Iris Chang, Inspiration and Girl Crushes

I told you I had a lot to say! First let's start with Iris Chang. I wrote about her a while back on this blog. (http://shoegirlcorner.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_shoegirlcorner_archive.html) I thought about her again the other day and it made me look up the Salon.com article once more to read about her and how she always aspired for greatness.

If you want to read the eulogy go here. http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature/2004/11/30/iris_chang/index.html You'll see what I mean.

I love this eulogy. So much so that I looked up the author Paula Kamen and I e-mailed her a note telling her how much I enjoyed it. I received such a nice note in response. She tells me that she's working on a book about Iris Chang and that my words had inspired her too! Isn't that great? I think this is so important! I think it's so beautiful when we as human beings inspire and encourage one another.

My girlfriend who lives in Spain tells me in an e-mail today that she reads my blog every time she logs on and she missed me the week I didn't post. THANK YOU!! That inspires me! Another girlfriend here in Houston reads me daily and comments. I love to hear that! My cousin writes and tells me that when she reads my words she feels like she's sitting in my kitchen talking to me. THANK YOU! I need to hear those words.

Okay, last but not least. The very interesting topic of Girl Crushes. I just learned this term this week. I was reading Alisa Valdes Rodriguez's blog and I see my beautiful city's skyline. She's writing a new book entitled Girl Crush and it's set in Houston! My Houston! (I love Houston by the way!) I was so excited that she chose Houston but I was also intrigued by this phenomenon called girl crushes. http://alisavaldesrodriguez.blogspot.com/

It's not what it sounds like. It's actually very common and many of us are familiar with this feeling. It's that feeling we get when we meet a really cool girl and we feel this attraction to her like we want to be her friend or we want to get to know her better. It's not a sexual attraction, it's a girl attraction. I thought about it and I have had a very long running girl crush on Sarah Jessica Parker. I just love her, I don't know why.

My friend commented on Alisa's blog and said she had read an article on girl crushes in the New York Times. She sent me the link. Very interesting article. Check it out soon before they take it down completely. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/11/fashion/thursdaystyles/11CRUSH.html?incamp=article_popular.

One last last thing. For real now! I was at CVS Pharmacy buying printer paper after walking today and I saw something for the second time that I just love. I saw one of Amy Tan's books being sold in Spanish. It was The Bonesetter's Daughter but it's called La Hija del Curandero in Spanish. Very Cool! CVS is doing their part to encourage literacy among Hispanics.

Too Many Random Thoughts

I have a lot to say today so hold on. First off, this girl who doesn't have e-mail asked me to send out an e-mail to various friends from our congregation (from my religion for those of you who don't know the JW lingo) to see if we could get a walking club going. I did this and 3 people replied. I went today and granted today was the first day, but no one showed up, not even the girl who asked me to organize this group. I hadn't realized that it's getting dark earlier (already!) so I had to stop after only 25 minutes because it was dark at 8:30. That's what I did tonight. I walked alone with the 2 kids. Miranda was upset because she wanted to play in the playground but it was too dark and I got a scared feeling so I followed my instincts. I just hope that the people who expressed an interest in walking can join us next week.

Earlier today I had a hilarious time because I went to take pictures of the kids and I didn't take my own advice. I recently advised someone with a new 2nd baby for her not to try and take photos of both kids together and then separately on the same day. I told her to do one or the other. I, being the procrastinator that I am, never took the kids for their pictures when Miranda turned 4 and Seth 1. He's 15 months now and I barely took them today.

I did baby boy first because these are his 1 year old pictures and he's already been shafted like the second child and hasn't had as many pictures taken of him. His pictures came out great and he was in a great picture taking mood. Miranda on the other hand, took some great photos when it was just her but when it came time to take the one of both of them, forget it! She was so unruly and did not want to cooperate. There were a couple of times that we could have gotten some wonderful shots of him kissing her and all she had to do was smile and instead she was making faces and the whole thing. I ended up so frustrated and we never got any photos of the 2 of them together. We'll have to leave those to another date and sitting. Maybe next month...

The good thing was I took a semi-half day off because I worked until 2:30 but I got a lot done at work today.

New O Mag

This is by no means an ad for O Magazine, although that's not a bad idea. I should start collecting ad revenue from Target and Oprah. I love Oprah! I just do. And I love her magazine.

The September issue deals with "Getting Unstuck." Oh how I can relate to that topic! Oprah is asking on the cover, "What's Next for You?"

I read the article already knowing the answers and knowing that I need to do what I need to do to do what truly makes me happy. I read about a neurosurgeon who really wanted to be a portrait photographer! How hilarious is that!? So at 40 she took the pay cut, as did her family, so that she could be truly happy.

I brought my laptop to work today and I wrote during lunch. I know I can’t quit my job but I sure can write a book and get published while I still have a job. Back to work!

A Week Without Words

Okay, I'm being melodramatic. I may have not posted here in over a week but I haven't had a week without words. I had a "Private Book Preview" for some friends on Saturday. It was really nice to read some of my material from my novel to them to get feedback and a sense for if I'm on the right path. I like to know if my stories are "sellable."

A few months ago when I read at the Nuestra Palabra showcase there was an author that doesn't like that approach. She prefers to write in solitude and she doesn't let anyone read her words while she writes. In fact, she advised us all not to read our works in progress. I used to think I would feel this way too. Actually, I did in the early days of writing, but not now.

I take pleasure in reading my words to others and watching their faces while I read. I look at them to see if they look interested or bored. Reading aloud gives me a feel for the words and how they flow.

I've read in public a few times now and I like the feedback I get. However I can't really see the people's faces from a stage. In this smaller setting, like my dining room table, I could really see their expressions and their interest.

I appreciated the friends who made the time to come and hear my words and encourage me to keep writing. They said that I was definitely on the right path to writing a book that would be interesting, but specifically to women. Of course I knew that.

One more note! Two months to the day until the CRUISE!!!

I Love Target

First of all, I love Target but Target is a dangerous place. Everytime I would pick up something new and I'd throw it in my stroller I'd tell Miranda, "Let's get out of here before I get in trouble." She was puzzled by why I would say this and I had to explain to her that I'd get in trouble with myself for spending too much money. I still don't think she understood but she was a really good sport about putting up 2 things she really didn't need for 2 things she really wanted. She ended up with a sleeping bag she's been wanting and a ballet outfit for the ballet classes she's starting this fall. (Which reminds me! I need to find the application form and I need to go by the school to check them out.) I found a really cute light blue workout outfit in my size and my size I mean length too. I'm so short that most pants are too long. I got the pants with the matching hoodie for the fall. Very cute. Rey asked me if I want to look like Oprah.

I'm actually up early. I've been up since 8. I was reading some stuff online and now I'm making Chorizo con Huevo for breakfast. It's Sunday, the one day a week I eat a bad breakfast. I'm not eating until after I come back from walking. After breakfast I'm off to get a pedicure that I really need and then home to write a talk (speech kinda) for tomorrow's meeting. Busy morning because I have a meeting today at 4 too.