Write What You Know - Is That The Answer For Me?

When I tell people I've written a book and reveal it is a cookbook, I get the same reaction every time:  "You wrote a cookbook?  Wow! Really?  You?"  Insert pause and disbelief followed by awkward silence and then another "Wow!"

Um yeah, I did.  Surprise!  I guess no one has ever viewed me as Martha Stewart in the kitchen.  Or Julia Child.  Or Paula Deen.  Or even little Suzy homemaker. 

But hey - that's okay!  I'm fine with the stares and distorted faces.   I like suprising people.  Hell, I love surprising myself.  Do you think I ever imagined I would write a cookbook?  NO!  Not in my wildest dreams.  But that is what I did. 

I've been thinking it over for the past two weeks.... perhaps my problem with writing or writer's block for all these years (besides being lazy and unmotivated) is that I'm best at writing what I know.  I seem to thrive when I can "talk" about what I'm doing, what I'm learning or what I'm trying to achieve. 

Maybe that's why I find blog writing so easily.  Because I mostly share details about my life and my dreams.  I can endlessly write about those things.   Sure I can whip out an occasional poem or one-liner.  But for the most part, I can spend hours writing about what I'm doing or planning.  If I'm writing something that I think may help or inspire others, then I'm more likely to complete the task. 

So, am I having an epiphany?  How is it that I wrote a book in two months about cooking but have been sitting on the same novel for a year now with no further developments?  Why do I write down a title or idea for a fictional piece every few weeks but never take the time to dig into the plot?  Maybe I'll surprise myself in the future but I no longer picture myself as a writer of fantasy, mystery or science fiction.

Perhaps I'm just a non-fiction writer.  I love reading non-fiction and self-help books anyway.  I like to tell stories but I want them to be true tales or just exaggerated truths.


What should I write about next?  What can I talk about? 


Recently I helped a friend find social groups and things to do in her new community.  I spent about two hours researching activities in her area so she could make friends and find activities to do in her spare time.  She was so appreciative.  She sent me an email telling me I should start a side consulting business assisting newcomers after they move to a new place.  I laughed at the thought then pondered it more seriously.   I am really resourceful when it comes to things like that.  But would others really need that kind of service or pay money for it? 

The idea for that appeals to me because it would be a way of helping people.  I like writing something that I feel might help others.  I suppose that is one reason creating a cookbook became so important to me.  I saw a need for it.  I needed it a year ago but couldn't find exactly what I wanted; therefore I wrote my own. 

I'm not sure what is on the horizon for me.  I only know that I'm excited about the possibilities and what I can accomplish next! 


Me pictured in Monterey, California, in 2001 - a very high point in my life when I felt determined and ready to set the world on fire.  That's how I feel these days only this is a better (skinnier) photo of me.  LOL!

Our Quiet, Non-Traditional Thanksgiving

Our family had one of the quietest and most boring Thanksgiving holidays ever.  I'm not complaining though.  It actually turned out nicely. 

It was just the three of us - Kirk, Vivian and me.  We had visitors (Kirk's father and stepmother) scheduled to come but they canceled on us a few days prior due to schoolwork and other personal happenings.  No big deal since I hadn't cleaned my house yet and we were ordering out our turkey meal anyway.  By the time our guests canceled their "reservations" at Casa de Fernandez, it was really too late for us to make other plans.  Our moms, siblings and other relatives all had commitments and our friends were elsewhere. 

So we just spent a quiet day at home.  I cooked a beef and vegetable chili in my slow cooker for several hours.  We skipped the turkey, stuffing and pies altogether.  The chili was our Thanksgiving meal.  We didn't watch football or the Macy's Day parade.  Instead, we rented six movies - three kid-friendly films and three adult comedies.  Our family and dog took a walk around the neigborhood in shorts.  Why not? It was 80 degrees here in Florida, after all.  (Maybe we should have gone to the beach?)

Kirk spotted a few online bargains.  He purchased a new TV for our living room, a great big one - something he's been wanting for several years but always talked himself out of it until now.  I also picked out a breadmaker and a new hand mixer.  Not too exciting, I know, but my kitchen appliances are all ten years old so I'm slowly replacing them. 

We were mostly lazy and did lots of lounging around.  However, that was one of my favorite parts about the day.  At one moment, all three of us were lying on the couch while watching the family film Over the Hedge.  Vivian was lying on my chest and I was lying against Kirk.  We were all embracing each other - a rare occurrence.  It was a beautiful moment, one where I actually stopped and said to myself:  Thank you for my wonderful family and for this love in my life! 

So even though we were not with our parents, siblings or extended family members....even though we didn't have turkey, ham, cranberry sauce and all the fixin's for dinner....even though we were miles away from anyone we are close with..... we still had each other.  My little family of three is all I need to give me joyous moments.  I'm so thankful for Kirk and Vivian.  And that is what Thanksgiving is all about (for me, at least). 

You Can Now Purchase The Book I Wrote!

It's arrived! The book I wrote is here!







Purchase Your Copy Here!





Today is definitely one of the top fives days of my entire life - up there with my wedding day and the birth of my daughter!!!






I wrote a book from start to finish. I completed a goal, a lifelong dream of mine!






It feels really great! I'm planning to go out and celebrate with my family tonight!






If you purchase a copy, please let me know! I'd like to send you a personal thank you note, along with a few bonus recipes and poems I wrote! Send me an email at learn.laugh.cook@gmail.com to let me know about the purchase.






Also, please become a fan of "Learn, Laugh, Cook" on facebook where I will lead discussions on cooking and share great recipes, my culinary disasters and other findings that are newsworthy!










Thanks! Let's toast to a successful book and to one girl reaching her dreams! :-)
 
 
I am definitely in the Thanksgiving spirit as I feel like I have so much to be thankful for!  Everyone have a great week!
 
 

Getting To Know The "Classics"

This past week I managed to watch two "classic" films that I had never seen before.  Movies that I had told myself I should sit down and watch someday soon.  Finally I did.

The first one was Annie Hall with Diane Keaton and Woody Allen.  The second one was Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.  I really enjoyed both of them, for diffrent reasons since they are such contrasting films!   I'm glad I took the time to see them, even though I had to spread it out over several days. 

Now you might not consider these "classic" movies, but I do.  One was filmed before I was born and the other was filmed when I was only seven years old. 

As I was browsing on the AMC ("American Movie Classics") television channel over the weekend, I saw that the film playing on Friday night was Jeepers Creepers.  I immediately thought to myself.... Really??  Jeepers Creepers?  This teenager-filled ridiculous horror is considered a "classic" movie now!?  How sad is that?! 

I suppose everyone has a different definition of what a classic film is though.  One of my top fives will always be Gone with the Wind.  You can't beat the epic story and the dramatic acting behind that award-winning film.  Still I also consider Mel Brooks movies to be "classic" comedy films as they were groundbreaking at the time as well. 

It's a Wonderful Life,  Breakfast at Tiffany's and Auntie Mame are other favorites of mine that I feel fall in the "classic" category as well.  I should really compile a list of the faves I have seen and the ones I haven't but want to view.  In fact, I should do that over the next month!  Can you help me? 


What are some of your favorite "classic" movies? 

One goal of mine in 2011 is to incorporate watching more ground breaking, older films into my regular routine. 

Please help me compile a great movie-watching list! 

Ludicrous Speed And A Look Back

Ever feel like your life is going at ludicrous speed?  Or do you find yourself saying and doing things so ridiculous that it can only be compared to a classic Mel Brooks film like Spaceballs? 

No?  Really?  Okay, then it's just me I suppose. 

Seriously though, as I sit here and reflect on my life from the past year, I can't believe all of things that have happened.  I can hardly fathom all the things I have done!   I didn't realize how much I could change and grow (mostly for the better). 

Where was this person that I am today?  Hiding deep inside of me?  Why did I let life pass me by for so long?  Why didn't I challenge myself in new, creative ways like I do now?  What changed?  What sparked this new determination?  Was it the book "Dream Big" that Vivian and I discovered in the library back in February?

I'm not sure.  I don't have a clear answer for those questions...  I just remember thinking at exactly around this time last year (Thanksgiving 2009) that I wanted to, that I needed to, shake things up in my routine!  I was tired of feeling chubby, boring, uninspired and uninteresting. 

I was afraid, very afraid of turning into a drab stay at home mom.  That I would become resentful of not bringing in dollars to my family's income.  Or that I would somehow become this all-day long television watching imbecile crying over commercials and made for TV dramatic movies.

So I made some promises to myself.  I began to hold myself more accountable for goals, dreams and wishes I had in my head.  It was time to start making them a reality instead of just talking about what I wanted all the time.  And how I could raise this beautiful, bright daughter (diva) of mine and encourage her to reach for the stars if I didn't go for them either?  Vivian is definitely a huge factor for me striving to be a better person, not just a better mom.

As I glanced back at photos taken from the past several months, it all seems so far away.  Like so long ago.   But it has only been a year or less since all of the following things have occurred:

(1) I survived living in a hotel for six weeks with our family!


(2) I wrote love letters to my shower head, ceiling fan, washer and dryer and more after my family moved into our current house!


(3) I survived a wild night in the ER with my husband on New Year's Eve!


(4) I ran my first ever 5k race with the great help of my coach (my dad) and did better than I thought I would.


(5) I read more books this past year than I've read in many years! 


(6) I survived my gallbladder removal surgery with my sense of humor still in tact!

(7) I had fun being a storm chaser for a day!



(8) Vivian and I had a very busy, fun-filled summer!  I captured highlights in these photos.


(9) I continued writing letters about things that really matter, like this one on my hatred of the automatic flushing toilet.


(10) I turned 32 years old with grace and dignity instead of whining about it like I usually do.


(11) I quit a challenge that I started for myself when I realized it wasn't working out like I hoped.


(12) I wrote a touching tribute to my daughter for being a great inspiration in my life.


(13) I took some time off in October to let others show off their writing talent!


(14) I wrote a book and finished it!  Here is what the cover looks like (more details about its availability will be coming soon):





And my latest thing:


(15) I have started a new blog to promote the book I wrote and to share this new creative outlet (cooking) in my life! 



Whew!  Looking at the above list and just typing them has worn me out!!!  It's no wonder I feel like Dark Helmet and Col. Sanders felt after hitting the "ludicrous speed" button on the space ship.

I set out to achieve a few goals.  Some of them I reached and others I didn't.  Then I became crazy obsessed with writing a book and somehow finished it.  It is published (well, self-published by me) and I'll be making it available online for anyone to purchase by next week.   It's amazing how things are turning out. 


Wow!  Sorry but I still am IN SHOCK over the fact that I wrote an entire book, from start to finish and have published it and am about to share it with everyone I know!!!  


I have really outdone myself this year!  Maybe next year in 2011 I should just be a lazy bum.  What do you think? 


I hope the new year doesn't depress me.   After a high like I'm experiencing now, I may take on that letdown that can follow.  Yet somehow I know I'll prevail. In fact, I think I'm even more motivated now to continue writing and continue sharing my journey with others. 


I no longer feel the need to dream up some fantasy fiction that will be a bestseller.  I don't care about what the trends in literature are.  I'm just happy to be writing.  I'm overjoyed to be jotting down the things that I am learning, the things that I know and the things that may inspire other people, ordinary people just like me. 


And I realize that the only thing that has ever really held me back from my dreams was me.....until now~! 


Thank you for being with me here on this blog.  Thanks for sharing in my ups and downs.  And thank you for reading this post of reflection.  I think it's very important that we take time to review where we've been and where we're headed next, even if we're not sure about the path. 

May the schwartz be with you!

Day 2 Of My Guest Writing Adventures!

Today I am a guest writer over at Two Kids And A Map, another wonderful site by my pal Jen.  Here is where she specifically talks about the places she visits (or hopes to visit) with her kids.  From Germany to her own backyard in Pensacola, she reveals how to navigate through lines, how to pack, offers great tips on enjoying (not dragging) your children along the way and more.

As a guest on her site, I talk about how I use the visitor's centers when I travel.  Although not every city has a welcome center, the larger communities do offer them. You'd be surprised at how informative, helpful and interesting these locations can be.   Hop over to this site to find out more~!




Here I am pictured inside the Pensacola Visitors and Welcome Center.  They have these fun, lifesize statues there that I enjoyed posing with.  I mean how can you not smile at a pelican dressed in a bikini??



And if you're stopping by from Two Kids And A Map, welcome!  My site isn't specifically geared toward traveling but I have had my share of funny things happen while I was playing a tourist or visiting a new location. 

Here are a few stories you might enjoy:

• Read about how I was a Storm Chaser for a Day and captured funnel cloud photos!

• While working at a conference event, my former boss offered me her thongs and I watched guests hoard bags of chips in their purses!
• How our family had fun shooting corn out of a cannon while visiting a local corn maze!
• How I turn obtaining my drivers license into a funny experience!

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I hope you feel welcomed enough to browse my brochures (I mean, former blog posts), take a map (I mean, benchmark this site) and take a detour to come by and see me again sometime!  I promise to have a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies and some freshly squeezed lemonade for you too.

I hope everyone has great travels today and in the coming days!

All Aboard - I'm Taking You On My Guest Writer's Train For The Next Two Days!

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I will be a guest writer at two wonderful sites.  I love it when people ask me to to write for them.  It gives me a break yet a fun challenge from my daily routine. 

The first place you can find me is called Pensacola With Kids.  It's the first blog I found before I moved to this area over a year ago.  The site is fabulous!  The whole purpose of it is playing a tourist in your own backyard and finding free or affordable things that you can do with children. 

Although the site is a wonderful resource that I refer to almost every day, the best part for me is that I became friends with the site's creator and writer, Jen.  Her daughter and my daughter are close in age and  play together well.  Also, Jen and I have a lot in common - we're both writers, bloggers and resourceful women.  We can't stand it when we hear folks say there is nothing to do!  Jen was the first person to welcome me to Pensacola and I've never been more grateful or happy because of that. 

I am honored to be a guest writer for her site as I took my first Pensacola trolley tour in late September.   The tour was so much fun and very, very informative.  I learned so many things about Pensacola and about history that took place here!   Also, the best gelato I ever ate (so far) was actually served in the middle of a local fish market called Joe Patti's!



Read about my trolley tour here!


Please stop by there to say hello, check out my writeup and see Jen's amazing website.  You will not regret it! 

And if you're a visitor who is stopping by from Pensacola with Kids, then welcome to my life after 30!  I'm a very silly, very honest woman who is the mother of a diva-like three year old girl.  I write about any and all of my adventures here on this site. 

Here are some things you might enjoy reading: 

• How I lived in a tiny hotel room for six weeks with a toddler, dog and cat. 
• How taking a toddler to a local bar can actually be an educational experience.
• How my family enjoyed shooting corn out of a cannon, and
• How my daughter had a complete meltdown in the middle of a movie theatre.  

Thanks for stopping by my place!  I hope you feel welcomed enough to take your shoes off and stay awhile!  I'll be back again tomorrow to share my other guest writing spot.  I hope you'll stay tuned! 

I Need A Fat Lady, A Fork, and Liza Minnelli Please!

I'm done!  I'm really done with my book!  After hours and weeks of being consumed by nothing else, my cookbook is complete.  I'm really proud of it.  I love it actually!  As I've said before, I never dreamed that I would write a cookbook, but that's what I did. 

Honestly though, it's so much more than a book with recipes in it.  It is funny and silly, outrageous and inspiring -- aspects that I believe make up my personality.   The book is personal and has stories in it, like how I turned a barf bin into a measuring cup.  And how my aunt and uncle ruined the turkey for Thanksgiving one year.  So you see, it's more than just a cookbook - it's a book about my life as I learned to cook and funny things that have happened along the way. 

My amazing, talented friend Carrie has offered to design the book cover for me.  She said, I want to do this for you, and in the midst of being sick and raising a three-month old and a three-year old.  Yeah, she's crazy but she's wonderful!  And I can't wait to see her finished product.  I really love what she's created so far. 

Now if only I could actually successfully upload it to the self-publisher site so that I can share it with you and make it available for people to buy!!  That's right, you guessed it.  I'm having technical difficulties.....

I'm trying to upload my book in its complete and final PDF format to the publishing site and I'm receiving error messages.  And I'm being told that I need to insert blank pages.  And maybe I have to renumber the pages (which could affect the index that I spent three days writing).  Also, my copyright page needs some adjustments.  And possibly I'm in a vicious cycle with my assigned ISBN (The International Standard Book Number) since so far it appears that every time I upload a new version of my book, it wants to assign me a new number.  Then it's wrong on my copyright page and on the bar code on my cover.  Insert big moan and sigh here!! 

I've written to technical support since I can't find a phone number or live person anywhere!  Hopefully I hear something back by Monday.  If not, then I may be shopping around for a new publisher. 

I suppose these are the disadvantages of doing it all yourself.  If I had a book agent doing all this work for me, I'd have a lot less headaches to deal with, I am guessing.  These are all things I should have done more homework on before I became completely obsessed with writing and finishing my book. 

But it is what it is.  I decided from the beginning that I would do this first one on my own.  That my book, although great, is probably not suited for mass population or New York Times' Best-Seller List.  I know that.  I'm okay with that.  I'd be happy if I just sold 100 copies to family and friends.  Honestly! 

I just wanted to create this thing - this book - and put it out there for people to see.  That's what I'm doing, what I will be doing....hopefully very, very soon! 

BUT I need this publishing site (or some other one, if this group doesn't work out) to print it, sell it and distribute it for me.  I don't have the tools to do that myself.  And I really don't want to be making crappy copies at a local print shop or selling them from my van down by the river along with the ghost of famous comedian Chris Farley.

So please, if you're reading this - send me your thoughts, prayers, best wishes and the strength to get through this last stage in the process!  This apparent hardest part in the writing journey -- the "upload to publish" step and the "waiting to have a real copy in my hands" step~! 

I'm in the ninth innning.  I'm about to slide into home.  I'm almost there!!!

Come'on universe --- please oh please, send me that fat lady I can sing with!  Stick a massive fork in my body, if that is what it takes!

And please send Liza Minnelli with her parade of gay men and her awesome showtunes to be my side until I that book copy arrives in my hands.  Please!  (Besides, I'd love to do a dance with her anyway, especially the "Single Ladies" number she showcased in the Sex and the City 2 film). 






That's all I ask for.  That's all I want for Christmas (only I want it by Thanksgiving please so I can sell them before Christmas, if you don't mind). 


Please!  Please!  Don't make me grovel!

She and Me, A Comparison

I'm taking a break from my book, but only for today.  I've been ignoring my daughter a lot lately in order to write, edit and fine tune my masterpiece so I decided to make a list of all the things Vivian has been doing lately at age three.  Then I compared it to myself, at age 32.

So here we are - the very sassy Viva the Diva versus me.  Just a few things that I want to mention worth remembering for future reference:


Current Weight:
3 year old - 34 pounds (75% for her age)
32 year old - Yeah right, I'm not telling you that!  ;-)


Current Height:
3 year old - 39 and 1/4 inches tall (95% for her age)
32 year old - 5 feet, 2 inches (the same height since I was 13 years old!)


Hair style:
3 year old - blonde, curly and wild!  Don't even try to brush it!
32 year old - did I brush it or remember to wash it today? holy crap, is that another gray hair on my head?


Favorite Foods:
3 year old - lollipop, graham crackers
32 year old - any foods, especially if it involves quiet, uninterrupted time when I'm not fighting with a 3-year old


Favorite Color:
3 year old - purple, pink
32 year old - any color that is folded, clean, not wrinkled and matches the rest of me


Favorite Movie:
3 year old - Alvin and The Chipmunks, the Squeakel
32 year old - Any film that is not for kids that I can sit and watch alone


Favorite Saying:
3 year old - "You do it Mommy."  and "No." 
32 year old - "I love you!"


Phrase uttered the most:
3 year old - "I want that." and "I know, mommy!"
32 year old - "Stop annoying the pets!" "Let's go to the potty!" and "If you know, then why I am repeating myself and telling you again what needs to be done?!"


Cleaning:
3 year old - Thinks picking up is fun and things should be put back in their place.
32 year old - Really wish I could afford a cleaning lady.


Books:
3 year old - Likes them if they are pop-up, noisy or colorful. 
32 year old - Wants to read more books and make time soon to finish the novel I started.

Weather:
3 year old - Does not like windy days.  It messes up her hair!
32 year old - Loving these cooler days and hoping to wear new scarf soon.

Favorite Activity:
3 year old - Talking to stuffed animals or using play-doh
32 year old - sleeping


Sense of Humor:
3 year old - Thinks everything is funny.
32 year old - Sees humor in almost everything.


Love:
3 year old - Loves her mommy with her whole heart.
32 year old - Loves her daughter with her whole heart.



So you see, my little diva.  I suppose we are really not all that different after all....




Vivian and I at her three-year old princess birthday party!  :-)




She and me pictured with "Cinderella".  :-)

I Hope The Fortune Cookie Is Right....

I spent most of my beautiful Saturday afternoon continuing to work on my book.  While others were attending soccer games, shopping for early Christmas gifts or watching sporting events while chugging beers, I was sitting with my laptop creating an index for my recipes. 

You'd think I would be annoyed or disappointed to be stuck inside as a slave to my writing.  But no, I rather enjoyed it.  After all, I want people (myself included) to be able to find recipes made with whatever specific ingredients they're looking to use; therefore, an index is very important. 

Somehow, I've hit this new level of determination.  I'm in this writing groove and I'm determined to finish it, maybe even ahead of schedule! 

Still, I did let my mind wander..... Am I wasting my time?  Should I be enjoying more family moments right now?  Should I be outside on this gorgeous November day enjoying the fall weather? 

I did take a break that evening to enjoy a sushi dinner and watch a movie with Kirk and Vivian.  We rented "Toy Story 3" and had a cozy time watching it while lounging on the sofa.  (Confession: I cried like a little baby at the end of that film.  Sad but true.  I was bawling like an injured animal while Kirk laughed at me.  It's silly to feel sympathy for toys that are not real but I did.  Lol.) 

After the film, I dug around the take-out bag with my spring rolls inside to look for the fortune cookies.  There was only one.  We were robbed!  Kirk says to me, "You take it.  I don't need a fortune or a cookie."  Happily I accepted.  As corny as it sounds, I love to see what the fortunes say. 

And I'm so hoping that my fortune cookie from last night will in fact predict my future....  Here is what it said....



Just in case you have trouble viewing the photo, it reads:  "The world will soon be ready to receive your talents."

Talk about an ego booster, eh?!  

After I saw that, all of my doubts disappeared.  Things feel different this time. 

I already feel like a winner because I've come so far in such a short time with my writing.  I'm just days away from finishing this book.  After that, I'll be doing final edits.  Following that, I will upload it to be published and do a test print copy for myself.  But the end is near.  Or perhaps I should say the real beginning is here. 

Kirk said to me yesterday, "Gosh, you're always writing or working on your book these days~! You're obsessed!"  I replied to him, "Yes, and it feels great." 

I'm finally feeling that writer's high that I've heard others speak about.  (That runners feel when completing their marathon).  I'm reliving those moments of when Vivian entered my world..... Soon, I'll be giving birth to a book - my first real book.  What an amazing feeling! 

Even though I'm crazy to put stock in a fortune cookie that anyone might have received....  Even though my last fortune cookie before this made absolutely no sense.... I will make sure that this slip of paper's words do come true!  I'm putting my talents to good use and will be sharing them with the world (even if it's just my own small world of family and friends) very soon!  :-)

If you don't mind, I'd like to write my own next fortune, both for you and for me.
It will read:  You can accomplish a goal, reach a dream and achieve a sense of utter joy. 

I'm Writing A Book! And I'm Half-way Done!

I'm taking a break from writing and editing to share the realization that I had this morning - I'M WRITING A BOOK!  And I'm more than half-way done with it too! 

In fact, I'm up to 75 pages now!   Excuse me while I pause for a minute to say HOLY CRAP!   And to cheer for myself! 

I'm doing it.  I'm really doing it this time!

And this has nothing to do with that NaNoWriMo thing (National Novel Writing Month) that other bloggers attempt every November.  While I commend them for trying to write a novel in one month, I know that I can't limit myself like that.  Nor could I handle that much pressure in four to five weeks!  Besides, my book is not a novel.

I can hardly believe I'm saying this but I'm writing a cookbook!  Yes, me a cookbook - a book with recipes in it.  All my life, I've always known that I'd write a book someday.  Yet never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it would be a cookbook of all things!?  But that's what I'm doing!

This cookbook has taken me nearly a year to prepare for it.   And I've been writing, typing, editing, photographing and formatting every page for the past two months. 

It's more than just a book of recipes though.  It's me after all.  I talk about how I've become a real cook over the past year, how I freeze foods, how cooking healthier helped me trim my waistline and more.  I also have funny stories and photos inside and more than a dozen silly poems that I wrote about food.  So it's a cookbook packed with my personality!  :-)

I'm doing it all myself.  I'm typing every single word in the book.  I'm inserting every text box and each individual photo.  I'm taking my own photos.  I came up with the title, wrote my own acknowledgements page and decided on the subjects.  I am numbering the pages and indexing it myself.   Did I mention I'm doing it ALL?  And it's hard work? 

Although I'm now spending about four hours per day finishing this book, completely ignoring my three year old, not exercising, letting my house become filfthy and not answering my phone or email, I am loving this writing journey.  It's so very worth it!!!   I'm really enjoying this experience and seeing this project through from start to finish.  I'm not completely alone either - I'm lucky to have a few friends and kind souls to preview it for me and offer me feedback. 

One of the best surprises I've discovered is that the more I work on it, the more I relish in it.  The more time I spend on the book, the better it thrives.  With each new edit, I think of another tip to add or helpful way to convey something that I had not mentioned previously.  Although time consuming and often hair pulling, I like being involved in every aspect of this book. 

At first the book was just something I wanted to have for myself - a collection of my family's favorite recipes.  Then it became a book that I could give to family and friends as Christmas gifts.  As time continues on, I realize that my book does have the potential to sell and actually make money.  And, is that so bad?  Shouldn't I want to see compensation for all the hours and oven burns I received to compile the book?  Is all greed bad?  I'm conjuring up words utterd by Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street....  "The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will save....the USA. Thank you very much."  

Okay, I'm exaggerating.  I'll never be like Gordon Gekko.  I doubt that my book will ever be a bestseller and that I'll be guest appearing on the Paula Deen or Rachael Ray shows.  That is not my intent.  I don't want to be famous.  I want the satisfaction of seeing my name in print, even if it's only because I self-published.  I want this book to demonstrate a few of my accomplishments from the past year.  I want to share what I've done and made with others in exchange for minimal dollars to cover the costs and my creative fee.  :-) 

So that is the plan!  My plan that is.  I'm in the home-stretch of writing my cookbook.  Then I have the index and final edits to do.

But now all these other question are coming up..... What will I charge for the book (after publish, print and selling costs from www.lulu.com/)?  How will making a profit from my cookbook affect my family's finances and taxes?  Should I create my own LLC?  What other things am I forgetting before I hit the "upload" button and put it in the hands of a distributor?   Do I really know what the hell I'm doing?  Will I somehow screw this up?

I'm nervous and scared and excited all at the same time!  Somehow I know it will all work out in the end.  The main point is that I'm doing it! 

I'm really doing it - I'm writing a book this time and I will finish it.  And it feels (pardon my language) fucking great!  :-) 

Thank you Laverne and Shirley....

Last week was rough for me.  A bit emotional and draining on many levels.  There were a few disappointments, illnesses and setbacks that took place.  Someday I may write about them here but for now, I want to forget and move on. 

For some odd reason, the theme song from Laverne and Shirley became stuck in my head this morning.  The lyrics from the tune are helping me think positively at the start of this week. (Laughing)  Yeah, I'm a bit weird, I realize that.  After all, this show was in its prime before I even existed.  Still, I did watch the reruns and recall its characters so vividly.

How could I be anything but smiling as I think of all the mishaps, laughter, tears, heartbreak and triumphs that characters Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney experienced? 

Sing the words to the theme song with me, will ya? 

Come'on - you know you want to! 


One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Sclemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated. We're gonna do it!


Give us any chance, we'll take it. Give us any rule, we'll break it. We're gonna make our dreams come true. Doin' it our way.


Nothin's gonna turn us back now, Straight ahead and on the track now. We're gonna make our dreams come true, Doin' it our way.


There is nothing we won't try, Never heard the word impossible. This time there's no stopping us. We're gonna do it.


On your mark, get set, and go now, Got a dream and we just know now, We're gonna make our dream come true. And we'll do it our way, yes our way. Make all our dreams come true, And do it our way, yes our way, Make all our dreams come true. For me and you.

 I can make all my dreams come true.  And I fully intend to do it MY way, yes MY way. 

By doing so, it might take me longer.  Also, my way might not be the easiest way or even the best method.  But it's important to me to find my own path - to have my freedom and creativity involved in every aspect. To exercise my options and my rights in future plans that affect my family and my future.

I am loving those thoughtful, inspiring words sung by Laverne and Shirley today!  I'm even moving my feet and doing their dance as I say them.  Because I believe in them and I believe in myself.

Do you ever receive inspiration from odd things like old TV sitcoms? If you had the chance to be (or portray) Laverne or Shirley for a day, which character would you pick?  Why? 

I hope you go out and make a dream come true today!  Me, well I have a book to finish.... 

.