Have you cut back on anything because of rising costs?

Have you cut back on anything because of rising costs? Almost everybody I know has. At least a little. My last tank of gas cost $70! Eek!

Usually a tank of gas only lasts me only one week. I’ve been making it last two weeks lately. Of course, it’s summer and the daughter is taking the summer off softball so I don’t have to run to the neighboring cities several days a week. I hardly turn on my AC in the van this summer even thought it’s hot. Unless it’s sweltering, I roll down the windows and bear the heat. My van guzzles gas when I use the AC. I used to go to a lot of movies. I love the movie experience. I didn’t go to any for months. Actually, lately, I’ve seen a few again, but not as many as I used to.

I’ve always tried to save $ on groceries. I hardly ever buy steak and we eat a lot of chicken and vegies and soup. I was bad at eating out a lot for lunch. Lunch is a big part of my socialization. That’s when I get together with my work friends, even my church friends. But lately, my work friends and I have been eating in the lunch room a lot more. So far, I’ve not bought school supplies or clothes for the kids. I’ll have to start soon.

I've practically forgotten what a pedicure or manicure is. My brows are getting downright furry and soon I'll get the German unibrow back. Okay, so I'll take pity on everyone and get my brows done at the mall tomorrow. I'd probably get the pedicure, too, but hubby lost (or got ripped off) $500 last weekend when he paid the umpires for the tournament. He thinks he was pick-pocketed or that he paid out too much to somebody that hasn't admitted it and given it back, so we're short $ we counted on.

I'm also having to take turns using the daughters' computer as I don't have the $ to buy a new one. I couldn't wrestle it or bribe it away from DD#1 last night to even check email much less blog or more importantly, do my EC edit. What, if anything, are you doing to cut back? Are you worried about rising costs?

Great unanswered questions of the Universe

I've been pondering the great questions of the Universe. Please feel free to add to the list or to make comments. First, why doesn't Starburst make bags of Starburst candies in one flavor only? I love the strawberry Starburst and I can tolerate the orange and red, but I HATE the lemon Starbursts. I would buy so much more Starbursts if only I could get all strawberry. What's so hard about that? Huh? Starburst Corporation, take a hint! PornfortheBlind.org - Huh? You know that ".org" means the entity is a non-profit as in a charitable organization, right? Since when is giving someone porn charitable? I am an erotic romance writer, but it's for fun. I never thought of it as charitable. My day job is for charity, to feed, clothe, educate, and house people. I had to shake my head and laugh my ass off when I saw this in Scarlet Magazine. BTW, Scarlet magazine is extremely interesting and I think I'm going to sign up for a subscription. Also btw, my short story "Sticky Wicket" which Scarlet entitles "Male Shot" is published in the July 2008 issue of Scarlet Magazine. It's also posted for free reading on the TEB website. Why won't my insurance company not allow me to have ear surgery that I need to stay working in my day job and remain a productive member of society? I mean, once my hearing gets so bad I can't work in customer service or on a phone or with the public, I'll have to go on public assistance. How will that help anybody??? What are they thinking??? Oi!!! Why do husbands think they own the remote control? Why do they think it's okay for them to watch things on TV we hate but that we shouldn't make them watch things we like that they hate? If marriage is supposed to be 50/50, why do they think they're supposed to get control of the TV 99% of the time? Or 100%???? Why are gas and grocery prices getting so high? Is it like Scarlet Magazine suggests in their July 08 issue that wealthy UK bankers gave risky credit to US trailer park poor people to buy brick & mortar houses and when those people let the houses go into foreclosure, the world economy went into a tailspin? What about the greedy Middle East oil barrons? Don't they play a part??? And why aren't we using air cars? See my post last week. Why does my son's job give their long-time employees only 5-10 hours work a week and then hire new employees to do the same job??? Why does lightning strike more in Florida than anywhere else in the world? When is Florida going to drop into the ocean? Why did my builder give us such teensy tiny closets? If Captain Kirk (Star Trek) was such a ladies man, how come we were only ever shown one of his children? (David from the second or third Star Trek movie - Genesis, I think.) Surely he had more??? Where are the Vulcans and why haven't they shown their faces yet? Why do men still earn more than women for the same jobs at many companies? Why do drivers think tailgating will make people go faster? (Personally, I slow down to give even more space between my car and the one in front of me so as not to cause a chain reaction and also to piss off the person behind me who is pissing me off.)

Insert Sex Scene Here

I just read on Barbara Vey's blog about this incendiary article at Publisher's Weekly: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnB1Ymxpc2hlcnN3ZWVrbHkuY29tL2Jsb2cvODgwMDAwMjg4L3Bvc3QvNDYwMDI4MjQ2Lmh0bWw= The essence of the poll is okay, but the way they say it is meant to insult. 1. Yes, yes, yes! Bodice-rippers are my ultimate escape. 2. No way. I don't touch those books. 3. Sometimes while on vacation at the beach.

I cast my vote "YES!". I read romance and I'm damned proud of it. Ditto to writing it.

Whatever your vote, Vote here...it's the American way!

I'm sure you get this. I imagine we're all feeling this way.

How high will gas prices go?

This is a question for my fellow erotic romance writers.

How often do you write a story where you go back and add the sex scenes? Do you make a note to yourself to “insert sex scene here” or do you muddle through the scenes even if you don’t feel inspired to write hot sex at that moment?

Or do you do something to get into the mood? Jump your hubby? Watch a hot flick? Read an erotic novel?

Does the inspiration for sex elude you very often?

I ask because in my wip I just did this. Does this make me a fraud? I’ve been accused on more than one occasion of writing a lot of story around my erotic romance. Not that it’s a bad thing. I like a meaty story. But if that particular story is marketed as an “erotic romance” and published by an “erotic romance publisher”, then it’s required to be really damned hot, right?

I doubt I’m the only one to go back and add scenes, sexy or otherwise. But it’s a good reality check to touch base with other writers.

I hope this doesn’t disenchant any of my readers. My goal is not only to write a meaty story, but a sexy, romantic one.

I just watched the fourth Indiana Jones movie for the THIRD time. Yep, you read that right. First time was with DH. The second time was with my dad in Cincinnati. Today, I took DD#2 to see it. And I loved it just as much as the first time. Damn, but it’s not only action-packed and fun, but it’s romantic. You know I’m a sucker for romance. It’s the best sequel of the bunch, maybe even better than the original. My goal is to make my books so romantic, so fun, and my heroes to be as sexy and wonderful as Indy.

Would I want to marry an Indiana Jones? An alpha that has trouble expressing his feelings and keeping the love of his life waiting so many years?

NO!!!

I think I married an alpha and in real life, but I’d rather have a cuddly beta that helps with the housework and dotes on me. Still, Indiana Jones is fun to dream about for a couple hours. Hopefully, the heroes I create and offer to my readers will be as dreamy. I keep trying. :)

The video below was voted as the best commercial in Europe. God, some days I feel like this dad.

Outrageous Prices - It's getting tough to support the family

Oy!

I just got paid today by my day job and between the electric, water, gas, and food, I'm almost broke. And there's two weeks till the next payday. Then I help hubby pay the mortgage.

I got this suggestion at work today, and I'm seriously thinking about using it. I mean, it's now $60.00 a tank of gas for my van and that lasts a week.




When I started driving, gas cost around 60 cents a gallon. And my parents were complaining about the inflationary price of gas then. That was in the mid '70s.



I went to buy meat at Publix (a big grocery store chain in Florida where my son Keith also works) and I hardly purchased any. I'll see if Walmart's prices are any better tomorrow.




I see I need to write write write just to feed the family.

Oh! And I think I'm sending the kids outdoors to sell lemonade on the street.