We interupt this blog break fo an important question!

Ahh summer... Heatstroke, lemonade, sprinklers, bathing suits, beaches, bikes...

Bikes...sigh...the downfall of my existence right now.

Since we moved, the little ones now have a place to play and sidewalks to explore. Thus, this summer, they have learned to ride their bikes without the training wheels (sans five-yr-old). And so what do they want to do ALL day and ALL night?

You guessed it, ride their bikes.


Now I'm all for them getting the exercise and such. But riding their bikes means being out front. And paranoid mom in me says they shouldn't be out front unless I'm out there to watch them. Sure I can see them and hear them from the window, BUT not all the time. I mean they aren't going to just ride two feet and turn around.


So alas, what's a paranoid mommy to do????


At what age did you finally let go and let your little ones outside without your 100% supervision? Mine are 5, 7, and 9 and I just can't do it. I just can't stand the thought of them being out there alone.


Am I in need of a good slapping? Or are there others who share my pain?

Priorities...or my lack thereof...

I have this really awesomefantasticspectacularwicked book started ... and I can't seem to concentrate longer than 1 hour a day on it.

In three words: NOT GOOD ENOUGH (that's me yelling at myself not you.)

So I'm considering dropping of the face of the planet (aka internet) until I have finished. Obviously I can't do that entirely, because obviously I have obligations with my new website (which holy $h!t got 100 visits yesterday *passes out*) but I think I may need to take a small break from my casual/recreational internet follies. (I know I know...I cried too!)

It's all about priorities, and I know this book is important to me and I know it needs to get finished. I also know it's not going to happen when I'm glued to twitter/facebook/blogger/google analytics (what? like you don't check your stats ever!) all day.

So alas, I bid adieu until at LEAST August 10th. (I am SO returning for WriteOnCon yo!)  If you need me, shoot me an email. And don't forget to tell everyone you know about www.askabipolar.com while I'm away!!!

How do I help my bipolar son transition into adult hood? (Click Here)

Bipolar and Writing and Websites OH MY!!!

These seem to be the three things taking up ALL my free time lately. The other hours are spent playing the part of Cinderelli Poppins of course. (cook, clean, parent the children)

And the saddest part is, that all three of the these free time subjects intertwine together into a lovely little knot.

So if I've been missing a bit lately (have I already mentioned this in previous blogs? it's been that kind of week so it wouldn't surprise me.) I have been frazzled and in my own world.

I think it's time to go visit Chateau Poppins again. Don't you?

Today's post: A teenagers take on being "labeled" with bipolar disorder. (Click Here)

Just a wee bit over extended...

I can't help it...I'm one of those people who feels the unattainable need to save the world. The need runs deep and takes over all my sense, although the rational part of me says this is impossible.


So if I've been missing...it's because I'm trying to make the impossible possible. Most of my energy has been eaten up by my new blog (Ask a Bipolar), my new book (Taming the Crazies) and my work at home job as well as trying to keep my monsters caged up children entertained.


This is the life of a writer dear friends....and I will do my best to keep up with this blog, but I may just be a bit sporadic until things calm down.


In  AWESOME news...the new website has taken off in unimaginable ways. We got more traffic in the first five days than I got on this blog in the first 5 months. For all of you who have posted links and retweeted showing your support, you are my heroes!


Thank you so much!!!

Do you or anyone you know have questions about Bipolar Disorder. Visit www.askabipolar.com and get those questions answered by someone who's been there!

A vial of time..Harry Potter Style

I really don't think it's too much to ask for. I mean it's not like I'm complaining about how I never got my Hogwarts acceptance letter. (I stopped whining at least three days months ago) And obviously if I didn't get into Hogwarts I never got my apparation license (Total rubbish! I tried to do it illegally once, but I splinched my left butt cheek. Oops.) Not to mention...all the time turners are locked up in McGonagal's office. That witch! (No really, she is a witch....)

So what's a girl to do when she has obviously signed herself up for WAY too many commitments but refuses to give any away?

Not only am I now maintaining this blog, my other blog, trying to catch up on old House reruns, working part time from home, trying to keep up with my kids and my house, AND starting a whole new website that I am incredibly dedicated to...I'm also trying to write my awesome book!  Oh and did I mention I'm trying to read 23 books this summer. It's mid July and I've gotten through...um...3 full and 2 halfs.

See my predicament? SEE IT!!!

Do you think if I sent a letter to Dumbledore he'd talk to Snape and together they could whip up a wicked potion that makes the day last at least 3 hours longer?

Can I borrow someone's owl? The last one I sent off with a message never came back, but I'm pretty sure Harry got my message about how I think he needs to hook up with Ginny Weasly...so we're all good.

Getting a Little Personal...An Announcement (or two)

I mean who wouldn't want to know a little personal bit about me? I am pretty awesome and all!

So here it goes *takes a deep breath*

Back in February I wrote a post called A Question of Intense Interest where I came out of the Bipolar Closet, so to speak. Then I questioned how others (as apparently some agents do) have an interest in books about children and teens with a mental illness. The responses I got were so very encouraging.

So for the past six months I have spent much time soul searching and researching. (Imagine me on the top of a big fat hill sitting with my legs crossed, hands together and repeating "Ohm" over and over again...I mean that's not really how it went. But wasn't the mental picture fun!)

About a month ago the idea finally hit me. (It didn't slap me in the face or anything...that would be mean. It was more like a poke on the shoulder.) I began researching harder. Reading all the books about juvenile and adolescent bipolar disorder, joining blogs, joining support groups, reading through forums...it has been amazing. Not only has it been very beneficial in finding support and answers to deal with both my son and I, but after meeting some new people and and searching my heart I knew what the next move would be.

Thus announcement number one:

I've placed my current novel on the back burner (for now) and started a new, and insanely exciting to write, novel.

Taming the Crazies

Annabelle Jones is struggling through her teenage years riding the coat tails of her bipolar brother while also coping with her bipolar mother. Though a break up with her boyfriend starts the ball rolling, one bad choice (or three) from her brother could possibly ruin her life forever. As it is in her nature, she takes it upon her self to right his wrongs (as some bipolar siblings tend to do) and make sure both his life and hers get back on track. The problem is, she's pretty sick of his crap. She has to decide to suffer the consequences his actions have had on her and just move on, or continue to clean up his messes in order to get her life back.

It's a story about the impact having bipolar has on our friends and family told from a very raw and real perspective...and I am in love with it! Not only am I writing YA Fiction, but I'm also writing about something I am passionate about. Something to help others feel they are not alone in these situations.

But for some reason, knowing that although the potential is there, I have no idea if I will ever get this story published, thus I felt I needed to do more! (I'm Catholic...it's a guilt thing...it makes me a really good Catholic...or something like that)

Thus announcement number two!

With the help of an amazing girl, who also struggles with this illness, I have started a new blog/website targeted to anyone who struggles with OR knows someone who struggles with bipolar disorder.

Ask a Bipolar is a place where people can come and ask real questions to people who have dealt with these issues. We can cover topics in all areas as I have a child with bipolar, she is a teen with bipolar and I am an adult with this illness. They are in no way professional answers or opinions, BUT sometimes I think people just want to hear it from someone who REALLY gets it. At least I know I do.

Visit the site. Let me know what you think! Feel free to share the link with everyone you know. I'd love for it to be a success!!!

Ok enough of my shameless self promotion. Back to writing (apparently people have threatened to hurt me if I don't give them new chapters...I have mean friends...)

What the length of my Hair says about me...

I'm an odd carrot (if you hadn't figured that out already) who has some interesting quirks. And because I feel that today is a good day for embarrassing myself, I'm going to list them out then elaborate on one. (Because after embarrassing ones self, it is only right to give a defense)

1. 1. I shower sitting down. Many people find this strange, I find it relaxing.



2. 2. I big fat poofy heart things between my toes, especially when I sleep.



3. 3. I think potato chips taste like awesome sauce when dipped in sour cream. YUM!



4. 4. I'm obsessed with gnomes. *GASP!*



5. 5. You can tell how I feel about life by the length of my hair.

When I was a teenager I always imagined I'd have long flowing locks of glorious hair falling down in big fat curls in my wedding. It was almost like a goal.

I dated the same boy all through high school. When we were dating and things were happy and I saw a pretty white wedding in my future I began growing out my hair.

Then things started to go down hill. And I started to think I needed a change. So I asked my friend to help "layer" my hair.

Here's the thing about teenagers...they are NOT in fact professional hair stylists. The approach we took at layering was nothing like the approach that in facts puts pretty layers in your hair. Thus I was left with a the worlds worst head of layerFAIL. Not pretty.

I cried and called my sister home from work to come fix it. Ended up chopping off like 6 inches. Unexpected hair cut = Teenage meltdown...in case you didn't know. Oddly, not even a couple weeks later. I broke up with said boyfriend.
Coincidence? I think not!

This trend has followed me into adulthood.

Every time I began to feel like life was about to change, I chopped my locks. Break ups, pregnancy, job changes, etc. When life is calm and stable, the hair is long. When life is chaotic and out of control...chop chop chop!

So it really shouldn't come as any surprise that I ended up with one of the shortest hair cuts ever for my wedding!



Do your characters have quirks this strange?

When Tuesday acts like a Monday

My Facebook Status:

Marybeth Poppins Dear Tuesday, I know we fought today (a lot) and I want to apologize. I'm sorry you are such an @$$. Maybe next week you can be a little nicer. Just a thought....

Yesterday was one of those days. One of those days where the kids don their selective hearing skills, 7yr olds decide to bounce off the walls because apparently driving mom up those very same walls is entertaining, new computers get shipped without an operating system, and daughters beads get watered then spread across her bedroom floor. (And when I say across bedroom floor I

mean from wall to wall)

I may or may not have had a glass (or three) of wine last night for the first time in over four weeks. Then I sent the kids to bed and fired up ye old Xbox360 for a little Lego Harry Potter. I'm not really sure any of that happened in that particular order....

So today is Wednesday and already I'm feeling like I may just be able to be friends with this particular day. So far it's provided me with a working new computer, children with only semi-selective hearing, a wee little bit of extra sleep, and a smores pop-tart.

In honor of my Wednesday offering up a pop-tart, I have updated my facebook status:

Marybeth Poppins Good morning Wednesday. You seem to better than my than my Tuesday which was really disguised as a Monday. So um, if you behave it's possible I'll give you a cookie. (and if you don't behave it's also possible that I'll kick you in the face....but that's not a threat. I promise!) (or maybe it is...) PS...thanks for the pop-tart!

Let's see if Wednesday is motivated by cookies shall we?

Breaking out the Boxing Gloves to earn Rewards Points

I bought a computer (for the first time in 6 yrs) and it's pretty! BUT I don't get it till Tuesday. Boooooooooo!

So here's the thing about thing about making large purchases...

Large Purchase + Paid by Debit Card = Massive Rewards Points

And here's the thing about my husband and I making large purchases, we have separate debit cards with separate Rewards Points accounts.

So every time we make these large purchases we look like a couple monkey's fighting over a banana as we fight over WHO is going to get the rewards points.

Example:

Mr. and Mrs. Poppins stand in the grocery line. The groceries are in their sacks, coupons are scanned.

Mrs. Poppins: Oh honey, I'll pay for that.

Mr. Poppins: Oh no, let me pay for it. I insist!

(Have I mentioned that the money comes from the same account?)

Mrs. Poppins: No really, I want to pay for it.

Mr. Poppins: Don't worry about it. I got it.

Mrs. Poppins: But you paid for the groceries last time.

Mr. Poppins: But you paid the electric bill.

Mrs. Poppins: You need to step away from the card swipey thingy now.

Cashier: Um, there is a pretty long line behind you...are you going to pay?

Mr. Poppins and Mrs. Poppins make a mad dash for their debit cards. Mr. Poppins makes it through the card reader before Mrs. Poppins can even pull it out of her disorganized purse.

Mrs. Poppins: *growl*

Mr. Poppins smiles as though he has just won the lottery.

So this is kinda how it went this morning while making our online purchase. And guess who won the battle? Mr. Poppins already had his card out and waiting before I even had our address in.

*growls*

*waves fist at Rewards Points gods*

*contemplates a way she can pay rent with debit card*