Not Kansas – Not Oz-Still Home
So it’s here. Today is my birthday. Look around go ahead and look, I am. Slowly….
Nothing has changed. I’m still here and so are you. I’m still the same old me just a day older and now officially 41. A wife, mother of teen twins, former thinner fashionista slash budget designer in the NYC now writer in the outskirts of the NYC and owner of a terrier that sometimes thinks it’s human. Oh and I’m a multi-published blogger. *snicker* How do you like that term. Feel free to use it all you bloggers out there. But other than that no big changes happened overnight. Ah well… big sigh and moving on.
But wait. Before I just move on, in honor of being all these (ever so slightly) fab (in my own mind) things homage must be paid.
So I’d like to raise a glass to me and also a glass (double fisting this weekend totally acceptable for my birthday) to you my dear friends who make the multi-published blogger part possible. Thank you so much for being here ,which is out there in cyber space, and stopping by to say hi and let me know they my words do not fall on deaf ears. That my tree falling in the woods does indeed make a sound. You all are so precious and lovely. Super heroes in your own worlds! Here’s to you!
And thank you Lord for getting me through another year full of all that a year can bring and then some more. I’m still here, saying YES.
Best,
Kwana
P.S. this pic is the sweet cake my Knit buddies gave me on Wednesday. So yummy.
Over The Rainbow
So tomorrow is my birthday and I know that once again I’ll wake up like I always do with a bunch of hopefulness seasoned with a hint of fear. Hopefulness because that’s how I wake each morning to face the day despite my constant jaded twin that whispered in my ear all throughout the night about fear and the uselessness of hope.
But depending on how you look at it (good or bad for me) I was way too affected by this movie as a child and live a life stuck in two worlds. One is in Kansas where it’s cold, harsh and in black and white and the other is the world of my imagination. The world of rainbows and color (and lollipop guilds) where my dreams just refuse to die. Part of me hopes (or is it fears? ) that I’ll wake up and that world of imagination will be gone along with the longing and the hope. I’ll be a grown up for real-real ya’ll. But the other part, the truly hopeful part, hopes that I’ll wake up, open my eyes and be Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Where will you wake up tomorrow, in Kansas or Over the Rainbow?
Best,
Kwana
P.S.
Thanks so much to my Knitsters for all the love yesterday, Knitting, food, cake and presents! I’m a lucky girl. (Ugh. Getting so past the point where I can say girl.)
And a big Happy Birthday to my friend Wendy! Wishes of a pot of gold for you this year!
Come on Eileen… and Steve
What’s Jack up to? I don’t want to say it too loud but Jack has been pretty good these past few days. All sweet and snugly and not too demanding and toddlerish. Of course not that I’ve said it on ye old blog he will totally show out today. Watch out for the fireworks folks.
Thanks to all who commented on the Lifted giveaway from yesterday. There is still time to enter today. So please go to yesterday’s post and leave a comment to enter to win a copy of Wendy’s book Lifted.
In honor of my birthday week I thought I’d post things that I like very much. Now I’m sure I posted this song before but hey it’s my blog so I’ll do what I like and post it again. My favorite 80’s tune Come on Eileen.
And in honor of all the disappointment over not hearing Steve Jobs say that the new iPhone would be available on Verizon yesterday I posted this song in Twitter. This goes out to all of us left longing…
Have a super day!
Best,
Kwana
You’re gonna love my nuts- AutoTune shark jump
So it’s Saturday and MTV is on in the bedroom. You know the way off in Siberia MTV channel where they actually show videos and this commercial comes on. I freeze and my mouth drops so yeah, effective advertising I guess. We’ll see when the DD ask for the Slap Chop while locking and popping.
Best,
Kwana
Sex and No City
So Wednesday already? How’d that happen?
Oh well that’s how it goes when you get a holiday Monday. I did what I said and eased into the week by going to the spa for a bit yesterday. Well, you see once again while cleaning I found a gift from the lovey DH that was given to me almost a year ago for my birthday for a massage and a facial and it was about to expire (why do I keep doing that?). Ding dong me I went the whole year stressing and doing for everyone else and almost let this treat for myself slip away. I’m so glad that I didn’t. It was a little bit of heaven and a reminder to stop putting myself last on my list.
This last weekend like a ton of other folks I went to see Sex and The City 2 and sadly like a ton of other folks I walked away disappointed.
It was such an odd thing because I really pride myself on going against the grain of high faulting critics and being a big “go to a movie just for the entertainment” of it type of person. So after getting the DH to come with me to see it (he was one of 3 men in the theater on Friday night) I left trying to convince myself of the finer points.
“Well Samantha was Samantha. She was funny.” I told him enthusiastically as he looked at me oddly. “And Charlotte looked good in most of her outfits.” Still odd looks and then my mind went to a scene where she’s making cupcakes in vintage Valentino and I had to then turn to my DH and admit “It wasn’t that good huh?”
“No” he said. “It wasn’t.”
To me this felt like an opportunity to dress the ladies up in inappropriate hats, spice tones and brights and pose them in the desert without a proper story. I mean I’m all for fun and all for fashion but this City girls need a proper story!
Now I’m not trying to discourage you all. Please go and see for yourself. There are things to see visually and parts that are fun. I’m just sad to say Sex without the City didn’t do it for me.
Best,
Kwana
Comic Craze
Happy Memorial Day! Hope you all are enjoying a wonderful holiday. Jack and I plan on doing the usual and chilling close to the DH as he handles the grill. Can’t go wrong there.
If you remember last year at BEA I was all excited over the Pride and Prejudice comic. This year I got Sense and Sensibility. How cute is it? I also picked up a comic from James Patterson which is exciting for all his fans that go that way. It seems that comics though many of us my have left them before Archie made a choice (did he really marry Veronica?) is very much here to stay and blazing new trails. Do you read comics?
Best,
Kwana
BEA Haul Away
So I thought I’d share the reason my back and shoulders are still so sore. Here is my haul away from BEA. Quite a few goodies huh? Some happy reading here.
I kinda wish I could line the bedroom with bookshelves but no way the DH would go for that. I really need a library. Oh well, to dream.
Happy Friday! Tell me what are you currently reading?
Best,
Kwana
BEA Day and no Table Flipping
What’s Jack up to? Jack, like me, is trying to get over this heat. I mean come on 92 in New York in May. It’s just not cute people. Not cute at all.
Yesterday was such a fun and tiring day. It was BEA Day! That’s Book Expo America at the Javits Center which is way over in the boonies of 11th avenue of Manhattan where you are essentially captive, have to have overpriced food and drinks, breathe recycled air and walk miles in a big glass cube.
But I was saved for the ride down from Freshchester by the kindness of a friend. Thanks so much Ellen. I’ll travel with you anytime!
Once there I met up with my PIC Megan and I got to meet new friend author Victoria Janssen.
We also hung with the great and all book knowing Stacy.
And there was Chris and her friend Tina from Germany. Why didn’t I get a pic? Very sad. Good to see you Chris!
And then Diana. Hooray! So happy to get Ascendant the much anticipated follow up to Rampant.
I was, as usual, without restraint and have come home with too many books, but lots I’m happy to say are young adult that the Dear Twins can enjoy too. But I also got alot at the fab Harlequin booth from Brenda Jackson and Gwynne Forster and Rochelle Alers. At RWA I got to see Cathy Maxwell again who is just so nice and was wonderful on the romance panel.
No spotting of the Duchess Fergie for me. I think her event was ticketed so I missed that crowd but see from the news it was some event.
I was just about heading out the door vowing, “no more books!” when I saw a huge line and had to ask who it was. Well, my super blog friends it was none other than Teresa from The Real Housewives of New Jersey! And she was signing her book Skinny Italian! You know I wasn’t leaving without that book and meeting the famous table flipping Teresa.
Let me just say her line was so long but she was gracious and had a smile for each person and signed every book. Then when I went and asked for an additional book for my super fan and knit friend Eileen she was only too happy to give me another one for her. So sweet and the book is beautiful.
Great way to end the day!
Best,
Kwana
24 – You Gotta have Friends
I know I’m a day late with this but I needed a moment or 3 to recover from the series finale of 24. I will miss Jack B and the crew more than I can say. No one can whisper act like dear Kieffer. And Chloe, the looks alone were worth all my Monday nights. Thanks so much 24 and yes, I’ll even say thank you Fox for bringing Jack into my life.
This ending (unlike LOST) left me completely satisfied and ended just as it should have. With Jack having his behind saved by the only woman he could always count on, Chloe and her super brain. It was friendship as a love story. With fighting, and guns and blood stuff. *sniff*
Little Jack with all his attitude and I salute you.
Best,
Kwana
P.S. I’m all for watching THE NEW C.T.U with Chloe in charge. Just sayin’ Fox.
From Garden
My roses are blooming. These were here when we got the house now going on 5 years ago so their growth is not really do to me and my brown thumb, just careful planting way before me. So now my husband and I trim and pray. Here you see how we go from yard…
to ahh…
to writing inspiration.
I hope you have an inspired day.
Best,
Kwana
