Dec 15, 2017
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . :Five Things Friday
It happened again. I’m in the middle of doing my other nine thousand things to do, when I realize I’ve yet to write today’s blog post. Well, nothing like waiting til the eleventh hour. Literally.
So, in order to get this done in time to still rightfully claim I wrote a blog post today (Friday), I give you Five Things Friday, The Late Night Edition.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday
- I love cleaning my house on Friday nights. I know I’m a bit weird that way. But I’ve always loved having all the lights on as I move from room to room and dust, sweep, mop, freshen. Also because then the rest of the weekend belongs to me, and only eight-thousand-ninety-nine things on the To Do list.
- TV. I can crank up the Pandora tunes, put on an old DVD, or watch any show I want. There’s something about starting a binge-watch when you know you still have close to 48 hours to see more. It’s not always a bad thing, staying up til daybreak.
- It’s a time to relax. Even when I have something to do the next day (which is like, almost always) I can still chill on a Friday night with a nice drink and dinner, or cat cuddles and Candy Crush.
- It’s usually open. Because I rarely make plans for a Friday night, I’m available to do whatever I want on a Friday night. Friends call for coffee? Yup. Wanna movie date? I’m your girl. Or, see Items 1, 2, and 3 above.
- It’s Alpha and Omega. The end of the work week (usually) and beginning of the weekend. It gives me that down-time I need to focus and prep for the next week.
And, bonus item: It gives me that last-minute opportunity to do stuff like, oh I dunno. Write a blog post I almost forgot to write.
As long as I’m here, I think I’ll key in tomorrow’s post. Hey, it’s only thirty minutes away . . .
With a stopwatch and strong coffee,
Happy Friday.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
May 16, 2014 |
Five Things Friday at Frankly, My Dear…
This week’s Five Things Friday is all about experiences. Those moments that are more than moments. Those times that leave more than memories. This week’s post is about the whole kit-and-caboodle.
Because I write (or perhaps influencing the way I write), life is more than just passing time. I love to absorb everything about everything. I want to relive it completely: the look, the feel, the sight, the smell, the sound. I enjoy watching strangers and making up stories about them. I like discovering the nitty-gritty of what makes people tick.
And while I’m healthiest when I’m writing, there are a handful of experiences I would love to be able to write about but haven’t yet.
These are my Five Things Friday Experiences.
1. National Police Week. My good friend Danny lost his brother nearly two years ago. [Read Dear Amy, I’m Just So Sorry For Your Loss.] Pat’s wife, Amy, and their four children continue to be a strong public symbol of faith and forgiveness. This last week, Danny was a part of the Police Unity Tour. He rode nearly 300 miles on a bicycle to draw attention to our fallen officers. While much pedaling isn’t on my Bucket List, doing what I can to support police officers and their families is a big deal. I’m proud of our selfless heroes, proud of Danny, and proud of Amy for continuing to show her strengths and vulnerabilities to the world. We need all the heroes we can get, and they need our support.
2. The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference. Conferences are a great place to make connections and share writings. Several of my friends and colleagues speak at the BRMCWC and I’m hopeful to attend next year. Between now and then, I’ll do whatever I can to raise the funds necessary to get there. I’ve yet to attend any writer’s conference, and I can think of no better way to start than by going across the country to meet up with people I know and admire.
3. Book Tour. What kind of writer would I be if I didn’t rehearse television interviews and plan my agenda years in advance? Once NOLA is a best seller (think positive!), I’ll start in New York and travel my way around the United States with stops in Michigan, North Carolina, New Orleans (of course!), Texas, Arizona and wherever else I can land.
NOLA Inspiration
This is all actually just a clever ploy to meet up with family and friends. Selling books is secondary to my wish to see all my loved ones again.
4. Last Resorts. I’m not shy about admitting that I like to taste the finer things in life. Last week I was delightfully treated to my first dining experience at Duane’s Prime Steaks & Seafood, the elegant restaurant at my most favorite place, The Mission Inn in Riverside. It was beyond my expectations. It was magical. And yes, it was worth it. I’ve stayed at the Mission Inn once and would love to do so again. The Keeper of the Inn Suite, if you please.
Peaceful Morning
There, and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. As a child, we would drive up to Mackinaw City each summer. Driving across the bridge was always so adventurous.
Mackinac Bridge [Photo by Danny O’Rourke; used by permission.]
5. Italy. My second home will be in Italy. Tuscany. Rome. Venice. It doesn’t matter. Italy is small enough that I can easily get from one place to another in a reasonable amount of time. Until then, my house will continue to look like an Italian countryside coffeehouse.
My Favorite Coffee Mugs
There are many more experiences on my Bucket List. But these are my top five.
What are yours?
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote.
You may also enjoy reading:
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: Everything Old is NEW Again
2014: BETTER.
I’m Afraid of My Own Success
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: The Big Easy
Destination: Mission Inn, Riverside, CA
Destination: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
Mar 28, 2014 |
Five Things Friday at Frankly, My Dear…
This week I received a wonderful comment on a Five Things Friday post from last summer. It was about poetry, but when I reread the post today, I remembered it was also about the Writer’s Club I belong to. Having someone recognize a post I wrote so long ago makes me feel better about writing and blogging and, honestly, just sharing life in general.
Taryn’s comment also inspired me to reinstate the Five Things Friday blog posts. And what theme could be better to re-kick it into gear than, well, better? My favorite word of this year, and probably for life.
Let’s get this started ~ here are my Five Things Friday: Better.
1. Writing. Y’all saw my new desk last week, right? How could my writing not be better when I have such a great place to write?
BETTER! 2014
The plan must be working. Megan and I have locked up the first three chapters of Book 1 of The Grenalia Chronicles. We can’t wait for you to read about Amara, Saven, Fisal, Delving, Yez, Berin, Amrais and Linwe. Yes, we made up those names. Invented a few creatures. And are in the midst of creating a magical fantasy filled with swords and sorcery and dragons and . . . well, you’ll just have to stay tuned. We’re also keeping a notebook of things we write that won’t be in the final draft. Someday, that notebook will be a best seller in itself. We have quite the sense of humor when we’re tired.
2. All roads lead to NOLA. I’m also working hard on my novel set in New Orleans. My characters are coming to life bigger than ever. I tasted my first beignet two weeks ago, and it was everything I thought it would be. Of course, it’s not from Cafe du Monde, but it was acceptable.
My not-from-Cafe-de-Monde Beignet
I have a goal to finish NOLA by the end of this year, sell it big, and celebrate at next year’s Mardi Gras. That would pretty much make This Girl oh-so-happy. And y’all know Harry Connick, Jr. hails from NOLA, right? Yes, indeedy. Seeing him on American Idol every week ~ twice a week, at that ~ is just another way to keep me inspired.
3. Budget. It took a lot to get here, to the point where I’m secure in my finances. Let me rephrase that: my budget stinks. But I refuse to stress over it. Yes, I still have trouble making ends meet. Yes, I’ll be in trouble if a big emergency happens. But I’m not unique. I’m not special. Everyone is hitting hard times. The best I can do is the best I can do. It’s okay to tell the creditors that I can’t pay in full this month. It’s okay to pay just $5 more than the minimum payment. It’s okay to wait until just before the due date. And it’s okay to not feel bad for not doing more. All I can do is all I can do. And as long as I’m really trying, I’m seeing those glimpses of success. And someday soon, one bill will be paid off. And then another. And then another. And it may take another few months, or another year or two before I can take another trip to Disneyland or eat a beignet at Cafe du Monde. However long it takes, I’m okay with that.
4. My Housing Project. I’m still working on my dirt lot of a yard. I’ve decided to put little effort into changing it, and more effort into cleaning up and maintaining it. Next year I can plant and plot. This year will be the pre-work work. This summer I’ll pull up old stumps, weed, rake, and do whatever else it takes on the outside. The only planting for this year has already been done. I bought two more Photinia for under the Big Window, and a dwarf Pomegranate tree.
Photinia
Dwarf Pomegranate
On the inside, we’re doing things better, too. I hung curtains in the laundry room.
Laundry Room Door with Curtains
I love it. It’s a nice soft look for the house, blocks the bright summer sun, and keeps the neighbors from glimpsing over the fence line. (Thankfully, I have decent neighbors who don’t have voyeuristic tendencies.) It’s the finishing touch to the laundry room.
5. Appreciation. It’s a little thing, but what a difference it makes! I’m trying to put forth better effort into appreciating the people already in my life, the things around me, and the experiences I’ve had. I’m more aware that my perceptions of the world outside myself isn’t necessarily the reality. I don’t know the inner struggles of someone else unless they choose to tell me. I can’t understand the physics or engineering of putting a building together. But I’m thankful for the shelter. I want to be patient with what goes into making my life mine, and I want to better express my thanks to all that is already a part of it. If I do all that I can do, I hope it’s enough. Sometimes it’s hard to put into words. Sometimes all I can say is “thank you”. But I’m definitely paying attention. And I definitely have a new appreciation for everything, and everyone.
And those are my betters for Five Things Friday. What are yours? Leave your comments or link up your own blog posts in the comments below.
Thanks for reading!
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
The Friday Five – STORIES
Five Things Friday – TRAVEL
Five Things Friday: Everything Old is NEW Again
Five Things Friday: POETRY
Five Things Friday: The Big Easy
Five Things Friday: Safety in Numbers
Apr 13, 2012
Well, here I am again; 9 o’clock at night and just now remembering I don’t have a post for tomorrow.
I’m disappointed in the (lack of) quality writing on my blog lately. I have grand ideas, terrific ideas; but I also have a pretty full schedule. This week has been all about book signings, meet-and-greets and selling The Unemployment Cookbook. Oh, there’s still for you to enter to win your own free copy. Just click here.
Today I devoted the afternoon to spring cleaning my Master Bedroom Closet. But as we all know, to clean a mess you have to make a mess. And that means that two hours before bedtime my room looked like the closet had expelled itself a solid case of the stomach flu all over the place. Clothing, bags, papers, empty plastic bins, full plastic bins, stuff that fell out of plastic bins… did I mention it was messy?
I stopped to take a dinner break, and nearly fell asleep in my chair. So after much self-convincing, I picked up the trash, stacked the magazines, hung the clothes, and put the few remnant tasks into the Narnia room… and closed the door. At least I can look around my room tonight and not see a mess. It will still be there tomorrow, but at least tonight I don’t have to look at it. That makes me feel a little better.
I’m actually not too sure that life won’t drag me away from the closet again tomorrow (your today, since I’m writing this Thursday night). I have the usual morning schedule: drive Dot to school (or let her drive me), stop at Mom’s for the morning news and coffee, get to the grocery store for a few essentials (if I remember. The last three days I’ve forgotten).
In the afternoon, I get an exciting change from the norm: I get to drive down to County offices for job skills testing. Last month I applied for a clerical position in the local offices, and my resume and application passed Step One. Now I get to go with a group of about 200 others to be tested for skills. I’m not nervous about the test, I love tests. I really do. I love “showing off” I guess. Especially word and communication skills. Go figure. No, not worried about the test at all.
It’s the weather. This morning the reports were calling for severe rainstorms and high winds throughout the area, and I refuse to make the drive in those conditions. But as of 9 o’clock tonight, there’s much less rain in the forecast and even the wind predictions are dying down. So I’m confident that I’ll make the drive, ace the test, and land the job.
Tomorrow night will be my favorite part of the day. It’s Family Game Night at the Second Family’s house after Bible Study. We haven’t gotten our two families together for a few months, so we’re all looking forward to this much needed quality time. Of course, the hockey play-offs will feature prominently in our viewing activity, at least for a while.
Yeeks. I just realized I’ll have to write tomorrow’s post early so I don’t forget. Well? What should I write about? You decide.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
