Santa on the Beach

I'm sitting here, filling out my Holiday Cards (Santa on the beach) and I realized this year I haven't gotten my normal number of cards thus far. Typically by now I've gotten a nice pile, I hang them in the blinds of our window. By Christmas day I have enough to cover two full windows.
I think I've gotten four. And they've mostly been photo cards of peoples kids. (FYI people who do photo cards, I can't put them in my blinds, they don't hook over nicely. So please adjust for next year. Thank you.)

Asking around the donut factory, we haven't gotten the normal amount here either. Strange. Maybe in this downtrodden economy, this is one way people are cutting back? Not sure.

Anyway - last night while doing dishes for the Big Guy (we take turns, it was his turn, but he's been really busy with work and teaching lessons and gigging and what not, so I just did them. And I wasn't a snotface about it either.) I came up with a great new plot for my next book. Now I need to just finish up Alice Gets A Bunion, and flush out this plot, so I can jump in.

Don't tell the Big Guy though, he may try to use this against me and encourage me to do more dishes.

My current obsession

JR Watkins Natural Apothecary Hand and Body Lotion.

Its rich and creamy, smells divine, and really moisturizes hard core. And the packaging is Olde Timey, it makes you think you found some Golden little Niche product.

I bought a little variety travel pack (because I can't resist sampler packs of lotions and potions) and every single smell in the pack makes me happy.
Today I tried the Lemon Creme - I feel like a big slice of Lemon Meringue pie. Mmmmm.

If you're in the market for some thick, rich lotion to get through the winter, I'd suggest the Aloe and green tea, or the lavender. Those are my favorites.

Oh Tannenbaum

Wombat has been surprisingly good about the tree, resisting all low hanging ornaments. I'm waiting to come home and have it hauled around the house in a gleeful mess.

This year my ornament purchase was a Santa sitting in a beach chair, with a drink and a book.
The Big Guy's is Santa rocking out on guitar.

Alan you are a Guitar Hero

I haz a hot dog

A PSA this holiday season

If you're going to shop on-line, Please Please, Please for the love of Wombat, don't use your debit card to pay.

Use a Credit card.

Yes yes, I know, "But I don't USE credit cards. All those interest rates, The Man ripping me off."

Listen. Old Chap. You can be SMARTER then the Card, and pay it off right away. Make THEM work for you.
With the added benefit, you can get Bonus Frequent Flier Miles. (this is how I was able to afford my conference last year. My flight was $10.)

AND, here's the doozy Old Chap, you have purchase protection. And fraud protection. Be a smart consumer, protect yourself, and use the services offered.

I'm not all Charge up those bad boys- NO NO NO. BE responsible. Charge what you can afford to pay back right now. But this way you're protected.

Also - keep an eye on your puchases, and double check the bills to make sure there's nothing funky going on.

While you're out shopping - keep in mind this fantastic site I have been using lately - etsy.com its thousands of vendors who sell their handmade goodies. Its supporting a smaller business, and most of the Chocolate sellers I've found use all natural, Top notch ingrediants, and they make an effort to support other local vendors.

I MAY or MAY NOT be picking up these Brownies for my Sister in Law. Or.. um... me.

Wordcount whiz

Even though I missed NaNoWriMo, I have been making mad tracks on my word count for my newest Work In Progress.

It's really gratifying to see that tally climb each night. For some reason, writing the first draft feels much more productive then editing through the second or third draft. Well, it feels productive when the words are flowing and I'm not grappling with some sort of transition or trying to fight to be witty. Then it kind of suxass.

Some people are all about editing as they work, writing the cleanest first draft they can. Some just drop it all down in whatever order they see it, and sort it out later. Some like the revising process better then the writing. Me - I try to write clean, but not edit myself too much on the first draft. And I try to enjoy whatever stage I'm in, because as soon as I stop having fun, I'll probably go watch TV.


FYI - our Heroine just had a big dramatic fight with her Hero, and is being comforted by her boss. Who is about to dupe her, and use her for his own Evil Plan. (Dupe isn't code for anything, he's going to throw her under the bus and make her take the fall for a Bad Crime.) But then she'll Double Blind Dupe him, and save the day. All in the next 15,000 words! Whee!