Hermit-phobia

I am friends with hermits. You would think I'd love that quality in a friend because I'm terribly anxious when I'm in my own home for extended periods of time, but that's not always the case. Because they are hermit-like I have to make the first move (again, not always fun) and rely on their schedule to figure out my own. I've tried studying the hermit in their own habitat, how they manage to create an atmosphere of an open-invitation policy. That is what's so fascinating to me; they manage to make me feel so welcome and yet they don't like to leave. I can't quite capture the same courtesy extended to me regarding my own house. Maybe my outward appearance and feelings toward my own house come across that I don't want people to come over because I'd much rather leave and go where they are.

Does that make me a coward or a good friend? I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out.

I thought it would help me to research famous TV hermits, but all it yielded me was Herman's Hermits. (Great band, but not exactly what I was hoping for) and Eric "Plays-with-Squirrels" Matthews from Boy Meets World. Again, not really the result I was expecting.

I'm well aware of the idea that the world would be pretty boring if we were all the same, but would it kill the universe to send me a friend that was a little more like me? One who doesn't mind spending time over here? One who calls me? 

* End rant * 

I told you I feel better when I get things off my chest in writing. 

~Lady Jane 

"Memries, like the corners of my mind..."

When I was a little girl, I read a story in my elementary school library about a woman who wanted to make the world a prettier place. I loved the book, but promptly forgot about it, except this idea about a woman who could simply walk by a field and flowers would blossom.

Growing up, my mother's parents would come to visit, for months at a time! They would park their motorhome outside my bedroom window. I would come home from school and see granny unclipping her dry laundry from the line she put up moments after her arrival. I would drop off my bag and hop over to the motorhome for Danish cookies. Do you know the ones?

I loved these. (I wish I knew where to buy these).

I remember my mom saying that her rose bushes seemed to grow faster or bloom bigger after granny walked by. And that thought has never left me, imprinted in my heart and memories. So whenever I think of her, I would remember that story of a woman who walked by a field and flowers would bloom.

For years, I have been trying to find the title of the story that has been so much a part of my childhood and I didn't even know what it was called.

The husband and I have been living in our new home for almost a year now and we're trying to figure out how to decorate our bedroom. He had this idea to find scientific drawings for his side of the bed whether it was of sea shells, coral, something. On my side a painting of the same subject and in the middle (above our bed) a photograph of said subject. He brought up lupin. Apparently, there were lupin fields where he grew up. The name alone didn't spring to mind a picture so I googled it.

And this book was among the search results. The cover looked familiar so I clicked on it, revealing a story that I remembered but had long forgotten.

This story that had been in the recesses of my inner memories once again sprang to the forefront. I lovingly attacked the husband with thank yous pouring from my mouth. I almost cried.

Looking for Love...Stories

What is our obsession with love?

My husband and I were watching Warehouse 13 (Yeah! It's back on television again) and noticed in the most recent episode a little bit of admiration on both parts. It was my husband who observed the spark between the two and it made me wonder...Are we as humans obsessed with love? In shows where there are male and female counterparts, are we automatically drawn to find the possible love story?

Here are some of my favorites in no particular order:

I would be lying if I never thought about Pete and Micah getting together. They make an excellent team at snagging and bagging and in the most recent episode it appears to be more obvious that it could be heading the way of other crime-fighting partners before them. They've done it before on the show.

Another couple I was hoping to get together was Shawn Spencer and Juliet O'Hara. And boy was I deliriously happy that the writers took them on the journey.

I was more bummed than ever when the truth finally came out to Juliet. I hate to admit it, but my friend was right about TV work partner relationships, they just mess up the show. Psych was fine up until Juliet knew the truth about Shawn.

For the past four seasons I have been waiting for this very moment...

 If you haven't unloaded the weight off your DVR, SHAME ON YOU!

And last but not least, my favorite crime-fighting duo. The couple that started out as an assignment became a testament of true love.

Does anyone else cry that the show is over?

No onto a slightly different category, but not really. Here are another two couples that found love working with each other.

Over the past couple of years, I have become ensconced into all things Whovian. However, I'm ashamed to admit, that Rose Tyler was not my favorite companion for the Doctor, but there is a love story there. That's why I'm acknowledging it.

As far as companions go, I thought Donna Noble was pretty hilarious. But that's not the point.

Jim and Pam captured our hearts! They are the everyday couple that we all are with our significant others, and that's what I love about them. They are understated romantics and that's how I think most couples operate.

In the beginning

Even though these photos were for Entertainment Weekly, I would imagine Jim and Pam's wedding photos in real life would look something like this.

Now onto the love stories that developed in a matter of minutes...

Who doesn't love a scoundrel? The love story of Han and Leia is the kind I like to capture in my writing, the heated, not wanting to admit it kind of love. This scene alone, is where it all began.

A love story for the ages, I know.

The marriage that every couple wants to aspire to...

Do I really need to say more than that?

And a list isn't complete without the roommate/apartment building/friend relationships

I don't know about you, but I love Nick and Jess! They are so quirky, weird and stupid for each other. Despite what others may say, these two have Ellie and Carl written all over 'em.

The revelation during the dare was all I needed!

The most unlikeliest of romances, but Leonard and Penny manage to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when they act like a real couple. Let's just say based on my last post, this is me and the husband.

If you're thinking I'm talking about Monica and Chandler, keep on walking. Although, they are another love story for another time.

I'm a Friends Fanatic! I have the 10 seasons on DVD and have probably watched all seasons about three or four times. Even starting over, I am in agony over Ross and Rachel's relationship. Are they going to get together? And when they break up, will they get back together? They manage to keep me in suspense even though I practically know each episode if you give me the title. 

I guess if there is potential for a love story, the hopeless-romantics will find it. 

Until next time,

Lady Jane

ENFJ

For those of you nerds out there, this four letter code holds a lot of meaning to us. It's the easiest way to figure out personality compatibility.

I've learned a few things about myself in the last few days. I'm a hopeless extrovert. On Saturday night, the hubby went to a friend's house to help paint and play games afterward. I was looking forward to complete control of the television and watch whatever I wanted to. Girls, you know what I'm talking about right?

I had the house to myself (besides the sleeping boy) around 7:30pm. That is early, like old folks' buffet dinner time for a Saturday night. So I immediately began browsing my Netflix queue, Hulu plus and my TiVo'd programs. I finally settled on What to Expect When You're Expecting not the best film to watch after having a miscarriage. But I did laugh at the completely overacted push scenes and the misery suffered by one of the characters during pregnancy along with her FIL's young wife who went through it like a champ. It was hilarious!

Before I finally settled on being alone with a sleeping boy. I was scrambling to find someone to come over and hang out with me. I used to love having the house to myself when I was a teenager and I wasn't even the oldest child, the youngest actually.

I need people and I hope they need me.

I recently attended the open house of my friend Katie's book release! That's right, I am personally friends with an author who is my age, by the way. (And I'm so excited to read it!) At this party I met a girl, who could have been my double, but with brown hair. I couldn't believe how much we had in common. Even her mom decorated wedding cakes! That's just creepy because my mom did too!

~ Happy reading!

Lady Jane

Hostess Without

I like parties. I love meeting and talking to people but there's a reason I still haven't held a housewarming party and we've been here for 9 months and 23 days. I crumble under the pressure of being responsible for other people's happiness. Maybe that's why the boy is so bored now that he can walk, talk and basically have other little toddler friends.

I found an old notebook where I planned a pretty cute 2nd birthday for the boy a year ago and to be honest, if someone else had been in charge of carrying out my vision, it would have been an adorable party. He was obsessed with Toy Story at the time and so I thought it would be fitting to have star-shaped cantaloupe, cool ranch and barbecue chips with the appropriate quote from the first film, Teddy Grahams and strawberry frosting for Lotso Huggin' Bear, and other themed food. Sounds cute right? I hope. We did half the stuff that I mentioned and we didn't even really decorate.

So for the boy's 3rd birthday, I kept it really low-key. I mean really low, like two octaves below middle C. We invited our dear friends and their sweet little girl and my parents for a barbecue. I even asked our guests not to bring the boy any more toys (he has plenty to play with and I'm starting to wonder where to store all of it in an orderly manner). I love that the boy was born in March, it is so beautiful in AZ. There was a lovely breeze that allowed us to open the windows and doors and breathe in the fresh spring air. I knew this was the last year I could pull this off, so I did the least amount of work possible.

I think the reason why I feel so pressured to do something amazing for the boy's birthdays is the recent invention of Pinterest. It's an amazing site for all things, house and pretty much life related, but I wonder how many people actually pull off the parties that have been planned by SAHM, not a professional.

And one more for good measure...

Stay tuned for my thoughts on personality types :)

~Lady Jane

Theme Song

Music speaks to me. It makes me reflect on my life and certain people in my life have their own song. Anytime it comes on the radio, my thoughts immediately flutter back to that simpler time.

I didn't have a boyfriend in high school but I did have a good friend who happened to be a boy. His parents were always so nice to me and constantly thanked me for being their son's friend. I couldn't help but feel good loved and welcomed. He didn't always make the best decisions, but he tried and that's what counted. He was one of the few people that helped me celebrate my 16th birthday. He came over at Thanksgiving and fit in like one of the family. He was my best friend. So every time I hear this song, I think fondly of him.

I will admit I loved those silly Facebook games of discovering the soundtrack to your life. I really liked it when the songs fit the category, I didn't like it so much when it didn't match up. Sometimes I wish that I had a soundtrack to smile and cry to.

Although, every time I hear this song, it reminds of a boy that I did date for a brief moment.

I wasn't exactly sure what it meant to him that I reminded him of this song, especially since a few weeks later, it fizzled out.

But the boy that stole my heart and made me a wife and mother has too many songs that remind me of him. But the one that makes my toes curl and my heart fly is this classic:

The first time that we ever danced to this song, was in front of my house. He was dropping me off from a date and this song came on the radio. He parked the car, but instead of turning off the car, he turned up the radio. He escorted me from the car and without light but the headlights, we held each other and swayed.

I had read about two characters who shared the same experience and thought that was the most romantic thing I'd ever read. I had never told the husband about this dream of mine. He just knew somehow and made it true for me. 

Music is powerful and seeded with memories.


What's your favorite song? The one that makes you happy every time you hear it?

~Lady Jane

Catharsis

Writing really is cathartic for me.  I find that I work through my problems so much better when I've written about them. It's the release that I need to move on to the next chapter. I'm gonna get pretty personal for this post, so if you'd rather read fluff, wait until next time.

I've recently suffered a loss. Two losses actually. My grandmother passed away. A wonderful, service-oriented, bubbly, caring, cheerful, lovely woman. She wrote music and played the piano masterfully. Every time I play one of her arrangements of music, I feel her near me (even before she passed away), her soul is in music. This is how I will always remember her: forever connected to the piano.

I had a miscarriage. The hubs and I were really looking forward to having another little bundle in our home to love and hold, but twas not to be. I don't think that we'll be a single-child family, but if that is to be the case. I have an awesome little man to be grateful for! I mean look at that face, who couldn't love that? 

When I first found out that we weren't going to be having another baby, it was terrible! I cried all the time at the drop of a hat and was mad at every pregnant woman I knew or didn't know for that matter. But after I went in for a procedure, it was like the last punctuation had been placed on the last page and I could turn it and move on.

So that is what I'm doing, moving on. Due to the recent events, I'm no longer working as a vocal coach. My boss felt that I should take this time to heal and we were nearly done with the season anyway. I thought that was very sympathetic of her. I am looking forward to real meal planning again and just being able to use my time the way I want to.

Until next time,

Lady Jane

Apparently, I Lied

So I thought I would get back to blogging after the weddings subsided, but I lied, apparently and certainly not on purpose. It's been almost four weeks since the last wedding I was obligated to and life seems to have said, "Nope, you're not done yet."

I get back to work and find out that my boss has somehow attracted the attention of Glenn Beck because of her school and the performing arts group that I'm the vocal coach for. So for the last two weeks, the kids and I have been working relentlessly to prepare for the fundraiser hosted by Mr. Beck himself. Then we find out that the fundraiser he was coming to town for has been postponed until October! I have a pretty big commitment that I will NOT be able to get out of, as much as I'll want to as it approaches.

I'm bummed. My kids will still get to perform, but not in the same capacity and they've been working so hard. "That's show business,"Seems to sum it all up, but it doesn't appease me.

I almost wanted to tweet him and express my disappointment that he postponed this fundraiser. Maybe I still will.


~Lady Jane

AWAL

I didn't realize how out of commission I would be with two weddings in the family. However, one already happened and the other yet to. Thus, my absence. The first was for my sister in-law and the second is for my niece, yes I have a niece old enough to get married. (I am much closer to her age than I am to her mother's.

I love weddings, families coming together, love is in the air, traditions being carried on, etc. So after this weekend, I hope to be back more regularly.

Stay tuned,

Lady Jane

The End of the World As I Know It

I'm sitting here with my laptop (several open tabs) and my smartphone nestled beside. I close a few tabs and it lands on Facebook. I then receive a notification on my phone that someone liked my photo on Instagram and am immediately distracted by that little red circle on my Facebook app (they're in close proximity). I go to check it and realize that I have stooped to the lowest level of degradation for a technology addict. I never thought it would come to this.

I am ashamed.

~ Lady Jane

The Next Big Thing

So I've been tagged to do this blog hopping thing by a new writing pal, Katie. I'm somewhat qualified to participate as I am a writer and I do have a few stories in my head that would be fun to talk about with people other than myself. There are two Works in Progress (WIP) that are battling for my attention.

1. What is the working title of your book?
- Thanks to my witty husband, I'm calling it Premarital Existence.
- Blaming Jane

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
- The first one came to me as a junior in high school. I think I was looking for YA literature and wasn't really finding it.
- Blaming Jane came from my sister when we discovered that Jane Austen is a distant cousin related to us through marriage. (Pretty cool huh?)

3. What genre does your book fall under?
- Probably YA but could fall possibly under the NA tent.
- Memoir probably but I think it might better fit as a play.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
- This is a toughie...I would want some young-ish characters since they are in their first or third years of college. This guy could do. Maybe slightly longer hair. Don't ask me who is, this is what Google, cooked up for me.

I've been told, you write what you know, and I know blond hair, blue-eyed girls very well. I think Julianne Hough could play my heroine in a movie. After all, she is starting to appear more and more on the silver screen. I think this picture really captures the down-to-earth girl I've imagined and I think these two could make a cute and believable couple.

As for the other MS (manuscript) I cannot picture anyone else playing me but me. Ha!


5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
- It's hard to find yourself while you're trying to find Mr. Right.
- A modern-day "Little Women" family with all of the problems of Jane Austen characters.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
- I don't think I would ever self-publish. I hear it's difficult and writing a book has been a challenge enough.
- I think this book/memoir would be really interesting to an agency, since there are genealogical ties.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
- Since it's first inception in 2001, I think I'm still working on my first draft. I have a difficult time finishing anything, probably because I don't always see the ending.
- Right now it's a just an idea with a few thoughts jotted down.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
- What the Doctor Ordered by Janette Rallison
- I haven't read it yet but Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo sounds like it could be very similar.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
- I think the number of books appropriate for me at age seventeen were few and far between so I decided to write one that I figured other seventeen year olds would want to read.
- My sister inspired me to write Blaming Jane because of our genealogical connection and the fact that when upon inspection our lives do resemble those of her characters.

10. What else about your book might pique your readers' interest?
- There's possibility for a sequel
- It's kind of a tell-all about living under the shadow of wealth.



Check out some other writers my friend Katie also tagged to post today...

Darci Cole
Ryan Dalton
Trisha Schmidt

Okay this is so not fair, all of these writers have author-y sounding names already. Probably because they already are.


Happy reading!

~ Lady Jane

Unfinished

I've realized something about myself as a writer: I never finish a project I start. There's always something impeding me from the task, whether it's life or another writing project that appears to be more promising. With that being said, I think I've finally found a writing project that holds some promise for accomplishment. It's a new direction for me (writing in the first person) it will somewhat resemble my own life (a teacher) and the highs and lows of creating relationships out of thin air whilst finding a soulmate.

I can't admit that I came up with this project all on my own. Like Oscar Hammerstein I have to give credit where credit is due; I've been watching old episodes of Parenthood on Netflix and a character uttered a phrase that I thought would be perfect for a book title (did ya really think I was going to give that away? Especially if I want to use it as a title).

Thanks television for giving me yet again another epiphany!

~Lady Jane

NANO, NANO

No, not Nanu, nanu from Mork and Mindy. November is National Novel Writing Month where writers try to bang out 50K words in a month. This is a very ambitious goal for me as I feel that I'm a novice writer even though I've enjoyed it since I was nine. At first for National Writing Month (Nanowrimo) I thought I would upload a story I've been working on for the last three years. I don't know if it's because of Halloween or that I'm reading Frankenstein with a few siblings, but I decided to take a completely different genre to run with for this Nanowrimo project. It's a drastic turn from the normal fluff that I write (chick-lit). I decided to summon my darker side and write a zombie plague tale. It has the potential (I think) to be nail-biting, gripping, and all those other adjectives that a zombie novel is supposed to be.

So wish me luck as I dive into the unknown of my darkest spaces to create the most chilling tale...I've ever written.

~Lady Jane

P.S. While checking some stats, I noticed that people found my blog through zombiestat.com, pretty funny if you ask me. I only just told you about this project. How did you know?!?

Scripts

Why can't people just follow a script! Life would be so much easier for me to deal with if they would just react the way I want them to.

I am a product of the 90s. I still think that it was only a decade ago. And because I am a child of the 90s, I glean how to relate with people watching sitcoms and dramas. So it's no wonder that I become discombobulated when people don't follow a script. What do sitcoms reflect if not real life? However exaggerated. How else are they able to portray real emotions unless its coming from a real place? Say what you will about my research, but I think I'm a little ahead of the curve.

I remember having a terrible conversation with an English teacher in community college about art. We were talking about "The Necklace" a short story by Guy de Maupassant where the main character is faced with a moral dilemma: whether or not she should tell her friend about the necklace. My professor proceeded to ask the class if we see examples like this in daily life. I brought up television (big surprise) and how so many sitcoms have used this dilemma. Then she railed on me for using pop culture as a means to prove my point. "Pop culture is down here. It's for the masses." I can still hear her say it, pardon me whilst I cringe. I proudly reminded her that in her first lecture she told us about how art is artificial and good art feels real. Let's just say for arguments sake that pop culture falls under the umbrella of pop art. With that being said, the sitcoms that use these types of moral dilemmas bombard the television screens of the world and almost every 90s family sitcom cued the sappy music to make a point about what was moral and ethical. So what if it is for the masses? It's the masses that are relating to these kinds of ideas. Mass this, professor!


Lady Jane