Jen Bluekissed

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-11-12T13:05:00.000-06:00

Warm Fall days

Singing

A schedule that works out

Harmony

As Seen on TV products that always seem too good to be true

Leaves falling from trees

Surprises

Seeing someone else rejoice

Time without hearing or seeing my cell phone

Answers

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-10-23T14:13:00.000-05:00

Lazy Sundays, even when I should be doing other things

Finding objects I have been looking for. I recently found a bottle of shampoo, a bottle of conditioner, a bottle of spray gel, and a stick of deodorant. They were new, and I had been looking for them for months.

A good camera shot

Making up hours at work and then relaxing afterward

Using a coffee pot that we had previously laid to rest and thought would be buried

Funny commercials

The changing landscape with the changing of seasons

Finding more checks when I thought I was on my last book

Hearing that someone I know found a job

The moment a muscle cramp ends

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-10-20T16:34:00.000-05:00

Wide open spaces

Weeping Willows

Celebrating life

Diet, caffeine free pop

Clean water

A warm bed, waiting for me at home after taking a long trip

Well behaved children

Scarecrows

Sparrows

Corn stalks at harvest

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-10-16T21:45:00.000-05:00

Cardinals post-season baseball

Sizzling food being cooked

85 degree weather in mid October

Butterflies

Seeing the fall colors on my afternoon walk

Looking forward to a motivational conference that I'll be able to attend tomorrow

Finding the error in my checkbook register

Having a bad hair day and getting to blame it on the breezy day

Playing with my new camera

The glistening off of water

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-10-11T06:44:00.000-05:00

Forgiveness

Compassion

Post-season baseball when the Cardinals are playing

Quiet time

Low stress days

When meds kick in

A good workout

Tractors

Autumn breezes before it gets too too chilly

Chocolate mouse pie

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-09-30T06:21:00.000-05:00

Fridays

Saturdays

Sundays

Structure

The right dose of medication and my body responding accordingly

Good doctors

Figuring out how to do something new

Opening a new container of butter/margarine and putting the knife into it for the first time

Songbirds

Energy

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-08-24T06:14:00.000-05:00

Sleeping in

Half and half

Disco music

My mother's cookies and looking forward to them a few times per year

Songbirds in the morning

The humor of close friends

Staying awake through a whole movie

Social safety nets, even though they are flawed

That no one died in the 5.8 mag. quake yesterday in VA

A good set of lungs in a musician

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-08-23T06:09:00.000-05:00

Flannel pants

The moment when I am in bed and I know I'll have a good night's sleep and won't toss and turn

The prospect of getting home before the traffic rush

Envelopes with pull strips so I don't have to lick them closed

Fun postage stamps

Stickers

Seeing other people succeed

Colorful skies

4 day weekends

Nicely ripe bananas

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-08-08T05:51:00.000-05:00

Lazy days

Productive days

Uninterrupted days

Days interrupted by people who care and want to talk with me

Fast days (Mondays in particular)

Slow days (Saturday and Sunday)

Boring days (Nothing is going wrong on a boring day)

Fun days (Gotta have a little fun now and then)

Work days (Yay for having a job!)

Non-work days (Yay for working in a place that gives me time off!)

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-08-03T22:10:00.000-05:00

Air conditioning when it is 109 degrees outside

Blank greeting cards with great pictures on the front

Clouds

The moment the temperature is correct when adjusting the hot/cold to take a shower

My co-worker coming back from a leave of absence

Realizing I'm losing a touch of my Midwestern accent. Just a touch

Caramel

Cookies from my sister-in-law and her family

Cleaning out car, somewhat

A reliable car

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-08-01T22:05:00.000-05:00

Sweetcorn (on the cob)

Toothpicks/floss after sweetcorn on the cob

Pineapple

Sunsets

Realizing the deadline is one day later than I had originally thought

Making plans and then fulfilling them

Wild rice

Sleeping all the way through the night

Remembering to breathe

Looking forward to tomorrow

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-07-29T06:12:00.000-05:00

Simplicity for simplicity's sake

Birthday dinners (yesterday was my husband's birthday)

YouTube

Veggie Tales

Non-lick envelopes

Relief after a heavy sneezing session

People asking if you're ok

Masking Tape for garage sales

Grapefruit juice and how it makes me pucker

Finding that one, special book in a bookstore that you were meant to take home with you

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-07-28T06:13:00.000-05:00

Birthdays (my hubby's)

Little accordions

Finding a sunset and watching the whole thing

Stealing a hug, a kiss, and a nose rub

Friendship, even when it hurts

Got MRI reports

Faithfulness

Pictures of joys

Singing

The moment the AC blows cool air on a hot day after getting into my hot car.

And an image that makes me smile:

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-07-25T06:15:00.000-05:00

Prayers

Rosary beads when they click

Tortilla chips

Bills paid on time

Fuzzy socks

A good book mark

Typing after trimming my fingernails. Feeling the keyboard is a good thing :-)

Kind words

The Hairbrush song from VeggieTales

Carved canes and walking sticks

Hands: A Preview

2011-07-18T22:22:00.000-05:00

I
I am of the earth but I do not remember being a part of it, for I awoke one day as a block of clay, as I am now. I am happy to be a block of clay. I am whole. I am solid. I am firm. I know what I am, and I am content with my lot. I have been dug out of the earth to breathe the air and exist in the dark, quiet room.

II
Light floods my eyes. It is the first time I have seen. His hands are on me, taking me to a place do not know, and I am afraid. I cannot keep my eyes open, for there is too much light at first. At first.

At first, I panic.

"Where are you taking me, Hands?"

His hands do not speak. Instead, they hold me.

We travel together to a different place. It is another one I do not know. It is dimmer here. It is fresh here. It is clean here, but it smells of me. Of clay.

I am afraid.

"Hands, what is this place?"

His hands do not speak.

I am being violated now. His hands touch me. Everywhere. Water bathes me, and I am slimy, filthy, and not myself. I am being handled, smoothed, and cut.

"Hands, please don't do this."

His hands do not speak.

"Oh, no. No. Not the wire. Do not cut me with the wire. I will do whatever you ask, Hands, but please do not cut me again with that horrible wire."

His hands do not speak.

I am cut into pieces with the wire until I am but a fraction of what I once was. I hate the Hands for hurting me.

III

His hands take me to the center of the room. I am again violated. I am spun until I am so dizzy that I cannot focus on anything.

"Hands, why are you doing this to me?"

Rather than being solid and firm, I am now hollowed out. His hands have touched every part of me, and I am sure the Hands are finished abusing me.

"Hands, what is that metal thing?"

His hands do not speak.

Unlike the wire, this metal does not slice through me completely, but it might as well. His Hands dig the metal into the outside of me, the entire outside of me, until I can stand it no longer.

"Hands, please don't do this any longer. This metal..."

I pause because he is hurting me so badly with the metal that I have a difficult time speaking.

"This metal that you dig into my sides is unbearable. I do not bleed, for I am Clay, but if I could bleed from this, I would surely have no blood left from all that you are doing to me. Why are you digging these hurtful scars into my sides? Don't you care that you're hurting me?"

His Hands speak. "Patience. I am almost finished with this part."

I cry out, unable to take anymore. His hands have a voice, yet he has been silent as I have begged him to stop hurting me? How could the Hands listen to me and say nothing all this time?

"With this part? Hands, tell me. Please tell me that you don't mean to hurt me any longer." There cannot be another part. I cannot bear there to be another part. I don't understand how the Hands can willfully continue to hurt me. I hate his Hands for hurting me.

IV

His Hands finish with the metal scarring tool. They now paint me from top to bottom and then also on the inside where I have been hollowed. The brush tickles while it is inside my hollowed part. When it is on the outside and painting many colors onto my sides, I do not feel the brush. When the paint seeps into where I have fresh scars, I cry out. The paint burns me.

"Hands, please stop painting. Don't you realize how badly I am hurting? If you understood, surely you wouldn't continue to do these things to me."

His hands do not speak.

"Why aren't you answering me, Hands? I'm speaking to you. I know you can hear me and that you can answer me."
I hate the Hands for hurting me, but I hate them more for staying silent when I know they can speak and at least explain why they are hurting me.

His hands dip a new brush into another color and continue painting me. One of the Hands holds onto and caresses me lightly inside, where I am hollowed. Where the Hand holds me, the paint smudges a little. The other one of the Hands holds the brush and paints the new color on my outside.

His Hands are finished with the brush and paint. Finally, I am finished.

But I am wrong. I am far from finished.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-07-05T19:45:00.002-05:00

Not having to dip feathers into ink in order to be able to write

Remembering that there are things I can do that one day I may not be able to do

The scent of gunpowder after fireworks explode

Friendship

Severing ties to people who behave routinely in negative ways

Playing favorites. My hubby is my favorite for sure :-)

The shiver after eating unsweetened grapefruit

Wondering what a handwriting expert would say about my script

Hot air balloons

Finger puppets

Words on Happiness Volume II

2011-06-26T21:12:00.001-05:00

Coming soon... (Hopefully by week's end)

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-06-23T20:01:00.002-05:00

Baby pictures

Pulpy orange juice

Properly fitting socks

New batteries

The moment sleep arrives

Devoted friends

Wooden blocks

Anniversaries

Polka dots

Seeing goodness where I didn't expect it

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-05-28T09:35:00.002-05:00

Finally getting sleep

Knowing I can relax soon, that things are about to fall into place

Huge sunsets in the American West

Hilly, vast sets of trees in TN

Tender loving care

A 3 day weekend

Knowing a family member is ok after surgery

Accepting the fact that I can do my best and not an ounce more

Snails

A quiet walk

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-04-03T10:07:00.003-05:00

Knowing my friends have had safe travels

Good jelly beans around Easter

Lazy Sundays

Fantasizing that all my laundry for the weekend is already done

The red stapler in the movie Office Space

The $3 car wash

Paper airplanes

Animal Planet

Fire fighters

An efficient mail system. I know the word efficient is a relative term, but compared to other countries, we have a great mail system in the US.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-30T20:56:00.002-05:00

Working out with the trainer at the gym

Gingerbread men

Drawing my own cartoons

The first gulp of water when I'm really thirsty

Skeleton keys

Colored paper

Mannequins with goofy expressions

Origami (I don't make it, but just to look at it that other people have done)

Pepper jack cheese

Remembering Jolt pop/soda

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-29T21:52:00.002-05:00

Heart to heart talks and knowing the person on the other end will just accept what I've said rather than walking away or blanching at me

Authenticity

Goofy people

The moment feedback near speakers ends

Finding out yesterday my neighbors had a fire and that it wasn't a bad fire (and didn't spread to our place--I live in a townhouse)

Helping others learn how to do things

Creativity in all forms, even if it's just for my own amusement

Randomness

Curly haired people. Gotta have solidarity somehow.

Sand dollars

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-28T19:56:00.002-05:00

Learning that I had totally and in every way misjudged why somebody was doing something that annoyed the crap out of me today. Totally my bad.

The moment right before I use up a brand new ball point pen because I've been writing letters for the past week with the same pen.

Raisin Nut Bran cereal

The singer in a group who is completely tone deaf

Cross stitches that it seems like half the US populate has or their mother has hanging somewhere in the house.

Gift giving over the Internet

A good set of tweezers

My very understanding boss

Not falling asleep behind the wheel today

My asthma inhaler

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-27T09:24:00.002-05:00

Having a clipboard when I need one

Suitcases with wheels. Watching old movies in which everyone has to carry theirs.

Having a decent passport picture this time around

That my co-worker is antagonizing our Indian colleagues over the upcoming India/Pakistan cricket match. Methinks they'll give him his due sometime in an unexpected way during an unexpected time.

Finding excuses to buy new stationary

Hearing my dad had a successful auction and sold the antiques/collectibles he wanted to sell that he's been accumulating for years in his den.

Having my cell phone charger when I need it.

Unsweetened grapefruit juice. Sometimes I like to taste the sour in order to appreciate the sweet.

The fancy spare tire holders on the outside of expensive RVs. I always wonder how old the tires are inside and hope the owners check them periodically for rot.

Elf ears

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-26T12:38:00.002-05:00

Making it to the post office before they closed for the day

Finding the lid to my coffee mug so I could drink coffee while heading to the post office 10 minutes before it closed.

The whole wheat waffles I'm going to make tonight for supper and 100% real maple syrup I'm going to have with them.

Time for reflection on things I didn't want to have to think about but have been forced to. Self honesty is such a hard thing sometimes, but necessary.

Wearing sandals and forgoing socks for many warm months to come

Holding that special someone close all night. Gotta love my hubby :)

Feeling my feelings rather than pushing them away when I don't want to feel them

Victoria's Secret sales

Dogwoods blooming and birds chirping in their branches

A good night's sleep in fuzzy PJs

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-25T23:54:00.003-05:00

Newly sharpened pencils

When the storm ends and a rainbow decides to show up

Purses big enough for a the stuff I always carry around. Almost to the point of having two computers with me at all times.

Yard sales when I'm not looking for yard sales, especially when I have spare change in my cup holder.

Cheese pizza on Friday's of Lent

Looking forward to sleeping in a little tomorrow

Writing a long letter to a friend

Animated mice

Remembering the first time I went roller skating and how bruised I was afterward

Listening to cassette tapes of myself as a little kid. I apparently broke into song at random times all the time as I child, much more so than my husband admits to doing as a child. I'm taking this comparison with a grain of salt.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-23T21:55:00.004-05:00

Blue potato chips

Nice smelling shampoo

Gummy bears

Cashing checks I wasn't expecting

Receiving a card or letter in the mail when I wasn't expecting one

Cadbury Eggs

Reference books with logs of pictures

Remembering those old copies that were purple and had to be cranked out by hand

Watching someone nod off at work and then jerk awake when the phone rings

Bib overalls.

Words on Happiness Volume I

2011-03-20T21:25:00.003-05:00

Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

Blurb:

This short book explores tips for happiness. Happiness here is not defined as enjoyment, pleasure, or warm fuzzies. Instead, happiness is the realization that life provides times of laughter, joy, and solace. But, it also provides times of neutrality, pain, and battle. Sometimes the battle scars are so deep that we should rightfully not have survived to tell our stories. Happiness is the acceptance of all these times and the courage to live through them.

Excerpt:

Walk in the other guy's shoes. Before you do, sanitize them so you don't get foot fungus. After you've walked a mile in them, give them back, and respect that he might not be willing to walk in yours yet.

Give of yourself. When you die, what you've held back will be forgotten, but what you've given will be remembered by all those whose lives you've touched.

Most people act out of a desire to have their wants and needs met. They do not act out of vengeance or specifically to hurt you. If you are hurt in the process, realize that it's probably easier for the them to ignore the pain you're feeling than to deal with their own issues.

When you speak softly and carry a big stick, try not to do so in the house of someone who keeps a loaded pistol near his/her bedside.

When upset, make sure to tell the people you're talking with afterward whether or not you're looking to vent your frustration or for them to help you fix your problem. Your friends need guidance for when to listen and when to speak.

Deliver the goods you've promised. If you can't, chocolate always helps to smooth things over.

Keep your sense of awe and wonderment.

Spend time near flowering trees.

Root for the underdog, but don't necessarily place a bet on them with anything other than Monopoly money.

Hold your friends close, your enemies closer, and your family closest.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-18T06:09:00.004-05:00

--Fridays

--Caramel apples

--Patient people

--Reliable wireless Internet

--Remembering penny candy

--Peppermint Patties

--Snoopy

--New clothes

--Old clothes (I love garage sales, Goodwill, etc.)

--The look on someone else's face when biting into something sour

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-17T18:40:00.002-05:00

Babies blowing bubbles

Sparkles/glitter on clothing

S'mores

100% real maple syrup

Duct tape

Watermelon

The first robin of Spring

Fun underwear

Watching a little girl catch the bouquet at a wedding

80s sitcoms

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-03-05T18:12:00.002-06:00

--Coffee shops that stay open til midnight (Wired in Hendersonville)

--Finishing a big project

--Being able to just joke around and be goofy

--Freshly squeezed orange juice

--50% off day at Goodwill

--When my allergies are manageable

--Pandas

--Washing my hands after they're sticky like after putting jam on toast

--Vacations

--Day Dreaming

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-01-30T21:31:00.003-06:00

--coco covered almonds

--having a productive weekend

--GIMP software

--having a headache-free day for the first time in three weeks

--remembering to plug my cell phone in at night

--coupons

--cleaning out the lint trap (I have no idea why this makes me smile, but it does)

--the carbonation in pop/soda

--Pebbles and Bam Bam

--four leafed clovers

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-01-11T19:28:00.002-06:00

--Having a phone w/ email and Internet access

--The moment a headache has gone away

--The Biggest Loser whem I'm on the treadmill

--Finding focus

--Poker

--Finding a pair of pants that fit without having to be altered

--Seeing newlyweds

--Kids playing in the snow

--When the next book in a series comes out that I've dying to read

--Penguins

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2011-01-10T22:29:00.002-06:00

--Fuzzy PJs

--Potato hash

--Snow days when I can work from home

--Hazelnut coffee on a blistery day

--Pop Rocks

--Homemade caramels

--Care packages

--Cheap ebooks by good authors

--Penguins

--Belugas (The Atlanta aquarium has some)

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-31T18:59:00.002-05:00

--NaNoWriMo

--Coffee shops

--The Internet. Every once in awhile I watch a movie set a few decades or centuries ago and ponder what it would be like to live without technology.

--Kids in Halloween costumes being safe

--Gummy Bears at the movie theater

--Bambi

--Thumper

--Working my exercise time in

--Fresh herbs

--Every minute of the weekend

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-28T08:02:00.002-05:00

--Pie

--Pi fanatics

--Snuggling with a warm blanket in the Fall

--Roasting marshmallows

--Nicely steeped tea

--Pandas

--Looking forward to the elections being over

--Early voting

--Remembering hanging chads

--New tights

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-24T22:19:00.002-05:00

--Underwear that fit properly

--Seeing the end of all the laundry I've done this weekend

--Smooth stones

--Clipping my fingernails after I accidentally tear one and live with the jagged edge for the better part of the day. I don't carry clippers in my purse. I probably should, though

--The feeling of the bubbles in pop (soda) going down my throat. I crave the carbonation as much as the flavor

--The feeling after a good workout

--Handy reference books

--New PJs

--Learning new software

--Hot air ballons

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-20T08:56:00.002-05:00

--Kids in Halloween costumes

--Insurance copays on medication rather than paying the full, retail price

--Scarecrows

--Cheesy music from previous decades

--Warm fleece on chilly days

--Community wide garage sales

--Grocery shopping when the store isn't busy

--Breath mints

--Crayon sharpeners

--The sound of crunching leaves under my feet

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-18T20:29:00.003-05:00

--Post season baseball

--Community wide garage sales/yard sales

--Looking forward to NaNoWriMo

--Twitter

--Taking a walk during lunch

--Indian summer

--Promotions

--Classic cars

--FAQs that actually answer my questions

--Trying restaurants

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-17T13:20:00.002-05:00

--Peanut butter chocolate milkshakes

--Learning new skills

--Writing

--Getting to sleep in

--Finding new coffee shops

--Free wi-fi

--Freebies in general as long as I don't have to get myself put on a distribution/email/mailing list

--Hot soup on a chilly day

--Sourdough English muffins

--Scarecrows

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-13T08:59:00.000-05:00

--Hot, steamy showers when I am congested

--Promotions

--Scented lotion

--Cheese wedges

--The Chilean miners being rescued

--The moment after supper when I can first relax at the end of the day

--Incense

--Fresh strawberries

--When paper cuts heal

--A good night's sleep

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-10-08T08:09:00.002-05:00

--Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that I'm getting over my cold

--Almonds

--Sleeping in

--Drinking enough water that I feel healthy

--Yard sales

--Breath mints

--Getting engrossed in the series I'm reading. Familiar characters feel like friends

--2 Dollar bills

--Going shopping and finding clothes that fit without having to go to 10 stores to find the right item

--Hot chai tea

10 Things That Make Me Smile

2010-09-19T10:33:00.002-05:00

--Finishing a good mystery in under a day

--Free concerts at the public library

--Tables in coffee shops that are the right height for working on my laptop

--Interviews

--The scent of fabric softener sheets

--Good hair days

--Sales

--Trying on clothes and having everything fit properly

--Looking forward to the trees turning colors

--Peanut butter pie

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-08-07T11:20:00.002-05:00

--Blueberry muffins

--Blockbuster on Demand app for my Droid (no, I don't receive anything to write this)

--A clean house

--That I know my boss appreciates me

--Frisbee golf

--The farmers' market

--A day w/ less humidity

--Plums

--I dropped some baker's, semi-sweet chocolate into my coffee this morning

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-06-26T16:48:00.002-05:00

--Grocery shopping when there isn't a big crowd

--Real butter

--Finding out my bloodwork is ok

--Honey

--Steel cut oats

--Possibilities

--Irish pub music

--Cold water on a hot day

--Looking forward to a few days in the 80s

--Seeing my paycheck show up in my account on payday

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-06-23T13:03:00.002-05:00

--Green tea

--Cool weather after extreme heat

--Pop Rocks

--Cod

--Funny tan lines...currently my sockline

--Noise canceling headphones

--Words of appreciation

--Cheddar biscuits

--Eziekiel Bread

--Grapefruit

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-06-13T09:47:00.002-05:00

--The clean scent of my husband after a shower and aftershave

--The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville

--The train that goes between Nasville and Watertown

--Picture books

--Comfy bras (as if such a thing actually exists)

--The moment my allergy meds kicks in

--The moment my head hits the pillow when I'm exhausted

--100 Calorie packs

--Diet Lipton Green Tea

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-06-10T12:57:00.004-05:00

--Accomplishing a goal

--Setting new goals

--Greek yougurt

--A good phone clip

--Losing enough weight that it's not difficult to take my rings off

--Green tea

--Looking forward to the weekend

--Robinhood, though I haven't seen the latest movie

--Socks that keep my feet from sweating while I work out

--The Muppets

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-06-07T13:00:00.002-05:00

--Smartphones

--Nectarines

--Green tea

--Spanish guitar

--Remembering that it won't be Monday tomorrow

--Fitting into clothes I forgot I owned

--Working up a good sweat at the gym

--Getting past the painful stage of a sunburn

--Coupons

--Getting to watch the Cardnials on TV

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-04-26T16:48:00.002-05:00

--Returning home after vacation

--Seeing the bottom of the hamper after doing laundry after a week long vacation

--Experimenting in the kitchen with veggies. Yummy...

--Finding out the air conditioner still works

--Realizing the toilet got busted/toilet is running uncontrollably the day BEFORE the week long vacation. Having a plumber fix it before it had the opportunity to run non-stop for 7 days.

--My mother's peanut butter/chocolate (Hershey's Kisses) cookies

--Not gaining weight during vacation. Thank you temporary gym membership!

--Reading a whole John Sandord novel in under 24 hours while in the airport/plane/doc's office this morning.

--Being back to my Internet connection on my comfy chair

--Blackberries on sale at Kroger today

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-03-28T10:45:00.002-05:00

--Fresh blueberries

--The moment I start to feel better after having had a stomach bug

--Snoopy

--Looking forward to going on vacation

--Cheap airfare

--Biscotti

--Bunny Rabbit Slippers

--NCAA basketball (Go Tennessee)

--The first robins of spring

--Hearing little kids outside playing

Ten Things I'm Thankful For

2010-03-27T17:00:00.002-05:00

--Having a bucket nearby when I'm sick

--Indoor plumbing

--Springtime

--People who smile

--People who know how to give constructive criticism and know when to give it

--Motivation

--Food, clothing, shelter

--Antacid

--Clean water

--Wireless Internet

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-02-28T11:39:00.003-06:00

--Hummingbird cake

--Clean laundry

--Elves

--The moment AFTER I finish writing out bills and know I don't have to do it again for awhile

--The scent of fabric softener

--The Olympics

--Cream Cheese Frosting

--The dinner bell :)

--Mermaids

--Folklore

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-02-06T21:46:00.002-06:00

--Maple syrup

--Salt Trucks on snowy days

--Pop Rocks

--A virus free computer

--Peanut Butter Cups

--The fireplace

--Herbal Tea

--Feeling the burn at the gym

--Good reference books

--My ebook reader

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-01-16T09:48:00.001-06:00

--Jeans that fit correctly

--The honking sound my nose makes when I blow it a little too robustly

--Eating something to take the nasty taste of licking an envelope out of my mouth

--The fantasy of someday willing the lottery

--Laser printers

--Reading ebooks on an ereader rather than my computer

--Large flocks of birds in winter (still not used to that from living in the south)

--Dr. Seuess

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2010-01-03T10:21:00.002-06:00

--Beginning a new series

--Reconnecting with old friends (even if it is through Yahoo Messenger)

--Voice recognition software. I wish that it had been this good back when my uncle was still alive who was paralyzed. I think he would have gotten a lot of good use out of it.

--Chocolate covered cashews

--Starting a new year during a 4 day weekend from work.

--Patient blog readers who keep coming to my blogs, even when I go through large stretches of time without writing.

--Cough syrup

--Good service when I try new restaurants

--The scent of a new bottle of shampoo when it is a different scent than the last bottle I had been using

--Ice cream sandwiches

Ten Things I'm Thankful For

2009-11-04T21:11:00.003-06:00

--Refrigeration

--Modern feminine menstrual products

--Tea bags

--The garbage collector (ok, not a thing, but ya know what I mean)

--Being appreciated

--Pull tab envelopes. I think envelope glue tastes horrible.

--Power steering, Anti-lock brakes

--Microwaves

--Airplanes

--The Gutenburg (sp?) Bible and press

Ten Things I'm Thankful For

2009-11-02T20:51:00.003-06:00

--Constructive criticism

--Vacuum cleaners

--Lint brushes

--Washing machines

--Indoor plumbing

--ipods

--The Internet

--Fabric softener

--Mobility. I'm so glad I have to climb stairs everyday to keep my legs moving. I sit in a chair the rest of the day at work.

--Clean underwear

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-10-24T07:58:00.002-05:00

All the products shown below. I know there aren't 10 here, but I found these on www.huffingtonpost.com and couldn't resist putting them on my blog.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-10-22T08:22:00.002-05:00

--Spaghetti squash

--Scary Halloween moves

--GPS systems

--Spoof news articles

--Lipstick that lasts on my lips for more than five minutes

--Warm bath water

--Weddings

--Granola

--Herbal tea

--Tricks and Treats

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-10-19T22:00:00.002-05:00

--Strong women who aren't afraid to speak their minds

--The pink van hanging from a crane near downtown Nashville. it advertises a radio station.

--The home team

--Cheesecake with strawberries

--Sincere compliments

--The look on babys' faces when they pass gas

--The moment the plane touches ground when I travel

--The Weight Watchers Hungry Monster. I think he looks like the love-child of Garfield and Snuffalufagus (from Sesame Street-- I have no clue if I'm spelling that correctly) (Oh, and by the way, I don't receive any money for this blog. I'm not a paid spokeswoman or anything. There's a new law that I have to disclose such things).

--The Sunday comics

--People who drive slowly and carefully in residential areas, especially when there are children who live in the neighborhood.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-10-17T21:53:00.002-05:00

--Winning a difficult Sudoku game

--Pickup sticks

--Sidewalk chalk

--Good ideas for stories

--lazy weekends

--The smell of charcoal grilling

--Days that are good for kites

--Being able to get the cap off of a tightly closed bottle of pop/soda/pickles

--Snuggies

--High fiber cereal

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-10-15T21:07:00.002-05:00

--Animal Tracks on msnbc.com

--Looking forward to an end to the rain

--Beaver dams

--Decaf on a chilly fall night

--Everyone at work talking about what their kids will be dressed as for Halloween

--Managing not to put a run in my pantyhose

--Special conferences

--Fresh water pears

--Animal crackers

--The man's face on the moon

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-10-10T09:17:00.002-05:00

--Losing weight

--100 calorie packs of snack food. Portioning does wonders for my waist :)

--Winning a gift certificate at work from a drawing to Olive Garden

--The circus

--MLB playoffs (though the Cardinals need to turn things around with the Dodgers)

--The sandpaper feel of a cat's tongue

--Happy Joe's Pizza

--101 Dalmations

--Getting rid of hiccups

--The end to week long bouts of rain

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-09-26T08:52:00.002-05:00

--Starting Weight Watchers today. I'm visualizing myself a few pounds lighter.

--Sunny days (It's been raining and raining here. I'm looking forward to the sun one of these days.)

--Putting the last piece into the puzzle

--Finding a new author who's books are irresistible

--The feeling in the back of my throat when I gargle with mouthwash

--The scent of coffee brewing, especially in the morning

--The click of my fingernails when I type on my keyboard

--The general moment when my allergy medication kicks in for the day

--Garfield the cat

--Pom Poms

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-09-16T06:33:00.002-05:00

--Playaways from the library. They're little machines the size of an ipod with an audio book loaded onto it.

--Raisin-Cinnamon bread with lots of butter, toasted.

--The finalists on America's Got Talent this season. I can't make up my mind who I want to win.

--Advanced reading copies of books

--The holes in Swiss cheese

--Watermelon on a hot summer day

--Reading a thriller and finding out how the killer is caught

--The Nashville Predators

--Realizing why my mother never put chips in the same plastic bag with my sandwich as a kid. I thought I'd be smart and try it to save a bag, but then my chips ended up soggy (like having a slice of bread in a container of too hard brown sugar. The moisture from the bread was leeched out into the chips).

--Loaner cars when we're having work done to our car. It's so much easier than driving to opposite ends of the Nashville area for our respective jobs.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-09-07T21:23:00.003-05:00

--Finishing 3 novels during my 3 day weekend

--Pork tenderloins

--Sweet corn with lots of butter

--Mocha chip Frappichino at Starbucks today

--The moment when all the dishes are clean and no one has dirtied any new ones yet

--Fawns

--The puppy in Starbucks. I wanted to take him home with me.

--Alphasmart

--Grocery shopping when the total including tax is under 100.00

--Clearance sales & new slacks

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-27T06:52:00.002-05:00

--Cupcakes with filling inside

--Garfield

--Friendly waiters/waitresses

--Men in uniform (women in uniform too for that matter)

--Tie dye

--Hitting the traffic lights right

--Fudge with walnuts

--Alphabet soup

--Key lime pie

--Sincere apologies

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-22T14:00:00.002-05:00

-- Elves

-- When my husband returns from a long trip

-- Koalas

-- Butterfinger ice cream

-- The buzz of the drier when my last load of laundry is finished for the day

-- Regency romances

-- The smell of cedar

-- Museums

-- Good reference books

-- Getting a stain out of my shirt after spilling food all over myself.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-18T20:42:00.002-05:00

-- Bookstores

-- Volkswagon Beatles

-- Peppermint Patty

-- Peaches and cream

-- Bambi and Thumper

-- Robin eggs

-- Hopscotch

-- Miss Mary Mack

-- Political cartoons

-- The calm after the storm

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-15T22:04:00.002-05:00

-- An agent asked to see pages from my pitch session at Killer Nashville today

-- Wild berry smoothies with whipped cream on top

-- Thinking LMNOP was one letter of the alphabet as a child

-- The Roadrunner and Wilde E. Coyote

-- J.A. Jance gave a really funny set of talks today at Killer Nashville. She's a hoot!

-- The kid in the movie The Shining when he gets to ride his big wheel around the big hotel. I wish I could have done something like that as a kid.

-- That my father-in-law doesn't have any broken bones. He fell yesterday.

-- Biting into mystery food and realizing I'm eating candied apples and not beets

-- Qwerkle

-- Trivia

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-13T22:05:00.002-05:00

-- Remembering that rejection can be a positive thing. I had a manuscript rejected today, but even though it was a form letter, I'm pretty sure I know why it was rejected. It'll eventually make my writing better so that I don't make the same mistakes over and over again.

-- Killer Nashville starts tomorrow and I have the day off so I can go! Yippie! www.killernashville.com. J.A. Jance is the guest of honor, and Lee Loftland will also be there.

-- Four day work weeks

-- Easy days at work

-- My husband found a job! Double yippie!

-- Eating spicy food and clearing out my sinuses

-- The end of caffeine withdrawal headaches

-- Steak

-- Rubber duckies

-- Weeping willow trees

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-11T22:03:00.002-05:00

-- The Kiebler Elf

-- The zombies from Thriller (can you imagine being a hiring manager and seeing that on somebody's resume if s/he left dancing?)

-- The yellow submarine

-- What can get lost in translation. I once had a friend tell a guy she was dating she wanted to help him pick the chicken breast off his sweater. She had mixed up the words pechuga and peluza in Spanish.

-- Fawns

-- Meteorites

-- Flintstone vitamins

-- Cottage cheese and potato chips

-- Pushing my spoon into a grapefruit and squirting the person on the other side of the table

-- Cheap airline tickets

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-05T19:06:00.002-05:00

-- Lemon drops

-- Respite from my week-long headache

-- Author chats online

-- Challenging Suduko puzzles

-- Sticky cinnamon rolls

-- Tax Free weekend for shopping on clothes, shoes. Tennessee sales tax is 9.25%

-- Marmaduke

-- Birthstones

-- Cliffhangers

-- Captain Crunch

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-08-01T22:29:00.003-05:00

- Lazy weekends

- The public library and inter-library loans

- Doves

- Mullets

- Just the right amount of perfume

- That J.A. Jance is the guest of honor for this year's Killer Nashville conference. www.killernashville.com

- Cake and ice cream

- The calm after the storm

- Frosties at Wendy's

- Playing pool and not knocking the 8 ball into the pocket before I'm supposed to do so.

A Picture's Worth 1000 Words

2009-07-23T06:48:00.001-05:00

I went to www.barnesandnoble.com today and selected, "books." Just for kicks and giggles, I searched the word, "bluekissed," to see what would be the first hit.

I laughed until I my eyes watered.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=bluekissed&box=bluekisse&pos=-1

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-07-22T07:27:00.002-05:00

-Seeing friends and coworkers the day after they've gotten a new haircut. It's amazing how much someone's hair changes his/her overall appearance!

-Steamy showers that open my sinuses

-The Wizard of Oz

-Audio books during my commute to work

-Watching very young kids try to touch their birthday cake on their birthday. (A 1 year old for example).

-Comfortable T-shirts

-Cookie Crisp cereal

-Shiny fingernail polish

-French silk pie

-The Beanie Baby craze of the 90s

Killer Nashville 2009

2009-07-19T13:02:00.002-05:00

I'll be attending the Killer Nashville writer's conference this year from August 14-16th. For more information on Killer Nashville, visit www.killernashville.com. The keynote speaker this year is J.A. Jance.

Those of you who read this blog know that I wrote about Killer Nashville last year. I had a blast last year, I learned a lot, and I'd recommend this conference to anyone interested in writing fiction. Although the conference is geared toward the mystery/crime/thriller field, there are enough topics presented to be a wonderful conference overall for both beginning writers and seasoned writers. Even for people who write in completely different genres, there are useful panels and presentations on things like firearms, poisons, police procedure, forensic anthropology, strengthening writing skills, and pitch sessions available with an editor and an agent.

I also met a few people last year with whom I'm still in contact within the world of writing. Conferences are a great way to network.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-07-05T15:49:00.002-05:00

-Hot Apple Cider

-Looking for funny birthday cards to send to friends and family

-Carmel

-Shrek

-Kazoos

-The movie starring Michael J. Fox, Doc Hollywood

-The cricket in the Disney movie, Pinocchio

-Resetting the clocks after the power goes out

-Remembering all the name of the reindeer and the seven dwarfs without having to say them in order

-Chocolate covered cashews

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-07-02T06:48:00.003-05:00

-Three day weekends

-Fruit so juicy that I have to eat it over the sink

-Mini subcompact cars

-Cheesecake

-Ice cream sandwiches

-Gummy bears

-The sweet relief of Ibuprophen (taken in the recommended dosage. I don't want to fry my organs.)

-Red Lobster

-Riverfront Park in Nashville

-Getting to leave work early today because I worked late yesterday.

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-06-27T15:10:00.003-05:00

-Vanilla yogurt

-Chocolate pudding and Boston Creme Pie

-Relaxing after running errands on a 100+ heat index day

-Egg Beaters over buttered toast

-Mary Poppins

-Farrah Faucet's hair from the 70's

-Milk mustaches

-Handle bar mustaches

-Looking forward to a night out with friends

-Corn Bread

-Mammoth Cave in Kentucky

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-06-23T20:53:00.002-05:00

-America's Got Talent

-My 3 year wedding anniversary

-The cold rush of air when walking into the house from the heat

-Diversity

-Comfy shoes

-Taking a vacation day

-Trying on clothes and having everything fit properly

-Movies that draw me into the story

-Mongolian Grill

-Silk ties

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-06-19T06:49:00.002-05:00

-Chocolate dipped/covered doughnuts
-Happy it's not supposed to rain tomorrow
-The baby tigers at the Nashville zoo
-Looking forward to my wedding anniversary next week and having that day off at work
-Good hair days
-Badly dressed mannequins
-Getting sucked into a book or movie and NEEDING to know what will happen next
-Blue corn tortilla chips
-Pumpkin bread
-Lemon and poppy seed muffins

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-06-14T13:36:00.002-05:00

-Ginger snaps

-String cheese

-Alligator teeth

-Recitals

-Painted toenails

-Baby seals

-Salvation Army bell ringers

-Watching a dog chase its tail

-The cool rush of air-conditioning on a hot summer day

-Fresh lemonade

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-06-10T18:43:00.002-05:00

-Oreos

-Watching kids play with drum sets

-The sprinkler in the summer, especially when it's humid outside

-Mary Poppins

-Moments of inspiration

-The public library. I recently discovered downloadable ebooks through a service the Nashville Public Library uses. :) Yippy!

-The CMA Music Festival and downtown Nashville

-Irish jigs

-Bumper cars

-Cotton candy

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-06-03T12:08:00.002-05:00

-Shiny nail polish

-Marigolds

-Cartoons

-Elephants

-That radio is still free

-Neighborhood wide garage sales

-Buried treasure

-Digging for diamonds in Murfreesboro, Arkansas

-Daisies

-Watching kids splash in puddles

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-29T06:35:00.002-05:00

-Blueberries
-Fridays
-Duct tape
-Drumsticks (both chicken and ice cream)
-The music the ice cream truck plays when it drives through the neighborhood
-Orchids
-Watching a bride throw her bouquet
-Blue Jays
-Velcro suits
-Pay day

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-23T23:00:00.002-05:00

-Little Caesar's Pizza

-My new treadmill

-Scary movies (not the ones that are overly bloody, but psychological type stuff)

-Sunflowers

-Painted toenails

-The farmer's market

-Strawberry patches

-The Great Pumpkin

-Daisies

-Looking forward to my wedding anniversary

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-21T06:40:00.002-05:00

-Seeing friends from out of town

-The image on TV right now of Conan O'Brien running on the beach in a suit

-Fuzzy socks

-Opening the mailbox and having no bills along

-Getting a personal snail nail letter from a loved one

-Cartoons

-The moment the morning caffeine kicks in

-Looking forward to the holiday weekend

-The fresh from the dentist feeling after a teeth cleaning

-Warm biscuits

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-20T06:37:00.002-05:00

-Rubber Duckies
-Velcro
-The sound of the coffee pot as it perks
-Interesting tattoos
-Podcasts
-Holiday weekends
-Boston cream pie
-The feeling of cotton balls between my toes when I paint my toe nails
-Fire breathing dragons
-Finding a tooth pick when I really need one

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-17T09:19:00.002-05:00

-Corona

-Pasta

-Estopa (They're a Spanish Band)

-That even with a wire chain holding the bird feeder, the squirrels have managed to wreck another bird feeder. I think if you put a human and a squirrel on the evolutionary food chain for survival in the wilderness, the squirrel will win.

-Almost being finished with a couple of my stories

-Good hair days

-Losing weight

-80s music

-Recumbent exercise bikes

-When all the laundry for the week is finished

Ten Reasons I Still Call This My Writing Blog

2009-05-14T06:41:00.003-05:00

-When I'm being positive, I tend to write more

-When I'm aware of my negativity and the real reasons for why I'm angry, cranky, tired, etc. I can channel that energy into an evil/angry/tired character rather than just bitching about being angry.

-Ever since starting this blog, I've spent a lot more time writing. I think that looking at the little things of life helps keep things in perspective. Letting go sometimes helps to then dig into a plot and forget about real life for awhile.

-Sometimes characters need all those little things that cause them to stop and smile too.

-The ten things that make me smile exercise itself makes me smile :)

-Living in the present helps to get bigger projects done. Maybe I can't finish an entire novel in a short amount of time, but I can focus on what I can do for the project today.

-I have more of a Q & A type writing blog at jenbluekissedwritingqanda.blogspot.com as well. I'm going to keep this one about the 10 things that make me smile, a little poetry, and some discussion on writing conferences. I do hope to attend Killer Nashville again this year.

-Lists help me to write. Organization of my thoughts is a wonderful thing.

-This world needs more positivity. I usually write these posts while I'm watching the news on TV.

-It's my blog, and I can do what I want with it! :)

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-13T06:42:00.002-05:00

-Team Spirit

-People who lose gracefully

-Hot dogs at major league ball parks

-Grand slams

-Sunflower seeds

-People who use correct grammar

-Altoids, especially the mini ones

-Comb-overs

-Old wedding pics, especially the bridesmaid's dresses

-Jazz bands

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-12T20:46:00.002-05:00

-The Biggest Loser TV show

-Weight Watchers Lasagna

-Putting in 40 hours per week at work

-Overtime when it's available while my husband is out of work

-Evening gowns

-Teddy bears

-Sprinkles

-Suitcases on wheels. What an invention!

-Gummy worms

-Soap opera endings

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-10T08:14:00.002-05:00

-The 24 mph sign outside of the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville, TN

-The 21 mph sign I saw yesterday in Hendersonville, TN

-That the bird feeder is finally squirrel proof (we think so anyway).

-French vanilla coffee creamer

-Mother's Day

-Fresh strawberries

-Sleeping in, even if it's just a little bit later than usual

-Warm weather

-New lipstick

-The snail I saw on our driveway yesterday when I came home from getting groceries

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-08T07:09:00.003-05:00

-Working a later shift. Traffic is horrible early this morning from thunderstorms, so I'm glad I'm not driving in it yet.

-My husband fixed the bird feeder. It now has metal rather than rope from which to hang. The squirrels still got into it.

-Activia

-Blueberries

-Honey Puffed Wheat

-Quiet time

-Daisies

-Taking life one day at a time

-Sherbert

-Granola

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-04T06:51:00.002-05:00

-Living on high enough ground not to have to worry about flooding
-The California gold rush
-Salamanders
-When my first cup of coffee for the day kicks in
-Warm laundry fresh out of the dryer
-Getting two paychecks last week, one from my past employer, one from my new employer
-Being on biweekly pay; getting 3 paychecks in May
-Milky Way
-Horses
-Sugar snap pea pods

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-05-03T07:24:00.002-05:00

-Watching the squirrel chew through the rope holding our bird feeder. The feeder fell onto the deck and seed spilled everywhere. No wonder I've gone through 3 feeders in a month! Smart little critter!
-Having enough money in the checking account to pay bills
-Writing cohesively during my rough draft
-Fresh strawberries
-DQ Blizzards
-Exercising
-Vanilla yogurt
-A toothpick right when I need one
-Sweet corn
-Being employed full time. Yay!

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-04-28T20:26:00.002-05:00

-Pulled pork sandwiches
-Cold ice water
-Warm, sunny days
-Internet access
-Sterling silver jewelry
-Bandaids with fun pics/cartoon characters on them
-Comic books
-Fuji and Gala apples
-Looking forward to pay day
-Hula hoops

Ten Things That Make Me Smile

2009-04-26T20:07:00.002-05:00

-Finding out my release date for an anthology
-Chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven
-Cheesecake
-Laughing at my first draft, wondering what I was thinking
-Tortilla española
-Being dealt blackjack
-Sharpies
-Spending time with my hubby after he was gone for a week
-Banana cream pie
-Elephants