Friday Fill-ins: April 2, 2010

http://www.fridayfillins.blogspot.com/

Happy Easter to all who celebrate it! And...here we go!

1. All you need is love.
2. Not much fills me with laughter the past couple weeks.
3. Each generation, as it grows up, says goodbye to another.
4. Losing a loved one is something I have a hard time dealing with.
5. A trip to Cincinnati to be home with my family and to relax is what I need.
6. Back to work and you get back.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing my edit on "Whirlwind Relationship", tomorrow my plans include shopping for easter dinner and Sunday, I want to celebrate Easter with my loved ones in Florida before I go to Cincinnati!

Unfortunately I'm a bit gloomy today - my aunt died March 18th. I'm making arrangements now to attend her memorial service at home in Cincinnati.

Coincidentally, I had this coming week scheduled for vacation. I really need the break. But I'm also nervous to be away from work. Once when I left on vacation, I returned to be demoted. I think I'm doing well, but I thought I'd been doing well then, too.

Life is full of surprises, good and bad. Things change. The older generation leaves and makes way for the new. Businesses close and new ones take their place. Earthquakes and hurricanes level entire cities but new ones arise.

Recent posts you might like to read:

What Do You Want in a Romance Hero & What Do You Want in a Real Life Husband?

Rejection: Where Do You Go Next?

Procrastination

Cliche or Coincidence?

What Prompts Me To "Follow" A Blog

Make Sure Pretentious Words Don't Turn Off Your Readers

Dedicating Books

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Friday Fill-ins

I was looking forward to this weekend until I got bad news today. My aunt (my mom's older sister) isn't doing well. My cousin doesn't expect her to live much longer. Thus I dread the coming days.

She suffers from Alzheimers and so this hasn't been easy on many of my family members.

Now for some lighthearted stuff. Friday Fill-ins.

1. Why are you making fish again? We've had it three times already this week.

2. I want you to take a look at my book releasing Monday March 8th, "Welcome To Paradise".

3. I want to understand and come to grips with my child's decision, then it will be on my terms.

4. I want to submit my upcoming books to Smart Bitches and Mrs. Giggles and see what happens.

5. I could use a month's vacation at home (Cincinnati) with my family.

6. "V" and then "Flash Forward". I look forward to them returning to TV later this month.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting a salad from Tijuana Flats and take a swim at the gym, tomorrow my plans include taking my cat to the vet for a check up after his surgery and then maybe see a movie, and Sunday, I want to write all day!

Recent posts you might like to read:

Rejection: Where Do You Go Next?

Procrastination

Cliche or Coincidence?

What Prompts Me To "Follow" A Blog

Make Sure Pretentious Words Don't Turn Off Your Readers

Dedicating Books

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Friday Fill-Ins

1. Pickles tickle my fancy.

2. Love at home.

3. The snow is sorely missed. I haven't seen real snow in six years.

4. I love the sounds and colors in nature.

5. It's 5:16 PM; that means I'm almost ready to leave work.

6. A good friend is hard to find.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting my husband out of the hospital, tomorrow my plans include finishing my short story and celebrating DS2's birthday, and Sunday, I want to celebrate Valentine's Day with my hubby (if he's out of the hospital and well enough)!

I haven't participated in awhile but I'm back.
 
As I mentioned above my husband was admitted into the hospital today. He awoke with a sore eye and fuzzy vision. When he called the VA hospital to make an appointment with a doctor they told him to go to the emergency room. So he went and they kept him.
 
I waited all afternoon to speak to his doctor but he never came so I don't understand why these symptoms are severe enough to keep someone. I just got home from the hospital so I haven't had time to google this.

Friday Fill-ins: October 16th

And...here we go!

1. So are we going to the Fall Festival in Coconut Creek or the Chinese Buffet tonight?

2. Editing and more editing is what's up ahead. I have two edits to do this weekend. I'm afraid to look at my email to see if there are more edits.

3. I love to spend time with my husband (he's so busy it's not been happening lately) and eat sushi - will do both tonight.

4.  I want to do exercise this weekend (probably walking and swimming) of some sort.

5. I walk a little late, but I used to walk an hour or more a day. I want to start doing that again.

6. Water is the true elixir of life!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to spending time with my hubby tonight, tomorrow my plans include editing while I'm at my daughter's softball practice, then stop at a local crafts fair, go to the gym to swim and walk on the treadmill, then more editing, and Sunday, I want to sleep in late as my daughter's softball tournament games aren't till late in the afternoon. Of course I will also write while I'm watching my daughter's games.

I don't know about you, but I love Fall. Unfortunately, there's not much of it in South Florida. Day times are still sweltering in the 90's. We don't get the lovely change of color cooler climates enjoy. But usually there's still a nip in the air and the spirit of autumn, harvest, and Halloween is in the air.

I miss Cincinnati in October, too, because of Octoberfest. Cincinnati shuts down its downtown to traffic and has the best Octoberfest in the US. If you're new to my blog, I'm from Cincinnati although I've lived in South Florida for twenty years and in Southern Mississippi for almost ten years before that.

Autumn colors are pretty so I like the crafts.  I do a lot of my Christmas shopping at crafts fairs. At least I'd like to. Depending how much time I spend at the craft fair tomorrow will decide if I have time to go to the gym, too. I HAVE TO EDIT!

Recent posts you might like to read:

Author Interview: Claire Ashgrove


Ghost Hunting at a Haunted Hotel

Welcome to the Spookiest Month of the Year (+ don't burn your Ouija Board!)

People Don't Fall Out of Trees - Without Reason 

I'm Part of a Tribe 

Big Brother Is Watching You - This Means You BLOGGERS!

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Must Write Must Write Must Write!!!

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook,
Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch,
Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape
are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Friday Fill-Ins

Here's this week's answers.


1. Sweet dreams , Gracie.


2. I need some time especially for me.


3. Silliness makes me feel young again.


4. My daughter start her own blog this Halloween. It's called: Graveyard Secrets. Please visit and leave her a comment.



5. Outstanding or not I love my kids.


6. A doctor who believes me that Levaquin might have caused my sore legs and look into it is what I want right now!


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to resting and watching Smallville, tomorrow my plans include working on another edit, and Sunday, I want to sleep late and rest, but I have to take my younger daughter to her Fall Ball softball tournament and leave that early to visit a sick friend from work and take her stuff that she left at work.


Have a great weekend everybody.


Above I mentioned a possible side-effect because of a prescribed medication - Levaquin.


I've been having pain and swelling in my legs and have been having trouble walking since about a week after I got over the pneumonia this past July. I've also had trouble with shortness of breath.


Since then, I've had three different doctors running tests on me to figure out why, so far with no luck. It's been very frustrating and I think the doctors think it's all caused by me being overweight or that I'm dreaming this up.


Today, one of my co-workers told me that Levaquin is causing these types of symptoms, that she is having to take her mother to the doctor because of them. The light bulb went on in my head so I immediately went online to look this up. This month, October 2009, the FDA has announced that Levaquin has been causing tendonitis, ruptured tendons, soreness in joints, shortness of breath. 


Levaquin is prescribed for respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis.

I wasn't sure if I'd had it but it sounded familiar. So I called my doctor and they confirmed that they had prescribed it to me on July 21, 2009. 


That makes sense. It was about a week after I started getting better from the pneumonia that my legs started swelling and hurting and I started having trouble walking. My doctor then said it could be a reaction to a medicine I'd had for the pneumonia. Then, however, she thought it was a medicine the hospital had given me.


When I asked my doctor today if she thought the Levaquin could be the cause of my current problems, she had her nurse tell me, "No. I wasn't having blood clots and it's too long after."


According to the articles online (several, not just one) the symptoms can last a long time, not show up for a long time, and even cause permanent injury.


I don't know if my doctor really doesn't know all this or if she's afraid to say Levaquin could be the root of my problems as maybe she's afraid I'd sue her?


I wasn't planning to sue her. I just want to get well. I don't want to be ill or crippled for life or even for another week. I just want to find out what's wrong with me and get better.


But I'm not at all happy with her answer because I don't believe it. Her answer does not agree with anyone I've been reading today. 


I'm not going to let this drop easily. I'm going to check with another doctor who will at least check this out.


If Levaquin isn't the culprit I want to know for sure then find the real reason and fix it.





Recent posts you might like to read:

People Don't Fall Out of Trees - Without Reason 

I'm Part of a Tribe


Sayonara Baby

Don't Bomb Your Audience With Turkeys

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Welcome to the Spookiest Month of the Year (+ don't burn your Ouija Board!)

Friday Fill-ins Oct. 2 (& e-Readers)

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook,
Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch,
Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape
are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Friday Fill-ins: October 2nd

Happy Friday! TGIF

Here are my answers to today's Friday Fill-ins.


1. I have a history of going boldly where no woman has gone before - writing paranormal time-travel and futuristic space romances.

2. How to play the stock market and make money is something I wish I knew.

3. I'm eating (or recently ate) tongue-burning Mongolian Beef.

4. Tomorrow morning bright and early, hubby will be on the road to a softball tournament for the entire weekend. I'm free!

5. So that's it, that's tough.

6. To have love and lost is better than nothing!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Smallville, tomorrow my plans include editing two books and visiting with my grandchildren and Sunday, I want to see my friends Linda and Linda or travel in 23rd century space with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.

I also want to find a good, used Sony e-reader or e-reader type device. 


I checked around online tonight for a bit to find an affordable e-reader that hopefully also can play MP3 music. 


A phone that has an e-reading device, an MP3 player, and a camera would be really awesome. I will have to spend some serious time this weekend trying to find out if there is such an animal and if so, what it (they) is called and where I can get one.


Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of money to play with and so I'm open to buying a used one if it's in good working order. Refurbished is okay.


I checked out E-bay but they all seemed to be new for $300 and more.

Smart Bitches had a few e-Reader reviews recently so I'll have to reread their opinions and start from there - unless someone comments here with some sage advice.


If you don't know what an e-Reader is, it's a hand-held electronic device on which you read books - electronic books - like the ones I write. 


They are about the size of a book although different brands and versions vary in size.


I want one that can download books from any publishers website, not only from Amazon (Kindle). Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't carry all my publishers' books, only some. I don't understand the logic.


I also want an e-Reader where I can upload my own books so I can edit my work on the go. I used to do that with my Franklin e-book reader, but I'm afraid it went to the e-book reader heaven a long time ago. Compared to the newer version, the Franklin is pretty clunky and heavy.




Recent posts you might like to read:

Welcome to the Spookiest Month of the Year (+ Ouija Boards)


Sayonara Baby

Don't Bomb Your Audience With Turkeys

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook,
Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch,
Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape
are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Friday Fill-ins Edition 143

1. One week ago I was upset with a friend but now everything's okay with us and so I feel much better. 2. I rode horses, water-skiied, danced at the Disco all the time, and read Harlequin romances all the time when I was young. 3. Mama told me High-School would be my best years and that boyfriends took priority over girlfriends. I love my mom but I don't think that was the right advice, especially not the second part. 4. Forever you and me. 5. Take your time. It takes longer to do something over than to do it right the first time. 6. Today's troubles will pass! When God closes a door he opens a window. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching the season premiers of Smallville and Ghost Hunter then working on my edit, tomorrow my plans include finishing my pre-edit and hopefully also my latest short story, and Sunday, I want to add a lot more words and possibly finish the first draft of my novel in progress - while at my daughter's softball tournament all day! Yipee! It's Rising Starz again. (No, I'm really not being sarcastic - I like it, I love watching the girls, I hope my daughter gets a scholarship to play ball out of his, but sitting outside in the sweltering Florida heat ALL DAY on a Sunday is draining - just the idea is already draining me.) Have a great weekend. I'll prepost here for the weekend - Snippet Saturday tomorrow and a scintillating post for Sunday about the writing life. Also, if you didn't catch my short story "A Hard Time" at the Long and Short Reviews, it's still up. So please hop over to the L&S Reviews for my free short story for you. Other writing, reading, and promo related posts by Ashley you may enjoy: Snippet Saturday: Kick Ass Heroes and Heroines Nudists on Strike Kudos to Harlequin Kenzie Michaels Guest Interview Twitter Works Do You Really Want To Post That?

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook,
Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch,
Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape
are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Friday FIll-Ins: Edition 140 (my edition 2)

Graphic courtesy of Tonya!

1. That's a bitch to be.

2. You who! I'm over here!

3. The possibilities include: life and death.

4. Chili spaghetti & cheese is one of my favorite cool day recipes.

5. How will you know me after all these years?

6. A day off, a soft bed, a hot guy and a stormy sky. If no hot guy, then a steamy romance novel.

7. See my other # 7 from #140

I'm a week late for this version #140 so if I get the chance after the day job tomorrow I'll add edition #141 beneath this. 1. I feel inspired - I just watched Julie & Julia again and have a lot more ideas for my blog. For instance, I'm still going to write about writing and my books, but I'll add more tidbits for transparency, like Julie did with her cooking project. 2. Blogging is always fun. - Even when it feels like working. :) 3. Right now, I can hear these things: my husband complaining, my daughter rolling her eyes (yes, I can HEAR that very LOUDLY!), the TV in the other room (undoubtedly a cop show knowing my hubby), and the hum of the ceiling fan. 4. It's TGIF and I'm glad I don't have to wear fancy shoes and clothes for the next two days! 5. The last time I saw people dress like Julia Child was in my parents' wedding photos. (It was pretty cool to imagine what it was like when my parents got married in 1950 about the same year Julia Child's sister Dorothy got married. I'm a genealogy buff so I love this sort of thing). 6. Except for seeing Transformers 2 at the theater, I vegged out this past Labor day weekend. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to blogging and Twittering probably, tomorrow my plans include baking in the Sun and walking at my daughter's softball games and Sunday, I want to see Star Trek at the dollar theater - I hope it's still there! Let me expand on what I mentioned in fill-in number one: Although I've done it to a point, I'm going to TRY to express more of my feelings about writing and the publishing and promoting process in this blog. I'm also going to TRY and log at least one promotional thing I've done new each day. To kick this off, I found "LinkMommy.com" through a tweet on Twitter which I'm exploring as I blog. Did I mention I was ADHD? I have to multi-task or die. My idea of the worst torture is to make me do only one thing - well, maybe it's second next to getting eaten alive by an alligator or shark. On LinkMommy I found job ads which isn't exactly promoting, but if you've been following me, you know I'm anxious for my adult daughters to get gainful employment. I very happily and quickly sent the link to them to check out. I can't exactly vouch for LinkMommy, but I am going to check it out. The quote about free and very low cost advertising caught my interest. Of course, "low cost" is in the eye of the beholder. My idea of low cost is usually no more than $30.00 and really more like $10.00 or under. Free is extremely good for me. :) Weekends, like I mentioned in Fill-In #7 is the time I usually tour blog land and surf the net looking for promo opportunities and fun things. While most other people are taking weekends off, this is my main time to partake of my second job (writing/promoting). You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)