That's a 10-4 Rubber Duck

Guess what I'm doing tonight? If you guessed that I'm having fun driving my kids crazy, you'd be partially right. Of course, I enjoy doing that a lot. But tonight in particular. :) I'm also researching 1978 for a time-travel romance I'm writing. Why 1978? I graduated from high school that year. Between going to the disco several nights a week most every week and switching gears a couple times a month and going to the square dance and doing the CB radio thing, I had loads of fun. My kids, and probably most of the people alive today, seem to think the 1970's were weird. But it was FUN! Partially I think so because I was a teenager. But I think that merely allowed me to enjoy it as I wasn't fettered by diapers or a wedding ring yet. The 80's and 90's and even today, seem pretty boring in comparison to the 70's. I wasn't a Burt Reynolds groupie (that was my hubby) but I thought he was hilarious as the Bandit in "Smokey and the Bandit". I don't recall ever seeing "Convoy" with Kris Kristoffersen and Ali McGraw, but I figured now was a good time to remind me of things 70's. I was hoping to download it on the computer and watch it, but we can't find a version that looks safe. But there's You Tube! So I've been playing Convoy videos on You Tube to immerse myself in the times. I'll have to visit Blockbuster this weekend to see if I can rent it. My dad's CB handle was "Speed Boat". I don't remember mine or if I even had one. Back then every female was "Foxy Lady" or "Foxy something". It's cracking me up: "Love Machine", "Rubber Duck", "Bears in the Air"... Yes, a lot of people really talked that way - in Ohio, USA where I lived, anyway. Usually it was in snippets. "Ten-four" and "Put the pedal to the medal" was pretty common. The kids got smart - they pulled out their headphones so they can tune out my wacky songs and videos. Shoot! They're destroying my fun. Dang kids! But not all of it. I'm pretty easily amused and laughing at this trip down memory lane. I'm also having fun writing this time travel. I hope I can do it justice. I'm trying. 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. :)

Thursday Thirteen - Things I loved about the 70s

Thirteen Things about the 70s that I loved 1.... High school! - being on the flag corps, going to football games, dating. Loved it all! Also being co-editor of our high school newspaper and on the year book staff. 2.... The Disco! - In my senior year, I practically lived at the disco, dancing the night away. That was soooooo much fun. 3.... The Air Force! - I joined the Air Force in January 1979. I loved being in tech school in Biloxi, Mississippi and especially being on the Drum & Bugle Corps and twirling flags on their flag corps. I loved marching in parades throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, especially in Shrevesport and the New Orleans Mardis Gras parade. 4.... Saturday Night Fever. I loved the movie - and I loved the dances and the music. I thought John Travolta was sooooo hot. 5.... CB radios and the CB radio culture - That was so much. The "rubber duck", 10-4 good buddy, put the pedal to the medal... Rent and watch "Smokey & The Bandit" to either acquaint yourself or refresh your memory. 6.... David Cassidy - Gawd, but he was a doll. I loved him. 7.... Kings Island - It's a huge amusement park between Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. I worked there two summers. I even met my hubby there. They have a replica of the Eiffel Tower, a Lion Country Safari, awesome roller coasters, etc. I wasn't too thrilled about the life size Hair Bair Bunch characters running around in the kiddie section, however. 8.... Star Wars!!! Star War mania was bigger then than the 1st trilogy. My boyfriend was in love with the music and I have to admit, I liked it a lot, too. I was in love with Hans Solo (Harrison Ford) 9.... roller skating. I either lived at the roller skating rink, the bowling alley, or on the Ohio River. 10... Grease. The original grease came out. Ditto above. John Travolta was HOT - more so in this than SNF 11... Saturday Night Live. The original cast. I liked it so much better then than now. With Chevy Chase, John Beluchi, and Dan Akroyd 12... Donny Osmond. I also was in love with Donny Osmond. (I think I still am.) 13... The Bee Gees. I loved their "Knights On Broadway" song first, but then also their Saturday Night Live album.

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To Blog or Not To Blog

My goal is to blog every day, even though I thoroughly dropped that goal last week.

But my mind's drawing a blank.

The daughter's trying to pull me out the door to go to Borders. She obviously wants to read more mangas. Maybe she didn't finish reading the manga she was reading Saturday. I know I should write, but am tired. I feel like staying home and watching American Idol. But if I stay home to watch it, I'll love it while it's on, but then be bored after. Then again, hubby probably won't let me watch it on the TV in our bedroom if I don't get home till late. I just want my cake and to eat it too. But then again, what good is having cake if you don't eat it? I never understood that expression. It's so silly.

Life as a manager isn't bad. However, I'm way more exhausted than I was. I think it's more mentally than physically exhausting but the end effect is the same. I don't get a second to breathe or take breaks the way I used to. I'm constantly being interrupted. It's hard to get a project done without a million interruptions. (It's even hard to get to the ladies room).

I finally feel like I'm using my MBA. I enjoy the meetings and teaching my co-workers. For years it felt like I spent all that work, money, and time for nothing. It wasn't easy going to school full time while I worked full time and raised young children.

Not everybody at work realizes I'm a manager yet. In fact, some people still think my predecessor is manager. My boss forwarded an email to me that should have been sent to me. Instead it was sent to the former manager, himself, and the other department. Our former manager hasn't been manager in over a year. I've been manager for about three months now. I know it's not a big deal, but...

Oops! Hubby just found Smokey and the Bandit on TV - he's the ultimate remote control surfer. Except he absolutely loves this movie. You know what this means, right? I'll have to kill him if I want the TV to watch American Idol.

Don't get me wrong, I like Smokey and the Bandit, too. But I like American Idol more. Like? Did I say like? Obsessed is more like it. Besides, I think I can recite Burt Reynold's lines in my sleep.

Yikes! Hubby IS reciting Buford T. Justice's lines. I said I could, not that I would. He's such a nerd - the hubby.

Good news!

My newest release at Total-e-Bound, "Brit Party" is #3 on the Top Ten bestseller list. Woo hoo!

Next up: World domination!!!!

Here's another step to my World Domination quest: I just received this email from my publisher (TEB at www.total-e-bound.com).

"To celebrate our one year anniversary, in July we will be releasing the Lust Bites short stories as three volumes in eBook and print. Our anniversary release date will be 7th July.

The volumes will be as follows:"

Lust Bites Volume 1

Amuse Me
Lexie Davis
Faithful Beginnings
Lacey Thorn
Lust Detector
Ann Cory
Hot and Humid
Shermaine Williams
Misery Loves Company
Ellen Ashe
Confessions of a Nympho
Ashley Ladd (last but not least!)

Remember this one? If not, here's your chance. :)

This time, I'm eastbound and down...

What were you doing thirty years ago?

What were you doing thirty years ago?

That sounds sooooooooo long ago. It only feels like last year.

Thirty years ago, I was in my senior year of high school - that was 1978.


I was co-editor of our high school newspaper, on the year book staff, 2nd lieutenant of our flag corps. I worked part time at a junky jewelry store in downtown Cincinnati. I went to the disco several nights a week and danced hte night away.

We were all chatting on the CB radio, good buddy. That's a big 10-4. My husband wants to be Burt Reynolds/Bo in Smokey and the Bandit.


On I was watching M.A.S.H. (I saw a rerun tonight), One Day At A Time, the Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Eight Is Enough, The Waltons, Welcome Back Kotter, Charlie's Angels, and Little House on the Prairie. I was probably watching Brady Bunch and All in the Family reruns, too.



My boyfriend whom we called "Chewie" as everyone said he looked like Chewbacca, was way more in love with Star Wars IV than with me. I think he saw it at the theater at least 17 times. I liked it, too. We all did. I still say episodes IV, V, and VI are the best by far. Forget the better graphics in the first trilogy, the characters and story are great. By the way, I didn't marry this guy. Can you imagine what our kids would've looked like? Yikes!

I borrowed my mom's big tank of an Impala to drive my friends around Cincinnati. We went to the drive in a lot when we didn't go to the disco. In fact, I could see one or two of the drive-in screens from my mom's front lawn. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear the sound or lip read.

We also hung out at the Frisch's drive through, eating greasy fries and burgers. Well, I ate the buddy boy (the ham sandwich) with the greasy fries.


I wanted to go to college for journalism at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, but I was preparing to make do with the University of Cincinnati in Clifton.


I drove one of the best cars I ever had - a red Toyota Corolla. Later, I drove a blue, beat up Corolla, but it never let me down.


The only computers I knew about were the ones my dad worked on - the big IBM monsters that filled rooms and used punch cards. I don't think I heard of a PC until the late 80s when I was in college. (I dropped out of college and went into the Air Force for a few years and then returned to college after I was married and had 3 children - so much for dorm and sorority life).


I was thin without trying, without watching what I ate. But like I said, I was a dancing fool. That was back when the cool guys tried to be John Travolta on the disco floor, when they wore those 3 piece white suits. It was also when the guys just started doing "the bump" with us in the middle of the dance floor before we'd officially met. Those were fun days. God, I miss them.

On a different topic, I missed American Idol last night and again tonight. I was good and doing my edits at Borders. I just want my editor to know. :) I'll catch the recording Friday or Saturday.