I Don't Do Resolutions...

However, I have a few goals I'd like to try and accomplish this year.  I don't make resolutions because I usually end up breaking them and then I feel guilty.  I think it would be better to try to work towards a few goals that are reachable.

1.   Lose the weight I've gained due to meds and junk food (joining Weight Watchers Friday).

2.   Increase and improve my writing output.

3.   Try to participate in the January Blog Dare.

4.   Wii Fit at least twice a week.
 
5.   Get out of the house more during the week with friends.  I feel like I'm becoming a hermit.




I think those are doable goals.  Not too overwhelming (well, maybe the weight thing) and no hurry or stress.


Wish me luck!


Also, I recently had a story accepted to the online zine "Support the Little Guy.  I've also got a review going up on the site.  Link to follow when published!

Meet Me on Monday, 12/27/10

Once again, it's been a week since I posted.  But the craziness is finally done and so is the holiday stress.  Of course, I'm sure I'll find something else to stress about soon, but for now I'm in "aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh" mode.

I haven't gotten a lot of writing done, but hopefully it'll pick up now that the holidays are over.  I did write a review for a movie called Frozen, which was an edge-of-your-seat suspense movie.  I highly recommend this movie if you love being white-knuckled during a movie.  And make sure you're nice and warm when you watch it.

Here is the link for the review I wrote:  Frozen, Reviewed by Sheri White.

Onto the Monday questions:

1.  What are your New Year's Eve plans?

We're just staying in; ordering Chinese food and watching TV and hanging out.  Heaven!

2.  How tall are you?

I think I'm about 5'4"-1/2, which is why I'm starting Weight Watchers again on Friday; this extra weight (some from meds, some from junk food) shows too well.

3.  What is your favorite pudding flavor?

Any kind of chocolate!

4.  What room of the house do you blog the most in?

The living room - in my recliner with my heated blanket and the TV on.  Bliss.

5.  What is your best physical feature?

Right now my hair; I've grown to love my natural curls and they usually look pretty good!

Meet Me on Monday, 12/20/10

Been a while since I posted - the closer Christmas gets, the more overwhelmed and stressed I get.  I did get a book review done in case anybody is interested:

In The Mean Time by Paul Tremblay.

I enjoy Christmas when it's happening, but the days leading up to it leave me tired and stressed.  On Christmas night, after everyone has gone and the cleaning has been done, I love to sit in my recliner, watch TV and go "Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh."  Looking forward to that!

1.  What will your Christmas dinner consist of?

Turkey and stuffing are the main attractions; sides still to be decided.

2.  Do you watch commercials or flip through the channels?

I usually watch commercials because I mostly watch live TV.  Most I don't mind, but I will immediately mute the TV or change the channel when the Sarah MacLachlan animal shelter PSAs come on!

3.  How long will you leave your Christmas decorations up?

I'm Grinchy - if I weren't so tired Christmas night, they'd come down then!  It usually the day or two after Christmas if nobody protests.

4.  What movie makes you cry every time you watch it?

Steel Magnolia's, the funeral scene.  Every damn time.  I hate it (hate crying).

5.  Do you have a Facebook?

I admit, I'm addicted to Facebook!  You can find me here:  Sheri Jenkins White.

Meet Me on Monday, 12/13/10 + Other Stuff

First the other stuff:

Thanks to the newest followers who have left comments that I have been lazy about and haven't returned!  I do like comments; it's like getting mail that isn't bills.  I will also follow back.

My writing stuff is going great!  I had my second article published in our local paper last Thursday; Chris and I covered our town's annual tree lighting.  I thought it would be just the lighting ceremony, but it was actually services at the town's three churches then the lighting.  Quite an assignment for a couple of non-religious people!

My story "Morning" placed Honorable Mention in Necon E-Books November flash fiction contest.  You can read the story here.

You can read my review of the weird 80s movie "Liquid Sky" at ForgottenFlix.  I'm quite proud of it.

And my review of the 2007 horror movie "House of Fears" can be read at Xomba's horror channel.

I hope to hear more about other submissions soon.

1.  How do you order your steak?

Here's a picture of a steak I had a Longhorn a few months ago:

 

2.  Are you superstitious about anything?

I won't swear on the life of anybody I love, especially my kids.

3.  Who is your best friend (not including your spouse)?

Michelle!

4.  When is the last time your wore a dress (for the guys...a suit)?

I wear sundresses during the summer a lot, so not long ago.

5.  Do you have any trips scheduled?

My sister-in-law Holly and I are going to NYC on Friday to see this guy in concert:

Can't wait!

Sunday Stealing, 12/5/10

I was hoping to have some writing news to brag blog about, but I'm still waiting.  In the meantime, a picturesque Sunday Stealing.

1. The latest book or movie that made you cry?

2. The fictional character most like you?

3. The greatest album, ever?

4. Star Trek or Star Wars? Why?

5. Your ideal brain food?

6. Everyone is proud of a certain accomplishment, which one for you??

7. You want to be remembered for ...?

(A good mom)

8. Let's talk about recording artists. Who do you find the most inspirational?

9. The creative masterpiece you wish bore your signature?

10. Your hidden talents . . .?

11. The best piece of advice you actually followed?

Actually blanking on this one!

12. The best thing you ever bought, stole, or borrowed?

13. What is the most comfortable clothes that you wear?

14. Your dinner guest at the Ritz would be?

15. Time travel: where, when and why?

16. Stress management: hit man, spa vacation or Prozac?

17. Essential to life: coffee, vodka, cigarettes, chocolate, or . . .?

18. Environment of choice: city or country, and where on the map?

My own back yard.

19. What do you want to say to the leader of your country?

20. Last but certainly not least, what are you working on, now?

K and Me

Another one of MamaKat's weekly writing prompts inspired me today:

1.) Have you ever had a fight with a long time best friend and never made up? Do you think about her from time to time and think about contacting her? What would you say? What if it didn’t work out? What if it did?


Oh boy, do I have a story for that.  This is about a friend I'll just refer to as K.


K and I had been friends since freshman year of high school.  We weren't best friends during the high school years, but gradually grew closer in the years after graduation.  There was a group of us girls that hung out in high school (we went to an all-girls' Catholic school), but K was besties with M and my best friends were MB and J.  We had a lot of fun together, though, with slumber parties, dances and all the other stuff teen girls do.


All of us kept in touch after graduation, and most of us are still friends almost 30 years later.  K and I became best friends after my first marriage ended up divorce; since she was single and most of my other friends were married, we naturally gravitated towards each other.  She also became close to my parents and adored my little girl.


But then I met Chris and remarried.  Things seemed to change then.  K still wasn't married and didn't have any children.  The relationships she did have were disastrous, and one of them made me extremely uncomfortable.  There was one time we met her and her boyfriend at a baseball game, and she told him some personal stuff I had done in high school right in front of Chris and me.  I couldn't believe it.


I started feeling uncomfortable with K and sometimes betrayed by her.  By this time she had become very close to not only my parents, but my extended family as well.  She practically considered herself a member of my family, to the point of my feeling left out at times.  One year she had a Christmas party and invited everybody in my family - except me.  I found out later when she "accidentally" let it drop.  She at least had the decency to act embarrassed, as did my mom.  But I was hurt.


There are many more examples, but the final nail in the coffin of our relationship was five years ago.  Our mutual friend J, my best friend back in high school, was in town with her newly-adopted daughter.  I hadn't seen J in years - she lived in California and missed and still miss her terribly - and I didn't know she was coming to town.  No, I didn't find out until once again, K "accidentally" mentioned that she had seen J and her beautiful daughter and had a wonderful time together.  I still don't know why J didn't let me know herself, but K knew for a while this was coming and purposely excluded me from this rare opportunity. 


The night K let this information slip, we were at my parents' for dinner, so I couldn't really say or do anything about it without making everyone else uncomfortable.  I called her on it a few days later, and her comment was "Why shouldn't I let you know I had seen a friend?" No remorse.  No acknowledgement that maybe I could've been hurt by this. But I was absolutely devastated.  K actually broke my heart.  Not even my divorce had hurt as much.


So to answer the prompt, do I think about her?  Not really.  I did for a while; I obsessed over what I say to her about how badly she hurt me, but I never got the opportunity.  I had told her in an email never to call me again, and I certainly wasn't going to call her.  So that answers the second question in the prompt, would I contact her?  No.  She treated me shabbily for a long time, but since I didn't have very many friends at the time, I just took it.  Now I have many friends, and a best friend I love and trust very much.  


I imagine K and I will run into each other at some point; we share too many friends not to.  Plus she's still friends with my parents, which, I admit, bothers me a lot.  My mom knows how badly I was hurt; why stay friends with K after that?  But it's none of my business.  My mom can pick her own friends.


If I do run into K, I will be polite, but I will not be friendly.  She crossed a major line and unfortunately, I'm the type of person who can and will hold a grudge for a very long time.  I still can't forgive her for that last straw, and I doubt I ever will.