on FNL

Have you appeared as an extra on TV? 

 Are you a Fan of Friday Night Lights?

 About 2000 Quick Kids Junior Tennis Racquets produced  by GAMMA Sports of Pittsburg, PA , manufactured in China have been recalled due to the  orange grip tape on the tennis racket’s handle contains high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

This recall involves Quick Kids 23-inch aluminum junior tennis racquets with orange tape on the hand grip. Recalled racquets have lot number”F:3:10:08″ stamped onto the bottom of the racquet grip below the “G.”

Consumers should immediately take the recalled tennis racquets away from children and contact GAMMA Sports for a free replacement grip kit.  For more information, contact GAMMA Sports at (800) 333-0337 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.gammasports.com

Child's Tennis Racket Recalled

It was wonderful wandering around Washington during the cherry blossom season, reminding me of the quote; “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the places and moments that take our breath away.”

Twice in the last month, I have had the opportunity to travel to our Nation’s Capital, Washington DC.

The first trip, I saw remnants of snow still piled in the shade on the ground but a few weeks later, I was there on the cusp of the cherry blossoms blooming.  I arrived on a Friday where the cherry blossoms were not quite in bloom, when I left on Tuesday they were blooming. Boy, were they blooming! Thousands of cherry blossom trees bursting into bloom. 

The pink blooms were just cherry icing on top of a delicious city, a must-see-before-you-die-kinda-place.    

This venerable city has so much to offer.  There was so much to see, in so little time.  This last trip, I was like a kid in a candy store, staying in different parts of the city, exploring Embassy Row, DuPont Circle, Georgetown, Pentagon City, the Mall and of course the White House and Capitol.  I spent a few days snapping pictures as I jogged and walked the city.  I even got a “readers card” at the Library of Congress!

Monday after my meeting, with the Washington Monument looming in the distance was almost too much to pass up; instead of taking a taxi to my hotel, I decided to walk the two miles …through the Mall.  “Hanging out at the Mall” takes on a totally different meaning in DC.   I snapped a few photos with my iPhone on my way.  The blooming trees were stunning.  It is one of those marvels that is so much better in person, my pictures do not do it justice.

Some of the must see places while in DC.

Hope you enjoy!

Have you been to Washington?  What’s your favorite place to visit there?   

The Washington Monument built in 1884 thrusting skyward 555 feet offers spectacular 360 degree views from the top peak.

Walking around the tidal basin amazed by the amount of cherry trees. It was stunning. It’s one of those marvels that you must see in person.

The Treasury Building next to the White House is on the back of a ten dollar bill.

Growing up in Illinois, I memorized at an early age the Gettysburg address.  These words are etched on my brain even now as an adult.  It was awesome to see these words etched on the wall behind the somber Abe Lincoln the civil war president at the Lincoln memorial.

Known for  grandeur and simplicity our nations Capitol covers four acres and stands among beautiful park grounds of  more than 50 acres adorned with fountains and statues.

Resolutions?  I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.  I did what I had to do, and saw it through without exemption.   To steal a line from Frank Sinatra, I have had a few New Year’s resolutions over the years; too few to mention.  

What is your New Years’ resolution? To lose weight, to exercise more, to quit smoking, to quit nagging, to save money, to get organized, to go to church more, to quit throwing eggs at parked cars…?

Early this morning, as I ran through the quiet neighborhood streets of our sleepy community, I noticed a smattering of white egg shell pieces under my sneakers.  Parent’s check your fridge.  If you’re missing a carton of eggs, you might want to have a chat with your child.   

Once again, it is the end of a holiday break and the natives are already restless.  I’ve seen a pattern; the end of summer break, Halloween weekend and now winter break, the kids are bored and restless and searching for a thrill of not getting caught while flinging eggs at parked cars.  They know it’s bad and they shouldn’t be doing it, but they like the excitement of wreaking havoc on a car’s paint job or just leaving a mess to clean up.

With another year upon us, kids (like adults) will mature, and with resolve will outgrow or change their bad habits.

Do you have bad habits you need to break?  Are you doing things, like over indulging on food, smoking… shopping, that needs to be reined in?   Isn’t that what a New Year resolution helps us monitor?  We want to make a change, but we enjoy the thrill of flinging that egg and not getting caught.  But over time too many tossed eggs, and we’re bound to be caught.  One more piece of chocolate cake, and then another and before we know it, we are in need of losing 10 pounds, 20 pounds, each year it snowballs.  

So we pick a date, usually the New Year; January 1, and decide to quit that habit.  But we know most resolutions are broken within weeks, some days, even within hours.   So make your resolution goals achievable.  Bad habits didn’t happen overnight, they developed over time.  Achieving your goal won’t happen overnight either, make it attainable in small chunks, one egg at a time.   

And when you feel that urge to break your resolution, think of a tradeoff.  And no, I don’t mean grabbing a 12 pack of toilet paper to toss in the trees.  Trading one bad habit for another is not perseverance.  I mean a walk outside versus a walk to the refrigerator, cleaning out your closet versus a shopping spree.  A trade-off.   

New Year’s resolutions are like jogging on eggshells, it feels unnatural, it’s not easy, and their most likely broken.

Good luck with your New Year’s resolutions!

Happy New Year!

What are your favorite New Year’s resolutions? 

5 Dozen Large Grade A Eggs Smashed in the Street

Another holiday season is upon us, and I have noticed a trend in the gift exchange at parties; White Elephants.   No, not the very large kin to the gray animal, but a tacky, outrageous, often re-gifted item.  

Maybe the economy has compelled the party hostesses to invite their guests to bring thrift store items to swap with other party goers over the traditional cookie or ornament exchanges or maybe it is for the sheer fun of it.   For whatever reason, the White Elephant exchange is sure to bring a laugh or two at any holiday party. 

The idea behind a White Elephant Exchange is to bring a wrapped, obnoxious gift that most people would not choose as a gift item.  A white elephant gift is usually a gift that is funny, creative, and the best white elephant gifts are a little bit inappropriate or irreverent. Usually a swapping of the gifts takes place based on the numbers the guests draw from a hat.  When a guest opens your gift, you know they are sincere when they say, “Wow, I’ve never received that before!” 

While in search of your White Elephant gifts, think of that SkyMall magazine you have read on airplanes.  Don’t you always wonder who uses this stuff anyway?  A White Elephant is your chance to re-gift those items you’ve collected over the years that are still in their packages stuff in your closet or basement.

Have you attended a White Elephant gift exchange? What was your favorite White Elephant gift? 

We have held a few White Elephant exchanges and here are some of the words used in the invite. 

“Bring a white elephant (an onerous, obnoxious gift) you can spare,

and we’ll trade your Sh*t with someone who may care.

 One man’s trash, is another man’s treasure,  

the bigger the laugh, the greater the pleasure.

 So bring a gift, no need to spend a dime,

if it’s useful or pretty, you’ve committed a crime.”

The fun in a White Elephant exchange is not only in receiving and trading the gifts, but also in hunting down and selecting the gift. 

In addition, if you really want to liven up the party consider requesting your guests go “green” and wear a tacky sweater they have hidden away in their closet.  You know the ones you didn’t throw out because someone knitted it for you. The tackier, the more hideous, the better! Nothing says cheer and glee than Snowmen, Santas and bells made out of yarn, sequins and applique, especially if they outshine the Christmas tree!

Have fun!  And let me know any suggestions for a White Elephant gift you have? 

I have included some ideas for your White Elephant gifts to make the exchange fun and so you won’t feel flummoxed when it comes to finding a random, but ever-so-thoughtful gift for your next exchange. 

• A package of batteries, with a note attached that reads, “Toy not included.” (Pretty clever, and still useful!)
• Long Live the King.  Anything Elvis.  An Elvis Stocking that plays Blue Christmas, Elvis Stacking cups, Elvis ornaments.
• Reindeer Poop.  Place malted milk ball candies (such as Whoppers) in a plastic baggy and attach this poem,  “I was too lazy so here’s the scoop, the gift you’ve won is reindeer poop!”
• Peruse the drug store aisles for usual items, like ear wax removal drops, or mustache bleach. These bizarre gifts are funny, and maybe even something your guest need but don’t want to admit it!
• Paul Frank Flannel Pajama set (that cute Monkey) at Target  $24.99
• A Big Foot Holiday ornament (or something similarly outrageous)
• Silk boxers with funny designs
• 36 Count Package of Toilet Paper It will most likely be the largest gift at the exchange, & something everyone could use.  (Make it the double rolls and give away 72 rolls of TP)
• “I Love Lucy” puzzle, or the “Brady Bunch” Game or a Star trek or Battlestar Galactic Calendar. 
• A broken ceramic holiday knick knack and a tube of superglue.  Even if the broken piece is missing, the glue is still useful! (Or break off the handle on a ceramic coffee mug and include it with the glue and the handle.)
• Cookie Decorating Kit (Cookies and icing included)
• Graphic T-shirts from the local Thrift Shop.
• A neck massager, candles, bubble bath and a bottle of sparkling wine.
• The Office Overtime Digital shorts Collection DVD (Everybody needs a pressure-valve release after a long day at the office and these “not seen on TV” video shorts will do the trick!  $15
• Hand mold kit.  (Especially if the party includes couples with children.)
• A live fish.  (Don’t forget to include a bowl and fish food.)
• Fruitcake (You’ve heard about the Fruitcake that gets wrapped up each year and the same one shows up over and over.)
• Striped socks with toes
• Magic tricks
• Chia Pet Plants, The Clapper,
• An armadillo beer can holder
• S’Mores & Hot Cocoa. A bag of marshmallows, chocolate bars, instant cocoa and a box of graham crackers.
• Pogo stick or Hoola Hoops
• Shake Weights

Please post what gifts you have received?  or the ones you have given that have gotten a good laugh?  Let me know so I plan for my next exchange!  Happy Gift Giving!

My Random Thoughts and learning for this week:

• Why is it the stores yank the Halloween merchandise off the shelves and replace it with Christmas?  Hello, there’s a holiday in November. 
• I have been practicing my fake smile and fake laugh in front of a mirror in preparation to see extended family on Thanksgiving.  JK
• My lean obsessed neighbor has their first year hosting Thanksgiving and they can’t find a recipe to cook a turkey on a Foreman grill. 
• My daughter should check the mirror after smelling her candle, because she went outside to meet her friends with a black nose.
• There’s a family that has been running around our neighborhood in big red suits in preparation for our  Santa Run.
• Preparing for all the laughter, drinking, and good times with the family. Let the family craziness begin.
• Family Guy has got to be the funniest parody of life ever.
• Paula Deen family snack before Thanksgiving,   breadsticks rolled in bacon.
• Thanksgiving is about being thankful, like the time when a certain family member who made their first turkey for everyone and it was incredibly dry, but everyone at the table pretended not to notice. 
• It always seems to disgust me, whenever I pull that moist bag of vital organs from the turkey.
• Americans enjoy their Thanksgiving tradition of waiting in airports. 
• Wild Turkey- a little whiskey for the stuffing or for the chef?
• An ultimate optimist is the person who starts a diet on Thanksgiving Day!
• The most frequently searched word on the internet today….sweet potatoes.
• National turkeys flee California for a red state.
• Folks, Turkey-tastrophy   hotline is NOT “911”.   
• The kids table is set for kids and adults nobody likes.
• Stores open at 3 AM Friday.  Don’t you just love the holidays?  Yawn. 
• Thanksgiving is about family, food, and football? In some families that order changes.
• I need to watch the Family Stone again to really appreciate my family. 
• I know I’m a family trooper when I let my guests watch “Dancing with the Stars” over The Good Wife!
• Holy Mac & Cheese, Batman! I actually made homemade mac & cheese from scratch and not from the box costing me twelve dollars more to do it! Can you say; Gruyere cheese is expensive?
• Carol Burnett on Glee. That woman is amazing.  Someone needs to get her & Betty White on a show together.
• Why is the stuffing so delicious- even though it’s cooked inside a turkey’s butt?
• Enough of the fun, is the turkey done?   
• Stores open at 3 AM Friday.  Don’t you just love the holidays?  Yawn. 

Thanksgiving Eve

I woke up this morning and thought to myself, this does not feel like the eve of Thanksgiving.  But, it is the Wednesday before the last Thursday in November and it is the day the rest of the kin arrives from out-of-town plus the Today Show confirmed that “today is the busiest travel day of the year.”  Yep, tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  

Most families have special foods that they serve on Thanksgiving, but this year we agonized over what meal to serve to the clan before the big Turkey Day meal.  Since we had relatives visiting we haven’t seen in years we ruled out takeout Chinese or Pizza Delivery.  Our culinary talents could do better.  So how about a buffet?  And do we use paper plates or the good China?  Do we save the beautiful centerpiece for the big day or use it on the “Eve”?  Placemats or tablecloth? What will we do without the football games on TV playing in the background?

We were so busy planning the Thanksgiving feast and making final preparations that the Thanksgiving Eve meal slipped past us.   No problem.  Thanksgiving eve needs its own traditions.  And today we will start them. 

For most families, Thanksgiving represents a wide range of traditions that are carried out; from the special recipes we eat once a year to backyard flag football, to the Macy’s Day parade,  to Charades or planning out your Black Friday shopping spree.   Whatever your family traditions and foods are, Thanksgiving is more about family togetherness than it is about turkey and pies. 

What I like about Thanksgiving is that is an American holiday that everyone can celebrate.  Other than the turkey and cranberry industries, nothing is being marketed in the stores.  No gifts, no candy or costumes.  It’s all about family and food and traditions.  

In our family, everyone has a role, from carving the bird, to setting the table, to making the pies, we all contribute to the meal.    Tomorrow when the great day dawns, I am reminded of the many hours of food labor, set before us but soon delicious aromas will fill every nook and cranny of our home from baked pecan pies to the twenty pound turkey basting in the oven.  From canned cranberries to jellied cranberry molds, from hams to yams, everyone has a Thanksgiving favorite food tradition. 

The cast characters change over the years- but no matter how big or small, our table always has room for family and friends.  This year our unpretentious kitchen will produce a big Thanksgiving number.  With relatives and guests from Houston, Phoenix, St Louis and Pittsburg, we will all gather for a day of eating spree and fun festivities and of course; the Dallas Cowboy’s football game.

To me, Thanksgiving is more than a big feast, it’s about homecoming and reunions with family and friends, where family traditions are performed and kin reconnect.

So whether your table is set right out of House Beautiful or whether it’s paper plates and mismatched stemware, it’s a table where your family gathers to give thanks.   I’m thankful I live in such a wonderful world with the people I love.

What are you thankful for? What are your favorite traditions?  What are your favorite foods?

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Autumn reminds me of Goldie Locks eating porridge at the Three Bears house.   Summer is too hot.  Winter is too cold and gray.  But autumn is just right; I could eat it all up! 

The long, lazy hazy days of summer draw to a close and make way for the cool, crisp autumn air and the sunshiny days.   And I love it!  The arrival of fall conjures up so many warm and cozy feelings for me.   What do you like most about the fall season?

I love the autumnal aromas of pumpkin, roasted chestnuts, baked apples, cinnamon and spice and at night hints of woodsy, smoky smells from bonfires floating in the open windows. 

I love how the landscape of green trees and countryside change to vibrant yellows, oranges and ambers.

I love how the early morning sounds of the high school marching band practicing and the train horn whistling travel for miles. 

I love The State Fair, corn dogs, Hay rides, pumpkin patches, Friday Night high school football, ice hockey and volleyball.

I love the tastes of autumn and eating ourselves silly; apple pies, turkey, squash with buttered brown sugar, chili and corn bread, caramel apples, hot cocoa with marshmallows, smores and monster themed cereals like booberry and count chocula. 

I love autumn and busting out my sweaters and boots. 

I love how by just stepping on one crunchy leaf this time of year can conjure up childhood memories of raking leaves into huge piles and jumping into them feeling the crisp maple and oak leaves bustling all around us. 

What do you like the most about the fall season?    What’s your favorite thing to do in autumn?

Here’s what I learned in Life and other random moments and thoughts:

• Every time I take a sip of my Starbucks pumpkin spiced latte, I am taken back to many years of autumns. Time machine-in-a-cup!
• A mom yelling, “Point! Point!” at the top her lungs at her son’s hockey game is trying to shout an offensive play for him to shoot the puck to the defenseman at the point.   A mom yelling, “Point! Point!” at the top of her lungs at her daughter’s volleyball game is trying to tell the girls keeping score that they missed a point on the scoreboard because they were chatting. 
• CPSC has recalled 10 million Fisher Price toy gym sets because of a choking hazard.  How big are these kids anyway?  
• The ONE thing I hate about Autumn. . . . . . Daddy Long Legs. Yuk.
• Skin crawling news, bedbugs attacking hotels and stinkbugs attacking the Midwest.  Double Yuk! 
• Bedbug registry?  Really?  You can call ahead to make sure your hotel doesn’t have any bedbugs registered.   
• That gives all new meaning to the bedtime rhyme, “Good night, sleep tight,
  Don’t let the bedbugs bite.  And if they do, Then take your shoe, and knock ‘em ‘til   They’re black and blue!” 
• This time of year my summer clothes are replaced in my overflowing closet with fall clothes.   Honey, don’t make me choose between you and my boots. 
• Other reasons to love autumn, men in flannel.
• Tough choices to make last week on the Fall lineup; Sheldon’s first date on Big Bang Theory or Betty White on Community.  Hmmmm.  
• S#*! My dad says, for heaven sakes, just shut up.  If you have nothing funny to say, what’s the point?
• I learned that the teenager new term for dating is, “We’re talking”.
• The economy is so bad Jimmy Choo is shopping at Payless.
• I learned it is not so comforting, when my seatmate, an elderly lady crosses herself when our plane takes a sudden drop.
• I learned I should look at the elevator floor buttons BEFORE the door shuts.  I got in an empty elevator to go downstairs from the 27^th floor and all the buttons were pushed going down.
• I learned the Ihop cheesecake pancake breakfast is a total calorie explosion.  Anytime you use the word “cake” twice in a breakfast food you know it cannot be good for you!
• Teen breaking up with your girlfriend the night before Homecoming dance by texting her is not cool, especially if the girlfriend doesn’t have a text messaging plan, paying .20 to get dumped.
• Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker. ~ Linus

What do you like the most about the fall season?    What’s your favorite thing to do in autumn?

Summer’s almost over. School is back. Sports are back. Waking up early is back.

I hope you enjoyed the summer break and you are looking forward to fall.  I love the fall. I love the cooler mornings, pumpkin spiced lattes, Boo Berry and Count Chocula, carving pumpkins and the new season of my favorite shows, hmmm Dexter. I love fall sports. I live to watch football; of course, I’m from Texas. We loooove our Friday Night Football. And yes, I’m one of the few Dallas Cowboys fans that’s actually from Dallas. I also enjoy watching our son and our billet son’s hockey games and watching our daughter’s volleyball games.

Most parents are glad school is back, but if you’re not one of them, remember only 39 more weeks until summer break. 

This week’s blog is once again dedicated to my random thoughts about school, student driving, sports and what I learned in LIFE.

Enjoy!

What do you love about fall? What’s your favorite school story? What’s your favorite sports or fall pastimes?

• I learned that in one week, “I’m bored, mom” had been replaced with, “I hate school”.
• My neighbor said her kindergartener came home from her first day of school and she asked her, “What did you learn today?” Her daughter replied, “I guess not enough because I have to go back tomorrow.”
• Fall is here and once again I’m a total hockey and volleyball mom cheeraholic.
• Hey, big guy two bleachers behind me, stop dissing on number 12! I’m a total rageaholic when you mess with my kids.
• A big week in our household; our daughter just got her driver’s permit; watch out world!
•  I learned that when my best friend survived teaching her daughter to drive and my schadenfreude was on low, I agreed to save the $600 and teach our daughter to drive.
• The pragmatist in me says, we’ll never teach her to drive defensively in six months, while the narcissist in me says she’s the next Danica Patrick.
• I learned I am the wrong person to teach driving since I suffer from lead-foot syndrome.
•  We learned to set beginner driving rules. No radio. No cell. No “permit” driving in school zones. No applying mascara. No permit driving in the rain or at dark, or when the stars and moon are both aligned with ……
• No student driving in rush hour. The morning rush hour here is from 6 to 10. The evening rush hour is from 3 to 7. Friday’s rush hour starts Thursday morning.

• I learned that shouting “You Nincompoop!” doesn’t get the same respect as other choice words.
• I learned our kids never really learn to swear until they learn to drive.
• I learned with 3 female drivers now in our family, we may want to change our personalized plates to PMS24-7.

• No, the difference between a flashing red traffic light and a flashing yellow traffic light is not just the color.
• And if you actually stop at a yellow light in Texas, you will be rear-ended, cussed out and possibly shot.
• Um, tell me again why we didn’t send her to driver’s school? Next time; traffic school.
• I learn that having a daughter old enough to drive makes me want to run to the liquor store and pray I get carded.
• I learned that with school here again, I miss the simple days when my kids were younger and all we had to do was figure out what Scholastic Books we wanted to order each week.

What do you love about fall? What’s your favorite school story? What’s your favorite sports or fall pastimes? Do you a driving story experience to comment about? Have a great week!

As children across the country start school, we as parents need to remember one very basic safety rule:  if your child rides a bike they need to wear a helmet.  Their brains will thank you. 

As parents, we’re not idiots.  All parents worry about their kids’ health and safety. We protect our children with cupboard latches, electrical plug covers and car seats, but when it comes to our kid’s recreational activities we relax the overprotective paranoia and give in.  I know.  I do it too.  I see kids riding bikes and skateboarding through my neighborhood streets without helmets. My neighbor’s give-in too. 

And yet, sports and recreation accidents, such as bicycling, skating and skateboarding account for 10% of all head traumas.  Of these head injuries 88% of that could be eliminated if helmets were worn.  Then why do only 8% of all riders wear helmets?

In some states, like mine, it’s mandatory to wear helmets while riding bikes, but not for skateboarding or skating, or even motorcycle riders do not need helmets.  Really?   Riders, you gotta wear helmets! Parents, you gotta get your kids to wear helmets!  Not encasing your head in this protective layer when you’re moving on anything except your own two feet is just stupid.  Plain stoopid.  Helmets protect the head from injury.  Think of jello in a jar shaken up.  That’s what happens to your brain if your head hits the pavement hard.

Why do parents let their kids ride their bikes or skateboards without helmets?  We parents give in when our children complain that their helmet messes up their hair, or that their helmet makes them too hot, or it’s not “cool” to wear a helmet.  My kids have also pleaded with me saying, “mom, we won’t fall off our bike.”  And for the most part they do not.  “But,” I remind them, “we always wear seatbelts in the car, and we’ve never had an accident.” 

Maybe we need to be reminded ourselves on what can happen to their brain when it’s not protected should they fall.  Demonstrate to your kids how a helmet can protect their precious brain by dropping an egg into a styrofoam lined box.   Then drop the egg on the pavement.  Point made.  The helmet cushions their head. 

My kids ride bikes, skateboard and play hockey.  When I see them, they are wearing helmets.  However, I was horrified by a youtube video I saw of my teenage son preforming skateboarding tricks sans a helmet.   If your stomach can handle it, check out the first few seconds of the attached skateboarding video where my son flew over a staircase and landed smack-dab on his back and conked his head!  Turn up the sound and you can actually hear the “thud” of his noggin hitting pavement.  Not cool.  He is a poster child for why kids SHOULD wear helmets and the motivation for this blog.  And yes, he has since been reprimanded (so no hate emails please) and he does get up and walk away.  He is reminded over and over to wear a helmet.  He wears it while ice skating and we now pray he wears it skateboarding, even when we’re not looking. 

Kids wear helmets!  Your parents are not being overprotective paranoia freaks; it’s just one less thing for us to worry about.

Do you have your kids wear helmets?  Is it a law in your state? 

 I was horrified by this youtube video I saw of my teenage son preforming skateboarding tricks sans a helmet.

“An estimated 500,000 persons per year in the United States sustain a brain or spinal cord injury. In fact, injury is the leading cause of death among children and teens. The most frequent causes of these injuries are motor vehicle crashes, violence, falls, sports and recreation. The good news is that most injuries are preventable!” ThinkFirst

Go to the ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation’s web site to learn more about programs aimed at helping people learn to reduce their risk for injury.  www.thinkfirst.org

CPSC in cooperation with Circus World Displays has asked consumers to stop using the Levana Wireless video baby monitors.  The wiring in the baby monitor camera can overheat and emit smoke, posing a burn hazard to consumers.  There have been several reports of the camera portion of the monitors overheating and smoking. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Levana wireless baby monitors with model number LV-TW300. The receiver front is white and green with six round buttons and the printed word “Levana”. It is 7 inches tall and includes a stand/base. The camera is all white, about 5 inches tall and is attached to a 3 1/2 inch long white base. The camera can rotate and swivel in various directions. The camera and receiver each has its own A/C adapter.

The product is manufactured in China and sold at BB Buggy & Health and Safety stores nationwide and on the Internet between February 2010 and May 2010 for about $200.

Consumers should immediately stop using and return the baby monitor directly to CWD for a refund or replacement with a different model. For additional information, contact Circus World Displays toll-free at (866) 946-7828 

The death of a 10-day-old boy in Texas has prompted the recall of some handmade baby slings.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission urged parents on Wednesday to immediately stop using the infant slings from Sprout Stuff in Austin, Texas — saying the slings pose a suffocation risk.

About 40 of the Sprout Stuff infant ring slings were sold directly to consumers between October 2006 and May 2007. They are made of cloth that threads through a ring. “Sprout Stuff” is printed on the back side of the tail’s hem.

In March, more than 1 million baby slings made by Infantino were recalled after claims linking them to three infant deaths.

CPSC Chairman has previously warned of a suffocation risk for babies in slings, which wrap around parents’ chests so they can carry their babies or just “wear” them to stay close.

CPSC said a sling’s fabric can press against a baby’s nose and mouth, suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Another danger involves slings where the baby is cradled in a curved or “C-like” position that can cause a baby to flop its head forward, chin-to-chest, restricting the infant’s ability to breathe.

For more information check out: http://bit.ly/dnzq5J

Do you have any comments to share about infant baby slings?  Do you use them? 

Sprout Stuff Infant Sling Recalled 06022010 by CPSC