Mission Accomplished!

After hours of rewriting, teaching and torture -
I finished my first manuscript!
The moment hit "send" on my computer, a weight was lifted.
My book is now in the hands of my publisher.
I'm elated.
Joy, pride and accomplished are the words that sum up my feelings.
I poured my heart and soul into every detail of my book, and I have nothing left to say right now.
My mind needs a creative break.
But what an awesome way to end a brilliant year, and begin anew!
I'm an author!!
Happy New Year!

Stand Back 2014!

Approaching the end of another year-
They come and go faster as I get older. (Just like grandpa said!)
I'm proud of my accomplishments, and accept that I can still do more!
I'm an over-achiever, that will try to find happiness in the goals that I'm able to conquer.
Still I want to do more!
So look out 2014, I'm coming for you Fearlessly and FULL OUT!

Remember:

When people are assholes, just smile and ignore them.
As hard as it is (and it is PAINFULLY difficult for me.)
The message is loud and clear.
When I don't engage, they feel like SHIT.
That is the best payback.

A Collection of "Friends" on Facebook?

The difference between a friend and someone pretending to be your friend is apparent when you ask for help.
You can have thousands of "Friends" on Facebook - but if they can't be bothered by a simple request (that requires nothing more than a response), the odds are they aren't really in your corner.
The collaborative spirit shines in those who see the benefit in helping others succeed at their goals.

Lap Time

I envy the life of my puppies,
Their toughest job is deciding which lap they're going to lie in.
After lap time they wake up, eat, go to the bathroom and then search for their next lap!
Oh to be a puppy.

Christmas Without Gram

Accepting loss is never easy,
This was my first Christmas without Gram.
I missed hearing her voice say, "Merry Christmas."
The way she would remind me of all our blessings.
The smell of the savory holiday fixings.
I yearned for her long embrace.
It was a joyous day of celebration, but there was a huge hole in my heart.
I no longer have Gram her on earth,
If Christmas has taught me anything, it's to Believe in the spirit-
And I do.
Merry Christmas Gram,
I love you.

Stuffed and Stretched

I overate and now I'm stuffed.

I started stretching on the floor to feel active.

Health is important to me,

Especially when I eat like a maniac!

A Knock-Off Christmas Poem

Twas the day before Christmas and all through the house,
No one was cooking not even a mouse.
Our stockings were hung, but no presents in sight-
I sure hope Santa comes when I'm sleeping tonight.
Tis the season of love, blessings and cheer,
And before you know it, the start of a new year!
And I have a lot of work to do (which explains the lack of delicious holidays snacks, presents or creativity in my blog posts lately!)

Deadlines

The pressure is real,
So is the date.
I'm working real hard, and staying up LATE!
It's rough through the holidays,
I have no Christmas cheer,
My book is due soon, and I'm just plagued with fear.
Forcing the words, I'm in the creative zone.
But you'd never guess that from this cheesy poem!

Six Word Essay on Christmas Parties

My waistline can't take one more!

Random Thought:

If I were a cartoon, I'd probably be a lot like SpongeBob SquarePants. I respect his adventurous personality, innocent outlook, and fabulous fashion style. We both have big eyes too!

Tis' The Season

I'm overeating,
And drinking too much,
Laughing a lot,
And growing a gut!

Lost On The Internet

Social media has become a necessary evil in my line of work,
But I have to accomplish something MORE than a #Tweet today!
Getting caught in a Facebook, Huffington Post, Twitter tornado has not been great for my writing.
Has anyone else been lost on the internet?
Seriously, I "click through" so many posts, that I end up on some random website with political cats!  I knew cats were intelligent, but who knew they could vote?

#HangoversMakeForUnproductiveDays

Laying on my sofa trying to motivate!

I may have had too much to drink last night.

I'm pretty sure my book isn't going to write itself,

But nothing can pull me away from last nights episode of The Voice and the swimming pool of coffee I'm slurping down.

#HangoversMakeForUnproductiveDays

Release

How can I stay sad, when I'm surrounded by laughter?
How can I be stressed, with nothing to stress about?
How can I be afraid, when I'm guided by light?
Release the negativity and embrace the blessings.

Crunch Time!

...and I don't mean the gym!
I have a deadline and it's closing in.
Writing, edits and pictures to sort,
My book is due soon and I still have so much to do.
#LessCreativeBlogging

New House, Same God

My new church smells like old lady perfume.
I'm fairly certain it hasn't been remodeled since the 70's;
And I LOVE it.
It reminds me of my gram.
The music is different, and the people are unfamiliar-
But it's the same God.

Take Out The Trash

I woke up and spent the better part of an hour “reading” US Weekly and InTouch “magazines” that a guest brought into our new home.
I go out of my way to avoid the temptation while in line at the grocery store, yet the pictures of Kris Kardashian with the caption: Cheating Scandal! have suckered me back in.
I wish I could say that I wasn’t interested, but clearly I am.
I think it’s time to take out the trash-
But I need to flip to page 12 to see who Khloé’ is really OJ’s daughter!
(Hey it’s research for our parodies!)
Click the link:
http://bit.ly/rFylbV

Dinner Party Tummy

Dinner parties are so much fun.
Friends gather to eat, drink, laugh and eat more!
Unfortunately the next day isn't a joy.
Stepping on the scale is a major bummer.
#TheHolidaysAreHere

The Adventurous Squirrels in our Trees

I wake up each morning and gaze out our bedroom window.
It's not instantly noticeable in our treelined view,
But if you wait just a moment you'll get such a thrill.
Adventurous squirrels swing from tree to tree,
Dancing around and leaping with glee.
They balance on the wires,
They climb to with such ease,
These squirrels are more fun than watching a flying trapeze!

Starbucks

The red cup is alluring,

I cannot deny.

I long for an almond,

To get me thorough my day.

Caffeine addiction?

AbsoLATTE!

The Creative Life

It's not enough to say you love to dance, if you want to be a dancer;
It's not enough to say you live to write, if you want to be a writer;
It's not enough to say you long to act, if you want to be an actor;
It's not enough to say you like to paint, if you want to be a painter;
Proclaiming your artistic passion is a brilliant start-
But to live the creative life, you have to take action.
Regardless of how insignificant you think the work is,
Taking that first step, writing that first words, speaking the first scene, painting the first stroke:
That is living as an artist.

Food Is Always on My Mind

I go to bed hungry,
I wake up hungry,
I spend most of my days and nights dreaming about food.
Make no mistake, I eat three well-balanced meals a day; (AND a snack!)
Yet nothing takes the hunger cravings away.
All the rich smells that fill the air, are making for one FAT derriere!

Six Word Essay on Taco Night

I can't eat them fast enough!

Creativity At Work

Family is gone,
There's work to be done.
Writing and editing to meet my deadline.
I'm grateful for the fun I had,
But now it's time to get to work!
Just as soon as I watch these cartoons.
After all, it is Saturday.

I Hate Goodbyes!

I've always had a rough time saying goodbye.
Today was no exception!
After a wonderful week with my mom, the time has come for her to return home.
I try to remind myself to enjoy my time with her, and remember that I'll see her again soon-
Unfortunately, no matter how old I get or how much time I'm able to spend with her, saying goodbye kills me.
I will miss her warm energy, laughter and sassy commentary.
But more than anything else, I will miss how safe and protected I feel while she's visiting.
I think I have such a tough time with goodbyes, because I realize how long the space between "hello" can be.
I'm grateful for 21st Century technology.
FaceTime has revolutionized long-distance communication, but nothing will replace the caring embrace of my mom or the delicious smell of her homemade pizza!
Safe travels mom.  I can't wait for the next hello!

A Friendly Reminder in Our New Home

Last night we had a few close friends over to celebrate our new home.
As each of them entered our house for the first time, they reacted with oohhs and aaahhs.
Noticing the floors, the fixtures, the art on the walls-
(Everything we worked so hard on, and hoped would stand out!)
After everyone took the tour, we sat down with a drink and began talking.
In no time at all we were laughing and sharing wonderful stories.
It was a reminder that a home is not about the gorgeous new hardwood floors or recessed accent lighting;
It's about the love you bring into a new space!
I'm so grateful that we have so many wonderful friends and family that will bring life into our beautiful new home.

Puppies Need Love Too!

You try getting work done with an adorable puppy on your lap!
I woke up this morning with every intention of getting some things done around our new home.
Instead, I find myself sitting on the sofa with my Shih Tzu on my lap and my Yorkie wedged between my thigh and the sofa!
I think they're trying to tell me something.  Perhaps if they could talk they'd say, "Stop ignoring us!  You've been so focused on fixing up our new home, you haven't even given us a bone."
I get it puppies.  I need to spend some quality time with you.
So today, instead of vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen, changing the faucet in the guest bathroom or working on my book (that is due December 31st!) I'm going to cuddle with you!
After all, puppies deserve attention and quality time too!

Another Cheesy Holiday Poem

Working non-stop I was up all night,
Trying to enjoy a well balanced life.
I have family in town and a book deadline,
Focus Matthew, you'll be just fine!
I make a check list, and check it twice;
I'm not Santa, just a man with a mission.
(I can't rhyme everything.)
That is clear,
But I got my blog entry done today,
and made time for holiday cheer!

You Can Do It All!

If you wake up early,
And stay up late,
You can finish your work.
Spend time with friends and family,
and still create!
Discipline is the key to achieving balance.
Set goals with enough time allocated to work on accomplishing them,
Then make sure to enjoy personal time too!
It's exciting how much you can do in a day,
There is ALWAYS enough time for work and play!

Mom's In Town!

I love when my mom comes to visit me,
Spoiled with love, laughter and gifts!
But mostly I'm grateful for the time I get to spend with her,
Sharing stories and catching up on her life.
My mom has always inspired me to take on new challenges, invite change and live in the moment;
Which is exactly what I needed this time of year.
To push myself past the fear and embrace the exciting new opportunities!