Author: K

My Top 10 Favorite Songs of All-Time

~ K ~ Leave a comment

Here’s a list of some of my top 10 favorite songs of all-time in no particular order. It was hard to narrow it down to just 10, but they’re songs that I could listen to over and over and never get sick of. (I’ve tried to vary the artists since I could list whole albums by the same artist.)

  1. “Look What You’ve Done” by Bread
  2. “Nocturne” by Billy Joel
  3. “Shoot the Moon” by Norah Jones
  4. “Irish Sea” by Margaret Becker
  5. “This Journey Is My Own” by Sara Groves
  6. “Gone Too Soon” by Michael Jackson
  7. “Today’s the Day” by Aimee Mann
  8. “Linus and Lucy” by Vince Guaraldi Trio
  9. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” by George Harrison
  10. “Dear Prudence” by The Beatles

Digital Productivity

~ K ~ 2 Comments

Google Calendar (2)So I’ve done it: I’ve gone digital. I’ve made an overall transition from paper to cloud-based storage. Problem is: if I ever lost my phone, I’d be completely screwed.

I use Google calendar to keep track of all my events. There’s a calendar for my schedule, a separate calendar for my husband’s schedule, and another calendar for the both of us (that includes things we do together). These three calendars merge into one master calendar where I can keep track of everything that’s going on in our household. I have Google calendar synced to the calendar on my iPhone so all the events will show up.

iPhone Calendar

Then I use Todo by Appigo to keep track of everything I need to do. (But I still find that I like crossing things off on a paper to-do list.)

Todo by Appigo

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4 Things I Love about My Local Library

~ K ~ 1 Comment

I’ve worked at my local library for the past year and absolutely love it. Here’s a list of four things I love about my local library:

  1. The staff there is great. I can say this with assurance because I work there, but everyone on the staff is fantastic.
  2. The patrons are friendly and overall respectful.
  3. The thoughtful selection of materials such as books, DVDs, and music.
  4. The cozy atmosphere. It’s not a sprawling library, but it’s smaller and inviting, which I like.

The library has a small-town feel where people seem to know one another and run into one another. It’s a community center, and oh, you can read this other post on things I’ve learned while working at the library.

Reading 8 Books at One Time

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For someone who reads as much as I do, I have a blank brain for writing my own story. I am reading 8 books at one time:

  1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
  2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
  3. Wicked Girls
  4. Princess Elizabeth’s Spy
  5. I’d Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had
  6. The Art of War for Writers
  7. The Essential Rumi
  8. Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith

Continue reading “Reading 8 Books at One Time” →

Afraid to Write

~ K ~ 1 Comment

I’m working on a story about parapsychology. Parapsychology includes paranormal phenomena such as telekinesis, telepathy, and clairvoyance. This is a huge stretch for me because I’ve never written anything remotely sci-fi or fantasy before. I’m scared.

Yes, I’m afraid to write.

I’m afraid that the story will tumble out horribly. That it won’t be realistic (ah duh, sci-fi is not), that it won’t be entertaining… that it simply won’t be good. I’ve got a ticker on the sidebar to keep track of my progress. Instead of writing this post, I should be writing in my novel.

But I think I’ll read instead.

5 Favorite Places to Browse and Shop

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I have certain stores where I love to browse and shop. I sometimes get giddy just by stepping into the store, knowing that a new shopping endeavor awaits me. (Yes, I can get silly like that.) Here’s a list of 5 stores where I enjoy shopping:

  1. Wegmans: A grocery store that is massive, there is nearly always something for everyone.
  2. Barnes & Noble: A store full of books. It’s near heaven for the person who loves to read.
  3. Trader Joe’s: I call this the working woman’s Whole Foods. Probably a bit more expensive than your local grocery store, but the prices remain affordable.
  4. The Container Store: If I could have another life, I’d be a professional organizer.
  5. Target: The best organizational store with sleek style and design next to The Container Store.

5 Favorite Clothes Shopping Destinations

~ K ~ 1 Comment
  1. Old Navy: Old Navy is affordable for those who are on a budget a few bucks above minimum wage.
  2. Gap: Gap is where I’d shop if I earned $50,000 a year.
  3. Lord & Taylor: Don’t be deceived by the fancy decor. The clearance racks are chock full of amazing outfits, and I’ve walked out of that store with several items purchased for under $35 total.
  4. NY & Company: NY & Company is one of my favorite stores because of their style of clothing, fit, and sizes.
  5. Ann Taylor LOFT: While the regular Ann Taylor store has proved too pricey for me, the LOFT caters to those who are just below the regular Ann Taylor budget. I love their outfits and can usually find a good deal every time I walk into the store.

My Favorite Authors

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Here’s a list of my favorite authors:

  1. Gail Carriger: Her books are clever and funny and don’t take themselves too seriously.
  2. John Grisham: If I want a good, fast-paced, suspenseful story, I always know where to turn.
  3. Anne Lamott: I’ve only read her nonfiction work, but I love her style of writing.
  4. Tess Gerritsen: The Rizzoli & Isles books have a voice that are all their own.
  5. Susan Elia MacNeal: Her mystery series on Maggie Hope is adventurous, quick-paced, and interspersed with real figures such as Winston Churchill and Princess Elizabeth.

Writing in a Private Journal

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photo(6)

I have been trying to write regularly (as daily as I can) in a private journal. I suppose I’m old fashioned and I like the feeling of hand writing in a journal with a nice pen. In my journal, I write about everything that I cannot on the Internet. (What? Don’t you know that everything you write on the Internet is recorded for all eternity somehow? Or that anyone is able to discover what you’ve written? I once got in trouble during my internship with a newspaper back in 2004 for having a blog about my job.)

Some of the advantages I’ve found to keeping a private journal:

  • I can be specific. This is first and foremost. I can name people whom I work with or certain companies that I work for without worrying about them finding out that I’ve written about them.
  • I can write strings of words or lists that no one will understand but me. When writing on a blog, I feel forced to compile coherent thoughts. When writing in a private journal, I can write sentence fragments and words that will make no sense to anyone but myself.
  • I can write thoughts that would be unpopular with others. If I have an opinion about something that I know will be unpopular with Internet surfers roaming the Web land, I can always write it in a private journal where no one else but myself can read it.

I used HealthMonth to establish the habit of writing in a private journal daily. It doesn’t matter whether you write by hand or type your thoughts into a private journal on the computer (I do have a private journal at another site or post private entries on this blog). You can also use 750words.com to establish a daily writing habit. (Although, I’m warning you right now: typing 750 words is extremely difficult when you are used to being relatively concise!)

The Comfort Zone

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I don’t like to travel outside of my comfort zone. But then again, who does? A devotional I read titled Jesus Calling spoke to me on this issue on December 9:

Be willing to go out on a limb with Me. If that is where I am leading you, it is the safest place to be. Your desire to live a risk-free life is a form of unbelief. … In order to follow Me wholeheartedly, you must relinquish your tendency to play it safe.

For me, going out on a limb means pursuing publication of my finished novel. If you don’t know, here’s a basic outline of how traditional publication for novelists works:

  1. Author writes first draft of novel
  2. Author revises novel
  3. Author completes revisions of novel thereby producing a “finished product”
  4. Author queries one agent at a time for representation before a publisher
  5. One agent chooses to represent author based on submitted work
  6. Agent shops novel to different publishers for publication
  7. One publisher selects author’s work for publication
  8. Author’s work may undergo several more revisions
  9. Publisher decides to go ahead with publication
  10. Agent and author both get paid

I know I will be rejected by many agents, and who wants to wade into a sea of rejections? But sending these queries is outside of my comfort zone, a place I am all too happy to reside. I plan on getting an editor to look at manuscript on a developmental level: what works within my novel and what doesn’t in the hopes I can strengthen my novel. As I pursue publication, I’ll keep you up to date on all my rejections, partial rejections (“It’s good, but…), or possible acceptance!

Writing a Novel in 30 (or 31) Days

~ K ~ 3 Comments

In 2013, I hope to write a novel in 30 days—twice. Not only do I plan on participating in NaNoWriMo in November, but I also plan on writing a novel in 30 days in April. Here are the following tips I will apply to attempt this feat toward the beginning of the  year (and at the end):

  • Enlist community support. Tell friends and family about your goals. If possible, find a writing forum where you can have others help keep you accountable. Camp NaNoWriMo is also helpful way to write novels during the months of April and June.
  • Establish discipline. Nothing is more crucial to success than establishing discipline. Set a daily goal of x words per day, and determine to meet it. I will stick to the NaNoWriMo goal of 1,667 words per day.
  • Set benchmarks. This word widget can help you to establish benchmarks of 10 percent, 20 percent, and so on: http://wordmeter.herokuapp.com/picometer/words=0&target=50000. You can adjust the target to suit your goal and change the number of words from 0 to whatever total amount you have written. (Or you can utilize http://www.critiquecircle.com/wordmeterbuilder.asp.)
  • Discover good writing music. I listen to classical music when I write. I can’t listen to anything with words lest I begin typing the lyrics in my novel. But if listening to nothing but the sound of traffic outside of your window is best, go for that.
  • Have a rough outline of your story. You may not know exactly what your story will consist of—Who does? Sometimes characters surprise us!—but a rough outline can help you stay on track with the general goal of your hero coming out on top.

It is possible to write a novel in 30 days as long as you are dedicated and disciplined—two very difficult things to establish. But once they’ve been established, they pave the way for success.

My Favorite iPhone Apps

~ K ~ 3 Comments

apps

I have some go-to apps on my iPhone. Here’s a list of them (in no particular order):

  • Google Maps: So much better than the disastrous and inaccurate Apple Maps, Google Maps is a lifesaver with its up-to-date traffic information and (mostly) accurate streets. (free)
  • Remote: I have an Apple AirPort in the kitchen with speakers and sometimes I’ll stream from my iTunes (Mac or PC) to the AirPort in the kitchen. Remote is handy to have when a song comes on that I’m not particularly in the mood for and want to change without running to another room to do so. (free)
  • UberSocial: A Twitter client that allows you to “mute” certain people you follow on Twitter. It also allows you the option of “quoting” a tweet when attempting to retweet. (free)
  • SoundHound: Shazaam is the popular sound/song-matching app, but I like SoundHound. It automatically posts songs that it has matched to Twitter and Facebook. (free)
  • PNC Mobile: I love PNC Bank’s Mobile app that allows me to easily deposit checks simply by taking a picture. I would say that I liked the Virtual Wallet app but the regular PNC Mobile app is just as easy to use for my business account. (free)
  • Starbucks: I can load my cards onto my phone, reload balances, and use my phone to pay for drinks and/or food. And each Tuesday, I get a notification to download their free iTunes song of the week. (free)
  • Time Master + Billing: When freelancing for a client of mine, I use the Time Master app to enter job codes, keep track of my time, and see how much the client will owe me. It allows me to easily back up all my data to Dropbox so in case something goes wrong with my phone, I can access past information. This app has more than paid for itself. ($9.99)
  • Google Voice: In an effort to keep my texting costs down (I am on the 200 texts for $5-dollars plan), I use Google Voice that provides me with my own local number (a separate one from my phone) that people can text to. It has confused a number of my family members and friends that I’ve got two cell phone numbers, but it keeps costs down. (free)
  • Todo by Appigo: A handy way to keep track of things to do. Set schedules, create checklists and projects, and specify things to do by location, phone number, or website. ($4.99)
  • Foursquare:  A location-based check-in game, and a race to see who can be the top of the leaderboard! (free)
  • Scrabble: The popular board game comes to life in a digital version. (free ad-supported version and occasionally on sale for $0.99)
  • Draw Something: It’s like Pictionary but on the phone. You don’t need to be an artiste to have fun. (free ad-supported version and $2.99)
  • Gmail: Primary email of choice. This app allows me to access all the things I cannot through the Mail app: searching my archives and accessing my drafts. (free)
  • MyFitnessPal: A tool for tracking calories. I know people who have lost weight using this app, but I can’t seem to get myself together. (free)
  • YouVersion Bible: Access certain translations of the Bible online and offline. Why carry a Bible to church anymore? (free)
  • Facebook: The Facebook app helps me to stay connected to friends and family. And now, it’s easier than ever to share links. (free)
  • WordPress: Whenever inspiration for a blog post may strike me, I have a reliable blogging tool at my fingertips. And if I really wanted to, I could use it for my professional blog. (free)

5 Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading in 2013

~ K ~ 3 Comments

The year 2013 promises some good books. Here’s a list of books I am looking forward to reading this year:

  1. His Majesty’s Hope: A continuation of the Maggie Hope mystery series that is filled with charm and cleverness.
  2. Untitled #3 (Divergent series): Yet another dystopian book that has action and romance.
  3. Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2): A hefty book with paranormal romance that details the story between a witch and a vampire.
  4. Untitled #3 (All Souls Trilogy): A likely hefty book, but it will be the final installment in the All Souls Trilogy.
  5. Etiquette & Espionage: A young adult book by one of my favorite paranormal/steampunk authors, Gail Carriger.