Cold Desk Woes

As the lunch lady I spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen cooking. Until I have to make a trip to the walk-in cooler and freezer, the temperature at this time of year is usually pretty nice for working. 


As the lunch lady I spend quite a bit of time at my desk menu planning and ordering, doing required paperwork, blogging (no really, some of it is work related). My desk is also where I take my breaks. Unfortunately, the desk is in a corner of the kitchen where the air paths of two vents intersect and gather. Which means... sometimes it feels as cold as the walk-in.

 I know I'm not the only person who suffers from an overly cool work station, but I mean, really... How is anyone expected to produce optimum results when your fingers are so cold you can hardly type. At least I have the opportunity to go stand by the stove or ovens to warm up. And I do keep a sweater here, today may be the day it comes out of the drawer for the winter.


As fall continues to get cooler (at home we went from open windows to the furnace in one day. Sheesh.) I'll get more accustomed to the cooler temps. But, not at my desk. Yeah, I've put a thermometer on the shelf above my desk. It's gotten down to 62.


Okay, enough whining on this **100 blog challenge**. Besides, it's time to start cooking lunch for the kids! Oh, oven warmth. How wonderful!

Weekend of Beautiful Arms

If you're following the **100 blog challenge**, yesterday I was at Creativity for Happy Endings talking about Yamato--the Japanese Drummers. Besides the marvelous drumming, the play of muscles in the drummers' arms was amazing. Even as far back as I was forced to sit, the muscle definition held my attention. It made no difference if the drummer was male or female, they all had beautiful arms. I can hardly imagine the power and strength used to play as they do. If you haven't seen Taiko drummers--visit CHE for a sample.

But that wasn't the end of beautiful arms!
Meet one Hugh Jackman in the movie Real Steel. Now, those are some very nice arms. For some, I need say no more. : )

So, I won't...

A Good Year for Spiders

A good year if you're a spider. A bad year for spiders if, like me, you find them frightening. In either case, spiders have prospered this year, large numbers of them growing big and fat--and moving inside now that the weather's getting cooler.

Ewww.

Yesterday I got home from work and opened the garage door. My car was half way into the garage when I noticed a not so small spider hanging from the garage door opener. Right where I'd be opening my door in just a few seconds. Needless to say, I didn't go any further. In fact, I backed up a bit. Got out of the car. Edged around the other vehicle in the garage until I got to the broom.

It's not easy for me to dispose of a spider. I truly believe they'll come back and haunt me. However, once one enters MY space... there's only one thing to be done. And I did it. Got back in my car and parked. I didn't stop having the 'crawlies' until safely inside the house with the door firmly closed. Sure, I know there's probably spiders in the house, but as long as I don't see them, we're both okay.

And I really do try not to exaggerate a spider's size when I see one, but fear always seems to magnify what we're afraid of, doesn't it? The garage spider was about the size of the cute spider picture. Only hairier.

This morning? I turned on the garage light and scanned the area before I moved to the car. My spidey sense wasn't tingling, so I was safe.

And I like feeling safe.

**This spider brought to by the 100 blog challenge**

Safe Harbors?

A ship in a harbor is safe,

but that's not what

a ship is built for.

~~Unknown

A ship in a harbor...is like a story (or any creative endeavor) you never share with the world. Safe. No risks. And, no stepping out of your comfort zone.

For this **100 day challenge** blog, take a step outside your comfort zone today. Then come back and leave a comment. Let's sail from our safe harbors together!

I took the weekend off.

Yep, didn't do my *100 day challenge** blogs at all over the weekend. Other things to do, places to go, people to see.  If you've ever tried to do things consistently, you know the drill.

I started out this challenge, not even a month ago, with high hopes of blogging on one of four blogs every day. I could be bummed about having messed up so soon, but I'm not. I do plan to catch up eventually though--before I run out of my 100 days.

How often do we start something--writing a book, a diet, an exercise program, a class, a craft project, anything--and we stall out for some reason? That's pretty human of us, don't ya think? The key is what you do after you stall. 

I'll pull out my blogging jumper cables, give myself a jolt and get on the road again...

What do you do to get yourself going again when you fall off your plan?

Spider in the Kitchen

not my kitchen

Picture this... the kids are moving along nicely in the lunch line, happy about the chicken sandwich and corn on the cob when one observant fourth grader points out there's a spider in one of the light fixtures. Now, the spider is the focus of everyone's attention. Which isn't too bad, unless, like me, you're scared spitless of spiders.

A big light fixture--three feet long, two wide--makes a great playground for a spider as long as my finger. Well, I suppose he wasn't playing, but trying to find a way out of the bright space. Back and forth, from one end to the other. He was, however, chasing chills up and down my spine with each pass.

I've grown a lot in my ability to deal with this fear. A few years ago, I wouldn't have been able to remain in the kitchen, continue serving lunch or talk spiders with the kids. Once I was able, though, I did leave the kitchen for awhile. When I returned, the spider was gone. Now, one of my heroes could have come and taken care of the creature, or he found his way out. I don't much care, as long as I can't see him. (Although the thought of him crawling around above me isn't comfortable.)

It was interesting watching him--sort of. You don't see the underside of wolf spiders as a general rule. I was fascinated by the tiny round pads of his feet.

As a writer, this experience made me think. We look for the right character traits for our story people, then give them a flaw to go with that trait. But, how often to we give them a phobia? There's usually a good internal fear for them to deal with on the emotional level, but what about an external fear that causes a visceral reaction? Something that has no apparent reason...

I'm thinking about my characters now, and how I can deepen their relationship with my readers by adding a fear. How about you? On this **100 day challenge** leave a comment about what fear you might give to one of your characters.

As much as I love to add pictures to my blog--there was no way I'd put a spider on here. I'd never be able to come back!

I Love Rocks

Uh oh. I missed blogging yesterday with a computer cut free from the internet. Withdrawal? You bet. But the router has been upgraded and things seem to be moving along nicely this morning. So, here's a short 100 day challenge blog for today. (I'll try to catch up with the missed blog later!)

I love rocks. Plain weathered rocks from a path or shaped and polished to gem quality, I just love 'em.  Some are for holding and contemplation. Some for studying and admiring. Some are just because I like the shape, size, color, feeling... Guess it comes down to the fact I simply enjoy surrounding myself with stones. I've been told I have an earth spirit, so that makes sense!

I'm not the only one in my household that is a rock lover. Whenever we go to a rock show, my brother picks at least one geode from the bin and has it split. This is one of my favorites--in fact, I kinda appropriated this one. Although you can't see it well, there is a bit of pale amethyst among the crystals. But what I like best is the shape of the cavity.

I write romance. What a bonus to open a geode and find a heart! Okay, some folks may not see the raggedy shape as a heart, and that's okay. It's my rock and I'll see what I want in it. :)

Oh, and did I mention that my favorite shape for a polished stone is a sphere? Yep, I love balls too. (and you can make of that whatever you will!)