Sep 29, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Let’s just start by agreeing any celebration that includes coffee is awesome, am I right? I mean, I celebrate every day with coffee. But to actually have an official reason? Have mercy!
I’m an experiential person. That means I don’t just go through life, I live it. Fully, wonderfully, scarefully (is that even a word?). I feel it, my body absorbs it, my mind is constantly processing and connecting dots. And, yes. Sometimes making up the dots to connect.
But coffee. It’s just perfect. In celebration of National Coffee Day, here are some great non-coffee related dots that you’ll soon connect.
- Movies. Say, what-what? you ask. What do movies have to do with coffee? Well, there are a few great movies that feature coffee. Let’s take Breakfast at Tiffany’s to start. That iconic pose of Holly Golightly with her croissant and coffee cup in front of the 5th Avenue store. You know what I’m talking about. Can you get through a TV sitcom or cop drama without the characters having at least one cup o’ joe? I think not. But more importantly: why would you watch such a show?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Partytime: Bunco at Tiffany’s
- Jack Johnson. The surfer-turned-singer. Not everyone’s heard of him. But he’s got some pretty catchy tunes. His album, As I Was Saying, has more than a few songs on it that have inspired some of my writing. Plus, it’s pretty good driving-with-the-windows-down tunes.
- Food. What’s that? Did I just hear you groan, “Duh.”? Well. For your information, I don’t mean coffee goes with food. I mean, coffee in the food. That’s right. Who can forget my awesomely flavorful smokey paprika rub? Let me tell you, chicken never tasted so great.
Frankly, My Dear . . . MoJo Spice Blend: Turmeric, Smoked Paprika, Ground Coffee
- Laughter. It’s aerobic, yes? What’s better than circling the table with friends and family, pouring a hot one, and sharing life’s moments. We were meant for community coffee moments.
- Me-Time. And by Me-Time, I mean You-Time. Or, really, Anyone-and-Everyone-Time. Coffee is your five-minute-break time. Your I-need-to-get-things-done time. Your life-is-good-let’s-take-a-breath time. It’s pretty much the I-don’t-need-a-reason-for-it beverage. And that just makes it all the more better. Yes?
Seattle Souvenirs: Coffee, honey, and books.
How will you celebrate National Coffee Day?
TWEET THIS: Happy National Coffee Day! @RealMojo68 #franklymydear #fivethingsfriday
With a hot coffee and another hot coffee,
Plus one for you.
Happy Coffee Day!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Sep 28, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Now, y’all know my five-, or maybe ten-year plan includes a move to the Carolinas. Will it happen? Prob’ly not. My desert roots run deep. Having said that, I do consider them my vacation home especially since I head out to Asheville every year for a quasi-family reunion known as the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.
There’s Nothing Like Coming Home. . .
A lot of my people live in South Carolina, but it’s the beauty of the northern C we’re celebrating today.
Imagine my joy when I received my Daily Celebrations email and National North Carolina Day was listed for tomorrow. This Girl say wwhhhaaat?! I didn’t even know there was such a thing! Well sweeten my tea and bake me a biscuit!
Here’s a few things you may not know about the Tar Heel State:
- There are 29 state parks. South Mountain is the largest, at around 87,000 acres. (Of course, I’m partial to Blue Ridge.)
- The state flower is dogwood. The state tree is pine. The state bird is cardinal. The state insect is honeybee. The state reptile is eastern box turtle. The state gemstone is emerald.
- It is the birth place of Virginia Dare, the first person born to born in America to English settlers
- In 2013, the entire state population was less than 10 million. That’s roughly the same as Los Angeles.
- In 1903, the Wright Brothers made history with the first manned self-propelled airplane flight from a cliff near Kitty Hawk.
- One of the original thirteen colonies, North Carolina was admitted to statehood on November 21, 1789.
- It was the first state to tell its delegates to vote for independence from Britain.
- After the Revolutionary War, it developed an expansive slave plantation system. It was a major exporter of tobacco and cotton, even though the slave population was smaller than other states.
- In 1861, North Carolina seceded from the United States with ten other states. This began the American Civil War. And while no major battles were fought in North Carolina, the state sent more soldiers to fight for the Confederacy than any other rebel state.
I’m pleased as punch that my second home has such rich history.
And let’s not forget the pizza.
The Biltmore Pizza, Asheville Brewing Co.
What do you celebrate about where you live?
TWEET THIS: Happy National #NorthCarolina Day! @RealMojo68 #celebrate
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Sep 27, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Hobo Dinner
The Menagerie’s not helping with this recipe. This one’s all mine. (Like I want to share this with a frog or zebra, anyway.)
Can I get a hello for another family favorite recipe that’s easily changeable? I love love love the meat-and-potatoes flavors, the easy clean up, and of course, the wallet-friendly ingredients. I mean, who wouldn’t? Even the Catford Manor felines drool for this savory meal.
So, on a busy week like this (writing NOLA, working the new day job, watching NCIS season premieres), it’s nice to have a quick dinner fix. Am I right? Especially when it’s midnight and you finally remember to do a blog post. [Note to self: Make more notes to self.]
Now, this is a foil dinner, which means you can also make this on the backyard grill or when you’re camping. Cool, huh? Just make sure you use the extra strength foil to avoid any leaks.
The Unemployment Cookbook: Hobo Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, make into four patties
- 1 medium onion, sliced. Thick or thin. Doesn't matter. Well, depends who you're breathing next to.
- 2 or 3 medium potatoes, sliced or quartered. You can peel or not peel. User's preference.
- 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Tear four large squares of heavy duty cooking foil. Not large enough to cover a window, but you know.
- In the center of each square, layer a hamburger patty, onion slice, potato, and approximately 1/4 can of soup. Salt and pepper each layer to taste.
- Wrap tightly.
- Place on a cookie sheet or in a cake pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven.
- Be careful upon opening as packets will be very hot and steamy. But also very delicious.
Notes
Use heavy duty cooking foil.
Line your pan with foil also for easy clean up.
3.1
https://franklymydearmojo.com/2017/09/27/the-unemployment-cookbook-hobo-dinner/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
I like to serve up a side of mac-n-cheese, maybe a nice greens salad, and of course, a tall glass of sweet tea.
CHANGE IT UP:
- Season the meat with smoke or hickory flavorings
- Indulge in a sweet potato or yam
- Add a few French-cut green beans
- For a Mexican flavor, season the meat with taco spices and add diced green chilis
TWEET THIS: Need a good meal for your busy schedule? The Unemployment #Cookbook: Hobo Dinner @RealMojo68 #recipe
With a busy schedule and healthy appetite,
Happy eating!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
you can find this and many more recipes in The Unemployment Cookbook available through New Inklings Press.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : My Favorite Cookbooks
Sep 26, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Can we talk? Seriously. Can we just come together for a discussion? There’s been some conflict going on lately. Some serious name-calling. Finger-pointing. Some not-so-loving of thy neighbors. Some getting-our-signals-crossed dialogue.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Can We Talk?
Now, I know we all have different:
- backgrounds
- belief systems
- economic status
- health
- heritage
- personality dynamics
And all these go into making each one of us unique.
But does that mean we shouldn’t respect each other?
Is a firefly any less beautiful than a peacock because of its size? Is a fish any less magnificent than a bear?
We can disagree with someone’s actions, but still respect them as a person. But you can’t force someone to respect you back.
Can we each take a breath, take a corner, take a seat, take whatever we need to take in order to stop this collision course we’re on with hatred and animosity? Can we consider that maybe, just maybe, not only are others not perfect, but we’re not either?
Maybe there’s some middle ground we can reach.
Together.
TWEET THIS: We can disagree with someone’s actions, but still respect them as a person. @RealMojo68 #canwetalk #franklymydear
With a handshake and a hug,
Happy peacemaking.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Sep 25, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
I know, y’all just had an update not too long ago. Thing is, things are getting good. They’re getting done. They’re getting, well, you know. Out there.
So, earlier today I had a tiny emo moment on the FB NOLA Swarm Group page. It went something like this:
“Feeling a bit stressed as I sit to write today. Wrenched my back earlier which makes sitting . . . or standing . . . or walking . . . or breathing . . . uncomfortable. It’s the third time in a month this has happened, so I know today isn’t debilitating. But it surely is distracting.
I’ve been taking my mind off things by watching my NOLA-based shows: Nightwatch, NCIS, Double Jeopardy, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. (Big surprise on that last one, right?). I’ve been thinking about my proposal and the compare/contrast section. Been thinking about my new day job and the budget and traveling to see family and friends next year.
Does it even make sense to anyone-ANYONE-that right now I want to box NOLA up and tuck it into a dark corner of the farthest away closet I can find?
What if it’s not as good as I think it is? What if I didn’t just miss the mark, but missed the entire target? What if the end doesn’t justify the means?
What if all this soul bleeding means nothing in the end except over five years of wasted time and attention and energy?
So I hope you understand when I say as wonderful as this is, being so close to finished, today I just want to crawl back into bed and cry. Getting ready to say goodbye to my baby is so hard.
But here’s the thing about writing: I can’t *not* do it. I can’t have NOLA sit around, going nowhere. Do I want it to stop? No. But there’s another journey for NOLA when the first draft is done. I call it the firefly aspect. It’s where I let my little larvae grow wings and glow its way to my alpha readers, my editor, and my agent; then, hopefully, into the hearts of others like you and so many more.
And then I’ll talk all y’all with me to CENTRAL, where you’ll meet Nick and Serenity. And then to KEYS with Anastasia and Littleman. And then FLINT, and HI, and PORT, and STRIP, and TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES. And more.
But know this: no matter how much I write, how many cities are in this series, NOLA will always be my first, and greatest love.
And, I hope, yours too.
I love you all for being on this journey with me and keeping me grounded.
With much adoration and appreciation,
~Molly Jo”
But after that, I hunkered down, said a few prayers, and started. I took my little Post-It notes, my little scraps of paper, and I processed. Every. Single. One.
And I closed out the day with 2,131 new words. I have less than 8,000 to go to my desired word goal. And I have a plan.
In addition to writing end material, I’ve been adding clues throughout. Hints of this and that. Why does this character do these things? If it’s important, they need to do it often. If not, they need to do it less. What about the weather? Yes, I’m from California. The desert, no less. But really. If you’re reading a book set in New Orleans, how often can I mention the humidity before y’all are rolling your eyes and saying, “Okay, we get it!”?
And I’m keeping notes. On the manuscript. On paper. Because I’m also writing what comes next. I can’t wait to write those two words when it’s finished. Nope, I’m not even gonna write them here. Because when I’m ready, like really ready, I want them to be authentic. Official. Not practiced, not sampled, not automatic.
Those two final words at the end of the first draft . . . They’re coming, my friend.
Stay tuned.
Oh, and here’s a new meme to get all y’all’s attention.
NOLA by Molly Jo Realy
TWEET THIS: #NOLA Update: September 25, 2017. @RealMojo68 #amwriting
With a finish line and a finishing line,
Happy Reading!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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