Thursday 13: edition 30 (?) - 13 Things I Learned From Softball

I spend a LOT of time at my daughter's softball games so here are thirteen things I learned from softball. 1) The team star usually isn't the prettiest player. 2) If you want to be a good pitcher, batter, or player, you have to practice a lot. 3) Teams that work together win a lot of games. Teams that don't work together, usually lose. 4) You need the right equipment to play the game well. 5) You have to get dirty to have fun. 6) If you don't wear protection, you'll get burned. 7) You have to watch the ball to be able to catch it. 8) If you turn your back on a ball in play, you're liable to get hurt. 9) Watch out for curve balls. 10) If you strike out, it's not the end of the world. 11) You can lose a game and still win the series. 12) Strategy helps. A lot. 13) A good coach is priceless. 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: version 30 (I think) 13 Things I Dread And Like About Employee Reviews

This week my company is conducting quarterly employee reviews. It's new to us. Until now, we've only held annual reviews. The bigwigs decided that's too far apart not to give feedback. As a manager, I both dread and like this idea. As an employee being reviewed, I mainly dread it. I'm probably funny. I used to enjoy taking tests and being graded. But then I usually earned high grades. But employee reviews is tougher to get an A equivalent on, for me anyway. I've busted my butt, gone way beyond my comfort zone, and still not always received great reviews. Same for book reviews. Anyway, since this is relevant in my life right now here are 13 things I like or hate about employee reviews. 1) I find out what my boss thinks about me. 2) Employees who like the reviews I give of them will like me a lot. At least they won't be mad at me. 3) Employees who hate the reviews I give of them will hate me. At least they'll be mad at me. 4) Concerned employees will try to step up their work. 5) Concerned employees will work on improving their attitude. 6) I'll be arrested for murder. 7) I'll be murdered before they can arrest me. 8) I'll be fired, if I'm not murdered, whether or not I'm arrested. 9) I'll get a demotion and pay lowered, even if I'm not fired or murdered or arrested. 10) I'll get promoted and/or a pay raise because they love me so much. 11) I'll get them over and done with for 3 more months. 12) I'll have an excuse to eat lots of chocolate and soak in a bubble bath. 13) I'll pass another milestone in really becoming a manager (this will be the first review I give to other people). I gotta run and get my hair cut so I look good for my review so I don't get marked down on professional appearance. 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 edition 30

December is my craziest month at the day job. I've been working overtime every night this week so please forgive me for being awol yesterday and having a short post today. My Thursday Thirteen this week are 13 holiday movies, starting with my favorite and working my way down. 1. White Christmas - with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney (my favorite) 2. While You Were Sleeping (not strictly a holiday movie, but it features Christmas and New Year's Eve) - with Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman 3. Meet Me In St. Louis - with Judy Garland 4. Home Alone 3 5. Home Alone 1 6. Holiday Inn 7. Miracle On 34th Street 8. Scrooched 9. The Santa Claus 10. Santa Claus 2 11. It's A Wonderful Life 12. Rudolph The Rednose Reindeer 13. How The Grinch Stole Christmas Do you have any favorites I haven't listed here?

Thursday Thirteen: edition 29 - Things I Want For Christmas This Year

Here are Thirteen Things I want for Christmas this year: 1) An Ipod!!! 2) A new lap top 3) A new MP3 player 4) Ace Young's CD 5) David Archuletta's CD 6) A new watch 7) Earrings - especially big hoops 8) New dress shoes for work 9) New purse (mine really is about shot) 10) An electric blanket (I'd love one right now to make me toasty - my toes are chilly!) 11) A new bicycle (mine was stolen two Christmas's ago) :( 12) New roller blades - I swear I'll really use them this time (really) 13) And for at least one whimsical wish...A magic carpet to fly me wherever, whenever, I want to go. What do you want for Christmas this year? Don't forget..."Naughty Boys", my M/M Christmas story is available at: http://www.total-e-bound.com And on December 15th, my second Christmas story "Christmas Miracles" will also be released at: http://www.total-e-bound.com

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: edition 28 - 13 things for which I'm thankful

Happy Thanksgiving one and all!

Here is what I'm thankful for:

1. All of you, my friends and readers, here in blogger land

2. My family

3. My friends

4. My publishers, editors, cover artists, proof readers

5. My readers

6. My cats and dogs (part of my family)

7. The United States (my country)

8. My church

9. My employer and co-workers (day job)

10. My freedom

11. Jesus, Heavenly Father, and my salvation

12. The nourishing, tasty food we'll eat today (and every day)

13. My health

Bonus: I'm also thankful that "Naughty Boys", my M/M Christmas story is published and available at: http://www.total-e-bound.com

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: Edition 27 - Thanksgiving recipes

Thirteen Things about YOUR NAME 10.... 11..... Ham Florentine Mini-Cups by Pillsbury.com 12.... Slow-Cooked Garlic Mashed Potatoes at Pillsbury.com 13.... Easy Apple Pie from Pillsbury.com

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thursday Thirteen edition 26: Superman Trivia

Thirteen Things about Superman - trivia I adore Superman. I absolutely love him. Actually, it's Clark Kent I love. Heart be still... 1.... Superman's full Earth name is Clark Joseph Kent. 2....... The Jonathon, Martha, and Clark Kent lived on a ten acre farm in Smallville. She inherited it from her first husband, who had passed away. 3....... Clark Kent's favorite meal is Beef Bourguignon (with ketchup) 4....... On the black and white Superman TV show, the Superman costume was actually brown! 5....... Clark Kent met mermaid Lori Lemaris while a senior at Metropolis University. It's a long story, by the fell in love and almost got married! 6....... When Superman started out in the comics, he could only leap, not fly. (about 1/8 mile) 7....... Unless stated otherwise, Superman is always 29 years old in any given story. 8....... Clark and Superman part their hair parted on opposite sides, but the big difference is the forehead lock Superman has. 9....... Gold Kryptonite would take away Superman's powers forever, if he was exposed to it. 10..... White Kryptonite kills any type of plant life. 11..... The initials L. L. feature very prominently in Superman's life. Lana Lang was his boyhood girlfriend, Lois Lane is the love of his life, Lyla Lerrol was a super-hottie Kryptonian that he almost married, and of course, Lex Luthor is his worst enemy. 12...... Lois and Clark's first apartment's address is: Hyperion avenue. They got the place because Bruce Wayne owns it, and as a wedding present, he put Lois and Clark at the top of the tenants list, ensuring they got the home of their dreams. 13.... Robert Redford was offered the part of Superman in the 1978 movie version before Christopher Reeves took it.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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: edition 25 - 13 reasons I love November

Thirteen reasons I love November: 1. I'm a November baby and a Scorpio 2. Thanksgiving 3. Autumn leaves 4. Pumpkin pie 5. Cooler weather 6. Day after Thanksgiving Christmas sales 7. birthday parties 8. birthday cake 9. birthday presents 10. My next book "Naughty Boys" releases November 15, 2008 11. Thanksgiving Day Parades 12. The whole family gathers for Thanksgiving and my birthday 13. 4 day weekend from the day job!!!! 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: edition 25 - great dog Halloween costumes

Thirteen Doggy Halloween Costumes The pics are below this box. Enjoy! Have you ever dressed up your dog?

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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: edition 24- 13 ways to stay healthy

Thirteen Ways To Stay Healthy 1.... Always wear a seat belt. 2.... Dress right for the weather. 3.... Get plenty of exercise. 4.... Eat right. 5.... Eat plenty of vegetables. 6.... Always dry your hair before going outside. 7.... Stay away from too much caffeine. 8.... Take plenty of vacations. 9.... Use the bathroom regularly. 10.... Read to exercise your brain. 11.... Get your eyes checked regularly. 12.... Bathe regularly. 13.... Brush your teeth twice a day. Do all these things and you will be a happier, healthier person!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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: edition 23 - Sexercises

Thirteen SexercizesExercises to make sex easier and better :) 1.... PELVIC LIFT TO FIRM UP BUTTOCKS If you're worried about your wobbly bottom, this exercise targets buttock muscles. Pelvic lifts will also strengthen your lower back and work your abdominal region. How to do the exercise: Lie on your back with your legs bent at 90 degrees and place your feet hip-width apart. Your hands should be placed alongside your body. Breathe out and squeeze your buttocks together and lift your bottom and back in place. You should push off the floor with your shoulders, but leave your shoulders and head on the floor. Hold this position for several seconds. As you inhale, lower your hips and back towards the mat, without touching the floor. 2.... ADVANCED EXERCISE TO FIRM UP BUTTOCKS This is a similar exercise to the one above, but will work your buttock muscles even harder. How to do the exercise: Lie on your back with your legs bent at 90 degrees and place your feet hip-width apart. Your hands should be placed alongside your body. Now, rest your left ankle on the opposite knee. Keeping your other foot firmly on the floor, breathe out and lift your bottom and back off the floor. Push your hips towards the ceiling, while keeping your shoulders and head on the floor. As you lift your bottom off the floor, think about pulling your stomach in, clenching your buttocks and pushing your weight through your heels - rather than through the balls of your feet. As you breathe in, slowly lower your body towards the floor again. Now, rest your right ankle on your left knee and repeat the exercise. 3.... EXTERNAL OBLIQUES TO HELP BANISH LOVE HANDLES AND DEVELOP A WAIST To firm up love handles and develop a waist, include oblique lifts into your work out. Apart from working your buttocks and creating greater flexibility in your pelvic region, this exercise will help to strengthen your external obliques - the corset muscles that run round your the sides of your body, across your waist and to the top of your pelvis. After three months, this exercise should help to flatten your stomach. How to do the exercise: Lie down on a mat with your knees bent to one side so they are resting on the ground. Now, place your hands behind your head. As you exhale, pull your stomach in and lift your back and head off the floor. Make sure that you lift your upper body in a straight line - rather than to one side. Hold for one to two seconds before breathing in and lowering your body back towards the mat. 4.... PUSH UPS 5.... COWGIRL POSITION Shift your pelvis upwards using your glutes, hamstrings, abs, and pelvic muscles. 6 .... BUTT LIFTS Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Slowly raise your butt toward the ceiling as high as you can. Pause for two seconds and then slowly lower your butt to the floor. 7 .... BARBELLS Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and grasp the bar bell that is on the floor, positioned over your toes, and lift with an alternating grip. Slowly stand up, keeping the bar close to your body, until your legs and back are straight. When straight pause for a few seconds in that position. Then slowly lower the barbell to the floor. 8 .... DUMB BELLS Stand straight with a heavy dumb bell in each hand, arms hanging straight down at your side. With your back straight, slowly raise your shoulders as high as you can. Do not bend your arms. 9 .... PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES Squeeze and release the muscles 15 times. Don't hold the contraction. Start by doing one set of 15 squeezes twice a day. Concentrate on squeezing your pelvic floor muscles only, not your stomach and thighs. This will become easier with practice. 10 .... KEGEL 1 (for men) Exercise ASets: 3Quickly clench and release repeatedly for 10 seconds.Take a 10-second break between sets.Exercise BSets: 10Clench and release repeatedly for 5 seconds.Take a 5-second break between sets.Exercise CSets: 3Tighten and hold your PC muscle for 30 seconds.Take a 30 second break between sets. 11 .... CRUNCHES Lie down on your back with your knees bent. Cross your feet together and lift them off the ground so that they are parallel to the floor. With your hands on the back of your head or crossed against your chest lift your chest off the ground using your stomach. Be sure to focus on a spot on the ceiling to avoid straining your neck. Do three sets of twenty each. 12.... SLIDES Lie down on your back with your knees bent. Place your hands on the top of your thighs and slide them to the top of your knees, lifting your chest off the ground and using your stomach muscles. Slide your hands back down to your thighs. Do three sets of twenty each. Again, be sure to focus on a spot on the ceiling to avoid straining your neck. 13.... PRAYERS Lie down on your back with your knees bent and legs apart. With your hands in a prayer position push them through your legs, lifting your chest off the ground and using your stomach muscles. Do three sets of twenty each.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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: edition 22 - 13 words that start with "E"

Thirteen Things that start with the letter "E" (just in case I can't think of a better T13 - if we get hit by Hurricane Ike and I can't update this before) 1.... Elephant 2.... Eggnog 3.... Eggplant 4.... Eggs 5.... Eyes 6.... Ears 7.... electric 8.... email 9.... encyclopedia 10... education 11... eagle 12... Earth 13... Ebooks

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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: edition 21 - 13 things hurricanes do to make life miserable

Thirteen Things hurricanes do to make life miserable 1.... Tears down your house and/or employer! (so maybe no job!) 2.... Threatens your life 3.... Floods your neighborhood 4.... Brings tornadoes 5.... Rips up all the trees in your yard and maybe on your entire street 6.... Moves your roof to the street in front of your house 7.... Leaves you in the dark - for weeks or months 8.... Makes you wait in lots of LONG lines - for gas, food, and ice 9.... Makes you hot and sticky and stinky 10... Brings you closer to your neighbors (maybe the only plus - because you're all outside without TV or computers and because it's too hot to stay inside) 11... Closes the local parks for months or a year or more (the parks are last priority to clean up) 12... Brings out lots of mosquitoes (because of all the standing water). Sometimes snakes, too. 13... Perhaps floods your house * puts you out of touch with the rest of the world for awhile

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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 - edition 20: 13 things I had in the 1960s as a little girl

Thirteen fads from the 1960's when I was a little girl 1.... Go-Go boots 2.... peace signs 3.... Bell Bottom Pants 4.... mini skirts 5.... hot pants 6.... Smiley faces 7.... Love Beads 8.... record turntables with 45s and LPs (45s cost about 54 cents each) 9.... mood rings 10... flower power 11... Hippie beads 12... Bouffant Hairdos (my best friend L always teased her hair even though we were kids) 13... troll dolls (ugly little buggers)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Okay, I'm freaking out. Well, sorta kinda. The news just now said Hurricane Ike is predicted to be a cat 4 when it gets to Florida and my part of Florida is dead center in the cone of probability. Cat 2's and under don't phaze me a whole lot. Hey, we get a day or two off work and a little rain. Cat 3's concern me more, but not enough to tremble and run and hide except inside my house. But a cat 4... (our TV news shows a 4 before it reaches Florida.) Whoa! I can't afford to leave work early and fly home to Ohio, and I'd be scared to get caught in a car on the Florida peninsula as the storm could follow us up. But we may very well squeeze into a hurricane shelter. We did for Mitch years ago and it was miserable, but still better to be safe. Those places are hot and noisy and hard on the back. There's no privacy and people trip over you. People snore loud, and if the AC goes out, it's sweltering. But they still feel safer than being in my house which seems pretty flimsy. The kids ate the hurricane food (they were told to save it just in case - after Fay) and I don't get paid again for over a week. The only things they didn't get into is the water. Have you ever been in a cat 3 or 4 hurricane? If so, I don't need to go on. If not,a 3 wreaks havoc on the whole area by ripping up trees and throwing them around. It rips up a lot of roofs. It takes out most of the traffic signs and lights and drops the trees and live wires and roofs in the middle of the roads so that it's almost impossible to get around. It takes out electricity for days, even weeks. It makes it very difficult to get gas and food for days and even weeks. Every one is stinky, sweaty, dirty, and miserable. Any food in the freezer has to be grilled or goes bad. There's usually a curfew at dusk for the first month or so. But most buildings survive, although several have some minor to moderate damage. Life gets semi-back to normal in 1-3 months. But a cat 4... I've only been on the verge of one - Andrew in '92. It hit Miami and Homestead straight on. I was in the south part of Ft. Lauderdale so I was pretty close. But our area was more of a cat 2-3. But my friends down in Miami were traumatized. They thought the winds were going to suck them up into the sky. Their houses were shaking and being torn apart. They felt sure they were going to die. After the storm itself subsided, they were almost as scared as people were shooting guns and looting. Many, maybe even most of the buildings, were irreparably damaged or just leveled. Hardly any trees survived. Their area was torn up for at least a year, more like two or three years. Many people were left homeless. Many had to live in tent cities. Schools were out of session for many months. Many people moved up to our area or totally out of the area to find housing. It pushed up our housing prices and the prices never went back down, because of the housing crush. A cat 4 is like the end of life as you know it for a couple years. I'm mainly worried about my pets. I can't afford to board them. My younger daughter claims she won't go into a shelter or leave without them. I sure don't want to, and yet, that's how a lot of people die - refusing to leave their pets. There are very few pet friendly shelters and we don't have cages enough for all five cats and 2 dogs. A cage for the Husky, aka the horse, would probably cost a mint. Forgive me for not visiting my fellow bloggers yesterday (when I'm actually writing this). I'm not feeling like myself. It's part getting back on my depression meds, part getting over the bronchitis, part working extra hard at the day job, and part worrying about Ike. Or, who knows? I'm just tired. If it has to hit, why on a weekend? We're already out of work. We won't even get a day off. DD#2 just reminded me that she gets a hurricane for her birthday - again. Poor child. Guess I'd better buy the birthday cake early so we can take it with us to the shelter or at least have it while we're shut in.

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, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Thursday Thirteen: Edition 19 - Top 13 signs you're a lousy cook

Top 13 signs you're a lousy cook (I found the top 10 signs so I'm adding 3 to make it fit today's T13. Additionally, I'm counting down to 1 this week to be different.) 13. If the EPA requires that all your garbage cans be marked with large bright red "biohazard" symbols. 12. Your homemade bread loaf can be used as a door stop. 11. Your dog turns up his nose at your food when your kids try to sneak it to him under the table. 10. Your family heads for the dinner table when they hear the smoke detector. 9. Your kids know what "peas porridge in a pot nine days old" tastes like! 8. When your toddler goes outside to make mud pies, the rest of the family grabs forks and follows. 7. Your kids' favorite drinks are Alka-Seltzer and Pepto Bismal! 6. Your family is perpetually jealous of the delicious-looking food in Fido's bowl. 5. Your kids got even with the neighborhood bully by inviting him for dinner. 4. Your kids got suspended from school for smuggling toxic waste into the cafeteria. 3. Your husband refers to that smoke detector as the 'dinner bell'. 2. No matter what you do to it, the gravy still turns blue! And the SUREST SIGN you are a lousy cook... 1. You cause kitchen fires when making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Also, I was just tagged by Sandra Cox so here goes:

Tag rules: 1) Link to the person that tagged you. 2) Post the rules on your blog. 3) List six unspectacular quirks you have. 4) Tag six bloggers by linking them. 5) Leave a comment on each person's blog to let them know they've been tagged. My unspectacular quirks are: 1) I'm a list maker. I keep a million steno pads with lists of things to do, baby names (for my characters), story ideas, etc. 2) I want to try new restaurants but when we do, I'm afraid to try a new dish as I don't know if I'll like it and thus waste $. (courtesy of my hubby) 3) Instead of drinking coffee to get me going in the morning, I have to have a big Diet Coke (or Pepsi). EVERY DAY. 4) I hate crowds and I get very annoyed. 5) I only like very soggy french fries. (And I steal them from my kids and hubby.) 6) My bachelor's degree is in Accounting but I work as a customer service manager by day, and by night I'm an erotic romance writer.

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, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)