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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Bernard Pivot Blogfest!

I came across Nicole Ducleroir's blog One Significant Moment At A Time a few weeks ago. I saw that there was going to be something fun going on February 16th. Here we are, weeks later and I'm excited to participate. The following is a snippit from her blog that tells all about the event going on today.

"Welcome to the Bernard Pivot Blogfest! We have over 105 bloggers playing along, but if you've come by for a visit and you're not on the list, feel free to jump aboard!
We're having fun with Pivot's ten question questionnaire, made famous in this country by James Lipton of Inside the Actor's Studio. (Blank questionnaire found here.) Blogfest participants have filled out the questionnaire and pasted it with their answers on their blogs today. Hop from blog to blog and read everyone's answers! I hope you learn something interesting about your blog friends and meet some new people."

Without further ado, here are my answers.

  1. What is your favorite word? I love the word "reciprocity." It's not only fun to say, but also has great meaning. I work hard to embody the word. I wish for it to be prevalent my life, but sadly is not. I'm working to surround myself with people whose favorite word is also, reciprocity.
  2. What is your least favorite word? My least favorite word is going to be surprising. As a woman, I laugh at myself for hating this word so much. The word, vagina. Oh how I hate that word. It drives me crazy! I most definitely prefer using some of the more crass terms for that particular part of the female anatomy.
  3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Creatively, I love the unknown, the unexplained, and the illogical. That gets my juices flowing. Spiritually, compassion and enlightenment turns me on. I love when there is a higher consciousness. A reverence for all living things and the planet. Emotionally, trust and loyalty turn me on. When I have those things my heart is completely open.
  4. What turns you off? This is the easiest. LIARS!!!!! People who lack integrity. That's a sure fire way to lose my erection for someone :)
  5. What is your favorite curse word? I hate that I have to choose one. It's a toss up between shit and fuck. Can we just say my answer is, shitfuck? Hey that's a word! I think...
  6. What sound or noise do you love? Hysterical laughter. It's contageous.
  7. What sound or noise do you hate? Anything repetitive. Tapping, people repeating themselves over and over, etc.
  8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Psychology. It's absolutely fascinating to me.
  9. What profession would you not like to do? Medical examiner. I would hate to examine the bodies of those who were taken away violently. It would make me even highly cynical and perhaps turn me into the "Tiny Avenger" (<--Short joke)
  10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "See, you did matter."

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Just Thought I'd Mention It

Just a few weeks ago, I posted a blog entry about how difficult it was to find reciprocity. I wanted to write a quick follow-up to that post. While I still see a huge lack of reciprocity in my networking circle, I have to bring attention to those who have come through. One of the replies to my post came from a gentleman I came across in cyberspace. He pointed out how keeping track of several hundred contacts can be somewhat difficult. I understand his point, and totally see how it could be. I think what irks me most, is the number of people whose only concern is having the most friends and followers. The ones interested in only serving their needs. I look for people who actually engage their friends and followers. So this post is dedicated them. *I provided direct links to each person mentioned. So, please click on the highlighted text to "meet" them.* :)

The gentleman I mentioned above, is Draven Ames. He's a writer and takes interest in the people in his social networking circle, whether it be Twitter or Facebook. Although he has many followers and hundreds of friends on Facebook, he still manages to be approachable. Follow him on Twitter or through his blog Another Slightly Scary Story. Find out more about him. You'll be glad you did.

Being Latino Online Magazine, is a site I first came upon via Facebook. They bring together the Latino community through a series of informative articles. They help educate while also being entertaining. No matter who the author is of a particular article, you can rest assured that they will appreciate your interest and converse with you. You can follow them on Twitter and check out their magazine here on WordPress

Just by connecting with Draven Ames and Being Latino, I was able to be exposed to others, I find interesting to follow.

Sheri Jenkins White- She writes great stories. You have to check them out on Chaos and Contentment

Julio Varela- He has an excellent blog on WordPress and might I add, cojones! [sorry :-)]

Icess Fernandez -Nice to chat with. Check out her blog Writing to Insanity

Ms Kitty Alvarez- So much fun to chat up. Check her out on Twitter

John Marino- Cool blog about horror. Check him out at Horror Writing

Laurel-Rain Snow- Always an active participant on my blog. You can check out her blog here on WordPress

I'm sure I'll be updating this list frequently. Finally, I also want to mention a few of my personal friends who always show me support.

R.C. Berry-Fantastic new author and my partner on this publishing journey. Kind and amazing friend! Check her out on Facebook and Touché Publishing

Amy Priscilla Kim- I've known Amy over 10 years now. She's smart and sassy. She's also an Independent Sales Representative/eRepresentative at Avon. Find out more info at her Avon website and follow her on Twitter.

Jen Ryan-Super cool lady and good friend. She has been a big supporter. Jen has a blog which is one of my favorites, UnseenNYC. Since most tour guide sites and books concentrate on Manhattan, her site caters to the other boroughs of New York City. Follow her on Twitter

Angela McCool- Fun, with a lot of spunk. She is a "friend of a friend" who quickly became one of mine. She just launched her new products which you can find at Mariposa Fashions. I think the ladies will love them and men even more ;)

I enjoy sharing cyberspace with each of these people, just thought I'd mention it.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

My Guilty Pleasures...What Are Yours

So, yeah. I have the same sob story you hear quite often today. Broke, single-parent trying to make it. That's me. I am a child care provider by day. Wannabe best-selling author by night :). My days are spent with six children, ranging in age from 21 months to 4 years old. My day starts at 7am and ends at 7pm. I do it all without an assistant. I have two children of my own to tend to, once my day job is over. That's a full-time job in itself.

In between diaper changes and tantrums, I try to get on the internet and schmooze. It's one of my favorite things to do because it puts me in touch with other adults. I work from home. So there's no getting out of the office on my lunch break. I'm basically home all day with the little ones. So if you happen to engage me in online conversation, I thank you! :) But anyway, I tell you this, because dealing with children all day is highly stressful. Throw a wacky personal life in the mix and it makes for a chaotic existence.

I'd say I have about two hours to myself a day, if that. Of course, there are those few hours I spend sleeping. But are we really going to count those? Sometimes I need a break from my reality. One where I don't have to think,or solve anyone else's problem. That's where guilty pleasures enter the equation. The following are quick fixes. Things I can enjoy without putting much thought or effort into.

Television! I dvr lots of shows and catch up on the weekend. When my brain hurts, I turn on the TV and escape for a bit. There are plenty of smart shows that I watch, but that's not what this post is about. I don't feel guilty about watching House, Criminal Minds, or Law & Order: SVU. I'm talking about shows like American Idol, Hell's Kitchen, and yes, The Jersey Shore. The last of these being, the most guilty fun I'll admit to having :D, while watching the boob tube. I'm well aware that I'm losing precious brain cells while sitting through this show. But by golly, I find it so entertaining. The kicker is, I have NO idea why! If you see me in a different light after this confession, eh, I think I can live with it :).

The cast of The Jersey Shore
Another show that falls under the guilty pleasure category is, Spartacus: Blood and Sand. I'm going to use text and instant message speak here, just because this show is so, O-M-G! The prequel to this show, and currently airing is, Spartacus: Gods of The Arena. This show is also O-M-G! After one episode of this show, you too, will feel guilty having watched. You may even decide to take a shower. A cold one! ;)

Music! I love all types of music. I'm more inclined to listen to the singer/songwriter type artist. I love music the way I love my movies. Smart, with great dialogue, compelling me to think about it long after I'm done watching. Again, that's not what this post is about :). When I'm feeling particularly drained, there's Ke$ha and Katy Perry! Ke$ha, and her over-use of autotune, just lighten my spirits. My daughter says, "All her songs sound alike." Yes, but they bring me to a happy place :) Come on, admit it. You know you like Tik Tok! Katy Perry. Bless her girl-kissing heart. Her songs just put a pep in my step. Just put yourself on autopilot and go. Firework and California Gurls. Oh! Sweet, guilty fun. That's coming from a die-hard Alanis Morissette fan!
Ke$ha
Katy Perry
I've admitted to some of my guilty pleasures. What are yours?