Monday of Ramblings

If you like Monday morning rambling...then I am the girl for you today.

Snow anyone? Free. I will ship it to you in plastic bags. Postage paid. Is that legal? The episode in the picture thankfully has ended. But just about every day this past week we had flurries. Last night I heard on the news that the flurries had turned to blizzard like conditions and there were slip offs -the road.

"Spring, can you hear me? Please call if you hear me. ok?"

Love

Love- is a deep subject, don't you agree? Millions of dollars are spent every year capitalizing on love. You don't have to be a Romeo or a Juliet to appreciate love. So here are my thoughts on love that won't cost you a thing:

1. Love the one you are with. That greener grass will also fade and die.
2. Respect the ones you love. The people you love need respect. That means you don't ridicule them, their job, their hobbies, or their looks. And -speak to those loved ones with kindness.
3. Remember YOUR happiness should not be attached to loving someone. Not a child. Not a friend. Not a spouse. Do you see where I am going with this? Happiness is inside you - not attached to someone!
4. If you compliment your coworkers, compliment your family. You love them don't you? Johnny, what a good job you did taking out the trash for mom. Honey, you look good in that blouse. See how easy that is? Criticism can kill love.
5. Laugh with (not at) your loved ones. We laugh so much in my family. In fact, sometimes we laugh so much it makes our stomachs hurt (my sister says). Of course, we all think we are comedians and are planning to go on the road with our act...soon.


On Writing

I get so much good advice and direction from the writers I know in Blogland. This week, I realized that I overuse some words. I get in a habit.

Words that I probably used way too much last week:

1. Wigging or Wigged: Are you wigging out on me? She wigged about it. (Not suppose to use it that way? huh)
2. No, Nope, No way: Will you do xyz like yesterday? Me- No way, Will you do it today? Me-Nope, Can you do xyz next week? Me- No. I used "no" too much last week at work. Maybe they won't fire me if I promise not to say no this week.

Just like we may overuse words or phrases in conversation, we can also do that in our writing. And we may not realize it while we are writing. That's why putting aside your writing for a period of time will be helpful. Devon at Ink in my coffee told me that she rarely edits her writing until the first draft is done. It would be a distraction for her (my words). She puts it "away for 2 weeks to 2 months". When writing, I don't see the repeated words or phrases until I step away for a while. Good advice.


In My DVD Player

I am not a good review writer. So, I will leave that to the bloggers that have a talent for this, but I will tell you what I watched this weekend, The Secret Lives of Bees. It was based on a best selling novel by Sue Monk Kidd- same name. I haven't read the book.

The movie is set in the south in the 1960's. There is tension, of course, between white people and the African American people. The tension was not as harsh as I have seen in other movies, though. A white teenage girl gets tired of her abusive father and takes their cook (Jennifer Hudson) on a journey to find herself and to learn about her dead mom (of whom she killed when she was four) in the midst of a family of African American sisters...oh who are beekeepers.

I liked the movie. I think it is worth watching, but I didn't come away saying -Wow. But, I thought it was a good story. Here's what I didn't like. I thought they could have left out the little girl's story and concentrated more on the sisters. They were more interesting. Second, I think Alecia Keys needs to stick to singing. I didn't like her acting. I love her singing. Another problem I had was how the town let the sister family do their own thing without - you know much tension. Would that have been true to life then? So...

I liked the movie- ok. I bet the book was better.


Noteworthy quote for the week: "Who, being loved, is poor?" ~Oscar Wilde

Noteworthy scripture for the week: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight." Philippians 1:9 (NIV)



Your question for today: Do you have a phrase or a word that you overuse? Or...or one that is used by someone else that drives you bonkers? AND no fair using me as example...or I will wig out.


Source of quote: Quote Garden