Missing the red pen

I just had the chance to use my writing/editing skills for the first time in 1.5 years. I loved it. I loved the challenge. I have always loved the making-the-pieces-fit feeling of knowing when you nailed it, made even sweeter when a supervisor tells you that you nailed it.
God, I miss all that. I feel like my thoughts are too many, too varied and too scattered to piece together any decent piece of writing anymore. I don't get much opportunity as it is. It's no longer one of my main duties at work. And editing ... well, I sigh when I think of the times I'd groan about having to edit boring wire stories. I miss that now.
Guess it's the same old tired cliche ... you don't know what you've got until it's gone.

Birthday blues

I just turned 35.
For some reason, saying "thirty-five," whether in my head or out loud, sounds so ... old. For me.
I always found it a cheesy cliche when people pretended to hate their birthdays and bemoan being another year older.
But this year, I get it.
As I've been told, I have a dark and brooding personality. It doesn't take much to put me into a completely black mood.
All these feelings that attached themselves to my 35th birthday have sent me into a black, introspective mood.
I don't feel like I am 35. But not in the good way. Shouldn't I be more mature, mentally and emotionally? Shouldn't I be more secure, stronger, more in control?
I feel like I smacked right into middle age. But I don't feel like I should be that old.
Maybe it's time for meds.

People Whose Names Begin With D Live Shorter Lives | The Frisky

People Whose Names Begin With D Live Shorter Lives The Frisky

As if I needed another reason to be pissy!

Save our libraries!

While today's story in the Reading Eagle about city budget cuts was alarming for many more important reasons (as far as public safety and people's livelihoods go), what cut me deepest was the axing of the $500,000 for the Reading Public Library system.
My children and I love the library. We go at least once a week; in the summer, it was more like 3 times a week. We go to a branch closer to our house, but I still love walking in the main branch on Fifth Street. It brings back many good memories of my childhood, and anytime I am surrounded by books, I am happy.

I know we are all struggling right now. But I just can't imagine not having our libraries. So I am thinking a small sacrifice will certainly be worth it.

I went to the Reading Public Library's site: http://www.reading.lib.pa.us/. I found their donations page: http://www.reading.lib.pa.us/donate.htm. It gives you a few options, but they also have a printable donations form here: http://www.reading.lib.pa.us/donation.pdf.

I just wanted to pass along the information in case anyone else would like to help out. Like I said, I know right now it's tough for everyone. But for me, I think the library is something that no one should have to go without.

Thanks for listening!! Enjoy your holiday.

Dana

If you need to be told ...

I am no longer the mushy-gushy girl I used to be. Everyone grows up and gets a bit more realistic eventually.

So when I see lists of suggestions given to men for how to make their 'women' feel special (or in this instance, how to make them 'swoon'), I can't help but feel that men shouldn't need to be told how to treat a woman. I am not bashing men here; I don't think women should need a handbook on how to make a man feel special either.


I feel like it's forced or faked if a man needs to heed suggestions from a magazine (especially a meathead mag like Men's Health --ugh ). I mean, check out some of these asinine ideas. Some aren't bad but sheesh. some are just stupid and/or insulting.

It really is the thought that counts ... but it's your OWN thought that counts. Not one borrowed from some narrow-minded space cadet magazine writer.

I'm Just Not Into It

Last night my husband and I did something that's become increasingly rare in our relationship … we watched a grown-up movie together. (Heh.)
From the clips I saw, "He's Just Not That Into You" looked pretty funny. Of course, I realize that's the general idea of a trailer and/or clips, to showcase the best parts of the movie.
It's more than 2 hours long, and you feel every minute of it after about the first hour. It had funny parts here and there, but they were overshadowed, in my opinion, by annoying character traits of half the cast.
At least not everything wrapped up neatly. I have to give the movie that. But I wouldn't recommend it as a great hit. It was OK. But I would rather have watched Ratatouille with our kids (again).

Get your motor runnin' ... head out on the highway

On my old blog, I wrote about the joys of finally experiencing a motorcycle ride.

That first ride lasted only about 20 minutes.

This past weekend, I had my second ride, nearly 2 hours in Ohio, winding through a metro park and whizzing by beautiful homes. I loved it!

I can see spending a few hours on the weekend with the wind in my hair, blowing around town.
It was one of the highlights of my amazing weekend in Ohio with good family friends.