A show of hands

This was the headline in a special section of our newspaper this morning, a Labor Day headline saluting all the laborers that keep our country thriving. I found the accompanying essays so inspiring that I headed for the kitchen and actually spent the afternoon at the stove cooking, an activity I usually spend a lot of time trying to avoid. Several loaves of great smelling homemade bread and a hearty pot of minestrone soup later, I felt like I'd actually accomplished something. Not only had I astonished my husband, but I felt a part of -- as the newspaper put it -- "all those American hands dedicated to one idea: A job worth doing is worth doing well."

So, to all you laborers out there -- mechanics, carpenters, nurses, computer techs, farmers, millworkers, lumber workers, homemakers and yes, even writers, I salute you!!

Organization

I've come to the conclusion that my life lacks organization. True organization, that is, not just the ability to toss half a dozen balls in the air and hope that I can keep them up there before gravity drops them all back onto my head.

I've decided that the problem comes from being born a Gemini. Geminis are commonly referred to as "the twins", meaning we are easily distracted and have a tendency to take off in two or three directions at any given time. We also tend to be a bit scattered and frequently bite off way more than we can chew. We almost always mean well -- proving that old saw that the road to you know where really is paved with good intentions -- and we usually possess more than our fair share of energy. In my case, at least, this excess energy just contributes to the illusion that no matter how many irons I have in the fire I can easily cope with them all -- which of course I can't.

What got me off on organization today, is the current state of my office. At the moment I have at least five or six projects going on at the same time. And I'm definitely NOT coping, much less coping with any degree of ease. My office is, in short, a disaster! My grown kids regularly send me newspaper and magazine articles on "How to get your life in order" and "A cluttered room leads to a cluttered mind". Unfortunately, my mind is usually too cluttered to process the advice.

The only solution is to ruthlessly start ground-filing all those "vital" projects I've started over the past five years but never finished. Yup, tomorrow I'm going to give this room a thorough cleaning!! Unless, of course, I get sidetracked by something that looks like more fun. Now where did I put that Sudoku book Bob gave me last Christmas....?

Hurray!!! I'm finally entering the 21st century!

To those of you who swore it would never happen, it has! After many excuses and endless procrastination, I've finally made the leap into the world of blogs. Never one to even keep a diary, the whole idea of sharing personal feelings and observations with others is downright scary. My agent, my editor and most of all my children, however, have at long last convinced me that baring my soul does not have to be frightening. As one writer friend told me, it's actually cathartic and lots of fun! I sincerely hope she's right. So, starting today, Friday, August 10th, I'm making a pledge to share with you if you'll share with me.

I'll start off by saying that I live in Eugene, Oregon, with my husband Bob and Vizsla Beau (a Hungarian bird-hunting dog who is completely terrified by guns). Here's a picture of Beau sitting on Bob's lap -- where he can frequently be found. And yes, I'll admit that he's just a little bit spoiled, but he's also loving, active and ready for a good romp any time of the day or night.



We had a beautiful white cat named Fletch (after the Chevy Chase movies), but gave him to our daughter when Fletch protested (non-stop) about being on the road so much. He now reigns happily and majestically as King of the Hill at her home in northern California.

Speaking of being on the road, I'll be visiting Murder By The Book in Portland, Oregon, this Sunday from 4 to 6 pm. If you live in the area, please drop by and say 'Hi". (Check my events page for contact information) Bye for now!