Who to Trust

This takes about 14 minutes - I think you will find it worthwhile.

Spring, oh Spring, wherefore art thou spring?!?

Yup - it's snowing outside.  Not that I didn't think it was coming, because this is Southern Utah and as soon as I think it is going to be spring, it snows, but I really did hope this year would be different.

Timely Advice

It is interesting to notice how much future warning has been given to us about things that are happening now.

Author Awe

I have had a week of enjoying the permeating feeling of author awe.  I got to spend Thursday and Friday listening to Shannon Hale on three separate occasions, having my manuscript read and getting amazing insights for that, listening to Brad Wilcox, eating lunch with the very nice Julie Olsen, being amazed at the illustration and work of Robert Neubecker and several others.  Then, yesterday, Brandon Sanderson came to talk to my Creative Writing class and I went and saw him at the Cedar City Library last night and got both the Alcatraz books signed.  

I want to write my book SOO much, but I need to get my thesis written, touch up the paint in my house and finish prepping for the rest of the year.  

But I am going to write.  Soon.  I have a guaranteed read by an editor at Hyperion, good for the next six months.  

I will write soon.

The Wisdom of a Child

Pictured drawn by Ellie, age 5 on Sunday, March 8, 2009.

Can you say the same?

I am so excited!!!!

As you may know, I've been managing my life in overdrive since January.  I'm pounding out my thesis, grading 80 student written magazines, tests, scifi/fantasy short stories, school law class stuff and creative writing class stuff.  I really haven't taken time for me except to collapse in bed and carefully examine the backside of my eyelids.  

Then I found out about the Forum on Children's Literature that is taking place next weekend at UVU.  My school has agreed to pay for the conference, a co-teacher with a student teacher is going to cover my classes so I don't have to pay a sub, I don't have class to go to, get to stay with Harmony and just have two days of inspiration.  

I CAN NOT WAIT!!!  

Shannon Hale is going to be doing several workshops along with many others that are just what I've been looking for - I will go, learn, refresh, be inspired and just have two days of doing things I want to do because I want to do them.  

Then I will come back, work my tail off, plan three birthdays in 16 days, enter end of quarter grades, revamp my thesis, work out the details of Will's upcoming baptism, probably list my house which means touch up paint, fix that towel rack that one of my lovely children used as a monkey bar, burn all the weeds in my yard, need to lay sod, plant flowers, prep for a new book....

Perceptions

Have you ever noticed the perceptions that people have of other people based on appearance?Sure, we would all like to think that we don't pass judgment, that we are all fair to everyone until we get to know them, but that just isn't true.  Some that have been made about me.

"Wow, you must be a really good basketball player." 

(yes, all tall people automatically come out of the womb knowing 

how to play the game and do it well)

"You sure are lucky you can play the piano so well."

(you know in middle school when you would sleep in?  

I was up at 6:00 am EVERY MORNING practicing for an hour)

"Well, your mom can...."

(pretty much wrapped that one up here 

but I really want to say "Can you do everything your mom can???")

and my favorite...

"Well, you wear glasses so you must be smart."

(Now,  I believe this one to be true (unbiased opinion - I have never been someone smarter than I am right now))

What these lovely people don't realize is I wear glasses because giving life to my lovely children messed up my eyes so that contacts drive me crazy if I wear them for more than a day or two, and I CAN'T SEE if I don't...

RANDOM SIDE NOTE

have you ever listened to Saint-Saens Symphony No.3 In C Minor Opus 78  sometimes called the Organ Symphony??? It blows me away everytime I listen to it.