Did you miss me?

See how I started this post with a totally rhetorical question! Don't ever do that on a query letter...

ANYWAYS....as you can see I'm a bit out of practice on the whole blogging thing. It's even worse on facebook and twitter. I only managed 275K on Bejeweled and have no clue what to say on twitter. This is going to take some time to get back into the swing of things!

So I see that whilst I was away a few of you acquired agents ... YAY!!!!! I'm so proud of you (and possibly jealous...)

Nothing much of excitement happened to me during my absence BUT I did learn some interesting things from my fast. Things I really didn't expect to happen. (I may or may not be slightly naive in some instances.)

So here are the things I learned...

Top 10 Things I Learned While Away from Social Media

10. The Crackberry is not nearly as fun without twitter and facebook

9. When you take away twitter and facebook, the need to read/write blogs and go on other social media sites seems kinda silly. Especially when you can't post your blogs anywhere or follow up with people about them elsewhere. It's not something I can completely explain, but I totally didn't expect for it to happen.

8. When you are not blogging, tweeting, playing Bejeweled Blitz all day ... you have a LOT of time on your hands.

7. When you are not in constant contact with writers, agents, bloggers 24/7, suddenly you feel the need to take a break from your writing as well. I didn't look at my book once. Instead I spent the 40 days helping a dear (super awesome fantastic) friend with editing her book and sending encouragement during her agent search (not to be confused with Star Search...) And oddly...it felt good to step away from my own work for awhile. I needed it.

6. When you have a ton of time on your hands you read ... a LOT. I didn't make it through all the books I wanted to BUT I did read (in no particular order) Impulse, Identical, Crank, The Maze Runner, 13 Reasons Why, Love You, Hate You, Miss You, Wake, Fade, The Bell Jar, Shiver, Stephen King's On Writing, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, and I'm currently reading Gone and Plot and Structure. Again, not as many as I wanted to read, but after the first 8 I kinda got burnt out.

5. Not many people email any more...or using Yahoo Instant Messenger. I had both available the entire 40 days and I really only stayed in touch with about 3 or 4 people. This kinda made me sad. But it's all good, I know people have been busy :)

4. When you aren't reading, writing, on the computer you watch a TON of TV. I have watched the first 5 seasons of Grey's Anatomy via Lifetime Network and DVR and almost all of the first season of Bones via Netflix as well as any episodes of House that I have been able to catch on Saturday nights. My husband would like to take the TV away from me.

3. Moving is a bit easier when not glued to the computer. I was able to get my entire house packed and ready to go to the point where it only took us 3 hours to load the moving truck and 2 to unload. By far the easiest move we have ever had!

2. I spent way more time with my family then I had before. Apparently my husband doesn't like to cuddle 24/7. What's up with that?

1. The most interesting thing about the whole fast was that I didn't miss it as much as I thought I would. The first few days kinda sucked, but after that I just kinda got used to it. I really missed the people, but not the websites themselves. I actually felt kinda strange when I got back on yesterday.

Conclusion...

While Social Media is fun, it's not completely necessary. You miss out on a ton of interaction, but I was able to still feel connected to those who kept in touch via email.

Now what I wonder is will it be harder to get back into the swing of things than it was to get out of them....I shall keep you posted!

And if you didn't get a chance to let me in on what I missed while I was gone, visit yesterdays post and give me the goods!

This is YOUR chance!

So I'm back today. Back on twitter, back on facebook and although I didn't officially fast from it, I am back to Blogger. It was strange how without the other two, the one didn't seem to be needed either. But more on that later...cuz that's about me! We'll get to me tomorrow. After all, I luvs me sum talkin bout me!!! Me Me Me Me Me!!! (this can be sung as well as spoken!)

But today I want to hear about YOU! What have I missed. I need updates. I want to hear every tiny little important detail that I haven't read about. What has been happening on your blogs? It's not that I don't want to read them for myself, but I'm quite positive I don't have the time to catch up on all my favorite blogs from the last month. (Cuz um...well I may or may not read way too many blogs...)

So PLEEEAAAASSSSEEEE tell me what I've missed. I'll be your best friend! Did I miss anything fun on facebook or twitter? (Is asking what I missed on facebook and twitter cheating on my fast? Cuz technically my fast is over so I think it's totally fair to look back...right???)

Oh and by the way, if you are asking what I missed the most ... It was totally all of you!

5,236,656 days without twitter/facebook

Ok, well maybe not THAT many days, but it feels like it. Just over a week till I make my big return. I've had some great insight during my moments of twitter/facebook abstinence. I'm quite excited to share them with you!

Hope everyone is doing well. I promise I'll be back to everyone's blogs soon!

Two more days till I move! YAY!!!

I have officially lost count!

It is possible that in my little attempt to make the biggest sacrifice I could think of, I may have unintentionally cheated. Unintentional being the key word here.

Let me give a small sample of my weeks as of late...

Monday - Mom Taxi. School the child (why yes I did say I was not fit for homeschooling, but I assure you this is temporary...I hope. I'm seriously not cut out for this job.) Find out the Realtor wants to show the house Tuesday. Start cleaning. Mom Taxi for the next two hours. Dinner. Catechism for the wee ones. Home. House, 24, Castle, Bed. And somewhere in between all of that I read.

Tuesday - Mom Taxi. School the child WHILE cleaning the house. Mom Taxi again while avoiding the house with a trip to the library to pick up 4 new books. Start reading one new book. Home. Dinner. American Idol. Read the rest of book 1. Bed.

Wednesday - Mom Taxi (Seeing a pattern here?) School the child. Relax for a bit with book 2. Did I mention I'm really not feeling well by this point? Finish book 2. Mom Taxi. Dinner. American Idol. Bed.

Thursday - Realtor wants to show the house Friday. UGH. Mom Taxi. Still not feeling well so pick up book 3 while schooling the kid. Mom Taxi while reading book 3. (Well not while driving, just while waiting. And you are correct, I did not start cleaning yet. Book 3 is good. Home. Dinner. Or something like that. I'm REALLY not feeling good by this point. Finish book 3. Grey's Anatomy. Fall asleep during Private Practice. (I was pushing it)

Friday - Mom Taxi. No school child, need to make the boys clean their room. Must clean the house AGAIN. Boys watch movies and play video games so they don't mess up their room while I clean, and clean, and OM FREAKING GOODNESS why isn't this house clean already and why does it smell funny? Oh great, something dead in the wall. Now I look like I can't keep my house smelling nice. Mom Taxi. Dinner. Rock Band with Neighbors. Bed. No book :(

Saturday - Recover from Rock Band while watching men cut down trees across the street.. Birthday Party with Neighbor. More watching of cutting down trees. Starting Book 4. Movie with the hubs. Bed.

Sunday - More of book 4. Church (this takes longer than expected.) Finish Book 4. Pack a little more. NOW I start craving twitter and facebook. No more books. Nothing on TV. House still semi clean. Don't feel like cleaning again till Monday even though I'll be rushing because they are showing the HOUSE AGAIN on Monday. Finally give in and just go to bed. Starting to feel better, might as well help it along.

Guess what I did on Monday?

BUT while the house was being shown I went to the library and picked up 10 more books. Finished on last night. I think I may have a problem. An addiction? Do normal people usually read a book a day?

Well the good news is I am through 5 of the recommended books.

13 Reasons Why
Love You, Hate You, Miss You
The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Identical (I think that one was an extra from the Ellen Hopkins books)
Crank

On the roster from the Library

Impulse
I'd tell you I love you but then I'd have to Kill You
Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy
When You Reach Me
Gone
Hunger
Graceling

And three I chose by myself by Maureen Johnson
13 Little Blue Envelopes
Girl at Sea
Suite Scarlett

10 Days worth of Reading. Which do I read first?!?!?

You don't even want to know what my "On Hold" list looks like! (Which includes AT LEAST 13 more books.)

I almost lost count...

Then I looked back and found that it is day 14. Day 14 without Twitter and Facebook ... and it's going well. The Blackberry is kinda boring, as is the internet, but I love how much I've read.

I've already added two more books. One (Thirteen Reasons Why) I read today. I could not put it down. The ending fell a little flat for me, but other than that to book was great. Over the weekend I read Stephen King's "On Writing". I didn't learn as much as I had hoped while reading it, but I really enjoyed it regardless.

And I have to thank you all for all your suggestions. I am at the library right now picking up or placing on hold at least 75% of them already. I will let you know which one I like the best :) If anyone has any to add let me know. I've only got 26 more days to go!

In other news ... I want to apologize for my sporadic posting. We are moving at the end of the month!!! Unfortunately, the thing about moving is, it takes up a LOT of time! On top of packing I've had to clean and Clean and CLEAN for all the people coming through to look at the place. UGH! So if you don't see a post you can safely assume that I am on another cleaning spree and therefore probably NOT happy! LOL

How Fasting Made me Sick - Day 9

Ok, so really it was my husband. But I'd prefer to blame it on my twitter/facebook fasting! So not enjoying my soar throat and stuffy nose.

Must go spend the remainder of the day reading.

Speaking of Reading! Here are the books I've read so far this year...

The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Shiver
The Bell Jar
And I'm finishing A Wrinkle In Time right now

Plus I have The Catcher in the Rye and 13 Reasons Why sitting on my table waiting to be cracked open.

All in all I've had a pretty lame reading year so far. Well the books weren't lame, just the amount of books I've read has been lame.

So how many books have you read so far this year? Which ones?

Still on my list...

The Dark Divine
Hush Hush
Fallen

What else should I add to my list???

Oh Crap, how many days has it been again? 132?

No, only 8. FEELS like 132 though!

So just thought I would cut the suspense with my plastic knife and tell you all WHICH little fact was actually true.

Jon guessed right.

My husband and I were playing for a couple's night at the bowling alley. He begrudgingly accepted me as his partner and away we played!

During the night prizes were awarded and little games were played for extra cash.

We happened to get chosen for one game. The rule was one player would roll the ball down and the second player would have to knock down the same amount of pins. My husband decided I should go first. YAY!

I rolled a gutter ball...

We were disqualified...

He was irritate... (Did I mention my husband usually bowls about a 175 - 200?)

So the evening went on and at the end of the night they started handing out all the awards for best bowling team and so on and so forth.

The look on my husbands face when they announced our names as "The Worst Score" of the evening was priceless! But hey, we won $25 for it! He can't say I never won him anything!

Day Eight of My Crazy Fasting

What better way to get through a day of fasting than by redirecting my attention!

Thanks to Jon, I am able to write a blog post dedicated to ... um ... well ... lies. You know, like saying, "I love not using twitter!" is a HUGE lie!

BUT if I gave you 7 Possible Lies would you be able to tell me which one is true???

Well I got this "Creative Writer" award



and the rules are as follows...

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link them.
2. Add the award to your blog.
3. Tell six outrageous lies about yourself and one truth.

So Super thanks Jon! You rock!!! (I promise that isn't one of my lies...)

And you tell me, which one is the truth?

1. I hate getting a back massage

2. I can solve the Rubix Cube

3. I have 16 illegitimate kids who work in my basement making fuzzy stickers.

4. I once won $25 for having the lowest bowling score.

5. I am the best salsa dancer EVER!

6. I cheat when I play video games and I don't even feel guilty about it!

7. My favorite Kool-Aid as a kid was "The Great Bluedini"

Alright kids, have a go at it! Which one is True? I'll even give you a clue ... I REALLY can't dance!

Day Seven Twitter/Facebook Free!

Top 10 Things that are WORSE than Fasting from Social Media

(Bet you didn't think there could be 10 things worse than spending every waking hour away from the two best websites ever invented!)

10. My neighbors dog. He barks...and barks...and barks. 7am? Yep, still barking! 10pm? Why yes, that is the neighbors dog barking! Fancy that!

9. Mushrooms. AKA Fungus. Why do people eat fungus?

8. Query Wars!!! Need I say more?

7. Cleaning. (Which doubly sucks when you are fasting from twitter and facebook because it is the only thing left to do most days...so not cool!)

6. Packing. We are moving next month and I have to start packing. I hate packing.

5. Moving. Lifting heavy things should be banned. I'm little. I'm not very strong. I do not lift heavy things! Alright who wants to teach me the spell for moving my stuff without actually lifting ANYTHING? Anyone?

4. Diets! Though I do agree that Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels...I still really like ice cream and cheese fries.

3. Screaming children. ALMOST as bad as the neighbors dog barking, but the screaming usually lasts only 5 % of the time that the barking.

2. Waiting. I'm really not a huge fan of waiting. I'd like to think I'm a rather patient person, but yeah, I'm not even close! I really want to be moved into my new house, have an agent and a published book NOW!!!

1. Brain mush. My brain is complete mush right now. I want to write, but I'm not feeling the love for any of my new ideas. Thus mush. Brain mush is by far the worse thing in the world.

So there you have it. There are indeed 10 things worse than staying away from my favorite websites. (And/Or I'm really just trying to make myself feel better. It's kinda up in the air!)

Day Six of Twitter/Facebook Fasting

I had a busy weekend, so the withdrawal was minimal. Though I did come to one huge realization...

The Crackberry is Boring without social media.

Day Three Twitter/Facebook Fasting

I am now sending emails in 140 characters or less. #twitterfastingFAIL

I felt empty last night when I could not announce to twitter that I was eating ice cream. #twitterfastingFAIL

Not sure how to get through my #followfriday without announcing all my favorite twiends. #twitterfastingFAIL

Cannot get through a sentence without using a hash tag. #twitterfastingFAIL

Feeling the need to speak in hash tags is confusing my husband. #twitterfastingFAIL

"Hey @TobbySmith, can you help me make dinner?" #housewifeFAIL #twitterfastingFAIL

Feel lost and broken without saying #windinmyhhhaaaiiirrrr at least once a day. #twitterfastingFAIL

Feeling the INTENSE urge to check each of these sentences in twitter to make sure I don't go more than 140 characters. #twitterfastingEPICFAIL

(Ok really, I'm doing pretty good. I haven't opened up twitter once and I am barely shaking anymore. #twitterfastingWIN!!!)