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IM AWSME

Over the past week, I’ve seen this license plate twice:

I laughed when I first saw it. “Some’s not lacking for confidence,” I thought. But the more I think about it, the more I love it.

Because why shouldn’t we all think that of ourselves? Why shouldn’t we have the confidence to know that we are awesome? And that means you!

• You are awesome for your individuality (I’m talking polka dots in a sea of white).
• You are awesome for that talent of yours everyone admires.
• You are awesome for that thing you do when you get nervous.

In short, you are awesomesauce on a platter!

And just to be clear, one person’s awesomness has nothing to do with another person’s awesomeness. We don’t have to compare ourselves to anybody. No two people are the same (not even identical twins!). No two people will travel the same path in this life. And that is GOOD! Who would want to do exactly what someone else has done? Where’s the adventure in that?

So remember, YOU ARE AWESOME!

When’s the last time you reminded yourself how awesome you are?

Speak up:

18 comments

| TAGS:

Awesome, Awesomesauce, identical twins, personalized license plates

Not Quite Twitterpated

So I did it. I finally took the plunge and signed up for a Twitter account.

For the past month now, I have been peeking in, scrolling through the tweets and trying to figure out what in the world half of them are saying. Perhaps I should have read “Twitter for Dummies” (that’s got to exist, right?) before launching in.

I think I got the @ symbols, but the pound signs? Or are they called hashtags (hash tags; hash-tags; hatch tags; has tags; has-been tags; has-anyone-got-a-clue tags)? Twitter groups perhaps?

Not to mention coming into a thread halfway through a conversation. There’s got to be a way to read what someone responded/replied to, right?

And lists . . . groups with shared interest? But then what about the hash tages? Plus I’m not sure I get the purpose just yet. Though I’m sure there is one. There’s gotta be.

Alas. So much information. So much I don’t know.

This is, of course, where you come in. Shoot me your best piece of Twitter advice. Please? Pretty please with a strawberry (much better than a cherry) and fresh-whipped cream on top? And fine, if you insist I’ll throw in the chocolate syrup.

Because I need it (I mean your advice, not the chocolate syrup). I need you! Explain this Twitter-verse to me.

And oh yeah. I’m @MsVerbose if you wondered.

Speak up:

25 comments

| TAGS:

advice, hash tags, strawberries, twitter

This vs. That: The Grinch vs. Ebenezer Scrooge

First a quick note on the Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies. I read through all your votes and I was going to add them all up . . . but the double votes, and vote changes, and blah, blah, blah, and my head started pounding. Which is why I up and decided to use my dictatorship authority to choose.

SO . . . the new name for Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies is now:

Because that’s just funny. But I give a close second to Choc-less Chip Cookies, because how clever is that? I love me a good word-play! (Now I guess you all know that funny trumps clever over here . . .)

Anyway, on to the vote I think this was a record low for the number of votes on one of these, but I completely blame myself as I fell off the map for most of December. Or I could assume that the responsibility of the decision was just too much so no one voted.

Yeah . . .

That’s it. 😉

Aaaand on to the results:

Total votes: 15 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: 7 votes; 47%
A Christmas Carol: 8 votes; 53%

I love both of these, but ultimately I went with the Grinch because of the simplicity of it all. Being the simple person that I am . . . this story never fails to hit me deep down. Make me wonder how I’d react if all my stuff were stolen (uh . . . spoiler alert? But seriously, who hasn’t read this thing or heard it in some form?). And on Christmas day no less! This book makes me want to be a better person.

Now, on to the next debate:

(So, I couldn’t come up with a good picture for these, so just bear with me here. Boring to look at, but the debate is still just as real. Right?!)

Speak up:

19 comments

| TAGS:

A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens, Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, New Year's Resolutions, This vs. That

My 2011 Reading Habit

Last year, I didn’t set a goal for a specific number of books to read, but I did set a goal to keep track of what I read. I think I mostly succeeded. Though I might have missed one or two. Anyway, my total?

1.  Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot
2.  Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch
3.  The Janitor’s Boy by Andrew Clements
4.  Song of the Lioness: Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce 
5.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Alexie Sherman
6.  Leaving Fishers by Margaret Petersen Haddix
7. The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
8. Feed by M.T. Anderson
9. Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman
10. Ivy’s Ever After by Dawn Lairamore
11. Judy Moody was in a mood by Megan McDonald
12. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park
13. Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar
14. The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements
15. Crash by Jerry Spinelli
16. Judy Moody Gets Famous! by Megan McDonald
17. Judy Moody Saves the World by Megan McDonald
18. Judy Moody Predicts the Future by Megan McDonald
19. Crispin: The End of Time by Avi
20. Revenge of the Snob Squad by Jane Anne Peters
21. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
22. Judy Moody Declares Independence by Megan McDonald
23. Children of the Lamp: The Five Fakirs of Faizabad by P.B. Kerr
24. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
25. The Thirty-nine Clues: Black Book of Buried Secrets by Rick Riordan et al.
26. Sabotaged by Margaret Petersen Haddix
27. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
28. Judy Moody: Around the World in 8 ½ Days by Megan McDonald
29. Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: The Glitter Girls and the Big Fake Out by Meg Cabot
30. Junie B. Jones and the Monkey Business by Barbara Park
31. Charlie Bones and the Red Knight by Jenna Nimmo
32. The Secret History of Tom Trueheart by Ian Beck
33. Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth by Barbara Park
34. Junie B. Jones and some Sneaky Peaky Spying by Barbara Park
35. Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake by Barbara Park
36. Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Blast from the Past by Meg Cabot
37. Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Stage Fright by Meg Cabot
38. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
39. Tom Trueheart: The Land of Dark Stories by Ian Beck
40. In the Hand of the Godess by Tamora Pierce
41. The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
42. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
43. My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison
44. Possession by Elana Johnson
45. Junie B. Jones and that Meanie Jim’s Birthday by Barbara Park
46. The Thirty-nine Clues: Vesper Rising (book 11) by Rick Riordan et al.
47. Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under her Bed by Barbara Park
48. Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook by Barbara Park
49. Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal by Barbara Park
50. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle
51. The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian by Lloyd Alexander
52. Wings by E.D. Baker
53. Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy by Barbara Park
54. You Wish by Mandy Hubbard
55. Chronicles of the Red King #1: The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo
56. The Thirty-nine Clues: Maze of Bones (book 1) by Rick Riordan
57. Much Ado About Grubstake by Jean Ferris
58. Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy by Barbara Park
59. Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard
60. The Missing, Book 4:  Torn by Margaret Peterson Haddix
61. The Morpheus Road: The Black by D.J. MacHale
62. Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren by Barbara Park
63. Junie B. Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl by Barbara Park
64. Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in her Pocket Warren by Barbara Park
65. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
66. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
67. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
68.  Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day by Barbara Park
69. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
70. Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine by Barbara Park
71. Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl by Barbara Park
72. Junie B. Jones, First Grader (at last!) by Barbara Park
73. Junie B. Jones: Boss of Lunch by Barbara Park
74. Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park
75. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers
76. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
77. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
78. Matched by Ali Condie
79. Crossed by Ali Condie
80. What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb
81. Mo Wren, Lost and Found by Tricia Springstubb
82. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
83. Junie B. Jones: One-man Band by Barbara Park
84. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

Speak up:

20 comments

| TAGS:

Goals, MG books, picture books, Reading list

Christmas Is . . .

More important, knowing Love is real.

This is me wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays whatever you may celebrate! I will be taking a break until the New Year, so I will see you then! 

In the mean time, what is Christmas to you?

Speak up:

20 comments

| TAGS:

A Christmas Carol, Chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon twists, Gingerbread houses, Joseph and Mary, pajamas, Santa

*Cough* *Cough* Too Sick For a Real Post

I have been overwhelmed by (i.e. ROFL at) all your great name suggestions for the Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies. Who knew taking away a bit of chocolate would get such a reaction?!

So I have updated the list of choices (it more than doubled!), and if you want to change your vote, feel free! Here’s the >>link<<. And since I have been horribly sick since yesterday, I’m afraid that’s all you get. That, and a reminder to vote on the big Christmas debate!

Speak up:

16 comments

| TAGS:

Chocolate chip cookies, Chocolate-less, sick

Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies – Renamed

**UPDATED**

So last week I admitted that my favorite type of chocolate chip cookies are the ones with NO chocolate chips. I invited you all to give your suggestions for a new name, and here’s what we have so far:

1. Abomination Cookies
2. Fiend Cookies
3. Oxymoron Cookies
4. Anti Chocolate Chip Cookies
5. Brown Sugar Cookies
6. Chipless Cookies
7. Choc-less Chip Cookies
8. Naked Cookies
9. What the Heck Did You Do With My Chocolate Cookies
10. Where-the-heck-are-my-chocolate-chip Cookies
11. Faux Cookies
12. Naked Cookies
13. Who Took Ma Chips, Ma? Cookies
14. Totally Bogus Cookies
15. Un-Cookies
16. Abomination and Desolation Cookies

I have my favorite, but I really think we need to vote on this. But if I don’t like the results, I may have to play evil dictator. Just sayin’. 😉

What’s your vote?

*With so many new options, if you need to change your vote, go for it!

Speak up:

30 comments

| TAGS:

Chocolate chip cookies, Chocolate-less, evil dictator, vote

The Perfect Balance

Over a month has passed since my post about playing a trick on one of my readers. If you missed it, click >>here<<. Some of you wanted to know what the trick was, but rats and phooey, I didn’t take a picture. However, I am a writer, right?

So for my trick on Old Kitty, I sent a Halloween toy kitty that poops out jellybeans when you pull the tail. 🙂 Maybe if we all beg, Old Kitty will post a picture for us. I still giggle when I think about it. The perfect trick, I tell you! And why? Because I’m not even a huge jellybean fan! 😉

Another perfect trick is balancing your writing life with everything else. Particularly during the holidays.

So here’s my question to you . . . what is your trick for balancing it all? Do you forget about writing for the month? Stay up late? Ask for more time from Santa Claus (or any gift-bearing persona in your belief system)? How do you do it?

Speak up:

12 comments

| TAGS:

jellybeans, Old Kitty, Santa Claus, Trick

This vs. That: Chocolate Chip Cookies vs. Sugar Cookies

Hello, hello! I’m so happy to be back. Especially because today is a This vs. That post. AND we had a record number of votes. So very awesome.

However, I find the results somewhat disappointing. I mean, really people. Does chocolate truly throw all other considerations out the window? But I digress. On to the results:

Total votes: 35 

Sugar Cookies: 10 votes; 29%
Chocolate Chip Cookies: 25 votes; 71%

Of those who voted for chocolate chip:
ONLY if gooey: 2 votes; 8% (of the 25 who voted for ChC)
ONLY if crispy/dunkable: 1 vote; 4%
Coated with a layer of chocolate: 1 vote; 4%

I had to add the subcategories, because I found it fascinating. And just for the record, there were a couple of you who voted chocolate chip, but said you’d change your vote if the Sugar Cookies had a specific frosting or sprinkles.

Hello! Of course the sugar cookies are made exactly to your specifications. You crazies. So your votes went to Sugar cookies. Besides, they could use the help.

And is there really a question about my vote? I went sugar cookies all the way. No question. In fact, when I was little, I used to pick out the chocolate chips or eat around them. If I could. Some cookies were more chocolate than cookie. If I were around when my mom made them, I would request chocolate-less chocolate chip cookies.

So here’s a question for you . . . what do you call a chocolate-less chocolate chip cookie? Seriously. I’m taking suggestions.

Okay, okay. On to the next vote. I debated this one. Last year, we did Real vs. Artificial, and I was sorely tempted to do it again just to see how the results compared (last year they tied). But there are so many great Christmas debates, I couldn’t resist a new one. Are you ready?

Speak up:

15 comments

| TAGS:

A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens, Chocolate chip cookies, Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Sugar cookies, This vs. That

Blog Critique and Happy Thanksgiving!

Today, my blog is being critiqued by Laura Barnes over on her site, Laura B. Writer: Building Author Media Presence. So please, if you don’t mind, steer clear of there.

Okay, okay. Please go check it out. Really. 😛

And since it’s a big holiday this week here in the States, I wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of the day, here is my short list of silly and serious thanks (my long list would take too long, but I’m sure you all understand it’s there, right?):

1. That I’m not a turkey.
2. That my husband puts up with me day in and day out (crazy writer and all)
3. That my kids still love to give me hugs (and that they brag to their friends that I write books)
4. That my Savior, Jesus Christ, loved me enough to die for me, so I can repent of my multitude of sins.

What are you thankful for?

P.S. I will be back blogging on Monday, Dec. 5

Speak up:

22 comments

| TAGS:

Jesus Christ, Laura Barnes, Thanksgiving, turkey