New blogs reminder

Don't forget to move your links or feeds over to the new blogs. (This maybe your first hint on this blog. Oops!)

Julie Kibler

What Women Write

I'm not a very persistent blogger yet at my personal blog, but my first post is up today at What Women Write, a group blog of North Texas women writers: Signs you MIGHT be a writer!

Funny kid. Implied.

My writer buddy, Pamela, is always posting funny things her third child says, and I think it must be a syndrome. She cracked me up today, and it reminded me it was time for another Kristen says ...

Sunday afternoons have turned into a kind of tradition for my middle child. Several of her friends are driving -- including Aaron, the boyfriend. Between the time we go out to eat after church and before youth group, their little cluster always wants to go to the park and hang out.

Each Sunday, it's the same conversation: Have you finished your homework? Have you done your chores? What's your specific plan and who's driving? And so on. We always try to emphasize that she ASK and not TELL. (Hmm, kind of sounds like a writerly problem, doesn't it? You know, show, don't tell.)

So, last Sunday, Emilie was peeking her head into the window of the car and the following conversation ensued:

Emilie: We're gonna go to the park, and ...
Me: We're gonna? Yeah?
Emilie: Asking. Implied.
Me: Just checking. Okay.
Kristen: Can I go? And can we fly our kite?
Emilie: (Sighhhhhh.) Maybe. (Walking away from car, out of hearing.)
Kristen: Without Aaron. Implied.
Me and Todd: (Cracking up.)

She must be missing Sister/Sister time.

Stories that go down in family history

It really has been a month since I popped in here, hasn't it? I'm trying to refocus and think through my blogging time.

BUT ... of course, I couldn't pass up a good opportunity for a Kristen says, right?

Tonight, at the Olive Garden. Kristen was puzzled when the waiter brought her a new drink before she'd even half finished the first one. I explained he was probably busy and thought he'd bring one while he had a minute rather than make her wait later. (Which is mostly unimportant and non-relative to the punchline, but gives you a little context and makes this longer and more worth your time for clicking, right?)

So, she couldn't find her straw when she was ready to move on to the new glass. I think it just took her a few seconds to remember it was in the old glass. We weren't really paying much attention to her mutterings until she found it in the old glass and said ...

"Oh, there it is. We'll be laughing about that in forty years."

HUH?

But, I bet we will now.

Ready or not, change is here!

We have a new president. Whether you voted for President Obama or not, the day is here, and I hope we'll all join together in showing respect and support for the democratic process and the man we have elected to lead our country in a strange and often terrifying time.

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility. Don't just jump on the truck that has your party emblazoned on its side. Please, please, take the time to read, study the issues (all views), and make informed decisions before you speak.

The election season and time leading up to the inauguration have been stressful for me because I do that, and it's hard sometimes to stand in the middle of the great divide. I'm staunchly bipartisan, though I did have particularly strong preferences in this election. While waiting for election day and inauguration day, my stomach has knotted and ached at times while reading the hatefulness spewed from my fellow citizens (from both parties), while deleting emails I am fairly certain people didn't read all the way to the bottom or check out for validity before clicking "forward," and when listening to small children spout the views of their parents--because kids are honest if easily misled. They'll repeat what their parents say at home, and not only repeat it loud and clear, but more often than not grow to embrace it.

But now the election is over, the swearing in has been accomplished without chaos. I read something this morning about how amazing that is. So many people watching around the world live in countries where change of power almost guarantees violence and chaos. (I can't remember where I read that -- sorry for the lack of attribution.)

We are a country who can embrace our political differences (not to mention all the other kinds of differences! Wow!) and still, at the end of the work day, get on the highways, the railways, and in the air, and feel confident that we will be safe nearly 100% of the time as we rub shoulders -- in spite of those differences. What great privilege -- and what great responsibility.

Change we can believe in. That was the platform. President Barack Obama is one man and we're expecting a lot of change from him.

But change also happens one citizen at a time. What about you?

Guard Kitteh

Back 'way from presents, u can keep face

A veritable goldmine opportunity

I'm mostly blogging over at my other blog these days, but still keeping it barely alive here. Mainly with random stuff like the much requested Kristen Says.

She's growing older, yet she still keeps us laughing.

Last night, for instance.

I'm sitting on the couch looking at Facebook, as usual. I'm viewing the page of a former neighbor we keep in touch with who's moving back here. By chance, the house next door is for sale. We're crossing our fingers she and her husband and their three little girls might actually get the timing right with the sale of their house and move in next door.

Kristen: Watcha lookin' at?
Me: Heather's page.
Kristen: Are they moving in next door?
Me: I have no idea. If the timing is right, wouldn't that be fun?
Kristen: Yeah, think of the babysitting opportunities.
(short pause while wheels turn in head)
Kristen: PLATINUM ...

Smart girl, her.

Will it make me look like her?

Gotta love advertising, right?

While perusing the article about Ford refusing the bailout money (Thanks, Paul. I knew there was at least one thing I liked about Ford), I happened to see this ad:

I guess if you shop here at this online shop, you'll look like the size two model even if you really wear a size 12W to 44W.

I'm so on that.