Factoid Friday

Found some interesting things this week in the mags I thought you guys might enjoy/benefit from.

For those of you taking Ginkgo for memory - you can stop now. According to an eight-year study done by Steven T. DeKosky, M.D. of the Univ. of Virginia School of Medicine, of 3,000 older patients, those who took ginkgo biloba were just as likely to develop Alzheimer's as those who didn't. *sigh* You're better off working puzzles or learning a new language or an instrument. So far I think the studies are looking good on the efficacy of keeping your mind sharp through activity.

For my worry wart friends (and you know who you are, Sheila and Betty), Susan Crandell wrote a very interesting article in this month's Good Housekeeping magazine called The Worry Cure. I didn't read all the way to the cure (as I wouldn't know a worry if it came up and bit me on the...but I digress), but I found a couple of nuggets to pass on to you guys. Number one:

"Toxic worry" is what Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., author of Worry has dubbed chronic worry which leaves your mind revisiting the same issues over and over, with no solution in sight and no exit ramp, the infinite web of 'what if'. [As I love to say...you can't live your life on 'what if' LOL!]

Number two: "...the sneaky thing about chronic worry, says Alan D. Keck, Psy. D., director of the Center for Positivey Psychology in Altamonte Springs, FL, is that it can masquerade as constructive action "When you worry, you think you're doing something productive," says Keck, "but you're not; you're just spinning your wheels." [and using up energy that could be better used otherwise.]

I liked the sidebar comment: "It's not the cause of your worry but your confidence that you'll handle it that counts." So the next time chronic worry crops up, think of solutions. If there are no solutions, pray for acceptance.

Looking forward to a busy weekend with a wedding, a birthday party, PPV fight party, and church. Oy! Hope you all have a great weekend.

Love ya,
~pinkie

Thoughts on Thursday

This was Max as a puppy. He's always been a big rocker, and he's very disappointed Adam didn't win last night.

Hehehe! Just kidding.

Speaking of TV series, did anyone watch the 24 season finale? It was kind of blah for me. I predicted most of what happened (it helps being a writer). Still a good season tho, but I'm worried they're running out of material.

Lots of my favs got cancelled after the writer's strike and more this season. *sigh* Loved Pushing Daisies. They've promised to air the final three episodes and finish out this last season beginning May 30 on consecutive Saturday nights.

Almost time to pick up the grandkids - yay! so better run. Love you all!

~pinkie

Mother's Day

Today has been a great mom's day. I got my mother-in-law's quilt done - yay! (After 2 years or so - sheesh!). I started with two pretty fabric panels and designed the quilt around them. Talk about a risky venture, but the end result wasn't half bad if I do say so myself. I'm wrapping up several projects at the moment, and I'm so relieved to have time to work on them!

My housekeeper called today. She's out of town visiting a nephew whose wife miscarried last week. She called to tell me that I'm an inspiration to her. Me. Wow. You know, 10 years ago that's the last tag I'd have applied to myself, and I'm not sure I truly deserve it now. After all, it's not me who has all this strength and courage. It's the fact that, no matter what happens (including death), God's got my back. Like Paul said, to live is Christ but to die is ultimate gain. Not that I'm ready now, you understand. LOL!

My friend who was so terribly ill in the hospital is home now, and miracle of miracles, she's still on the list for donated lungs. I'm telling you, only God could have pulled that one off! Lane's assistant who suffered a brain aneurysm a couple to weeks ago went through a risky, experimental surgery which was a success. She's getting to where she can talk now and is making good strides back to normal. Her right eye won't open - that's where the aneurysm was - behind that eye, but she's able to feed herself now and all kinds of stuff. A couple of weeks ago, the doctors predicted she'd die within minutes.

My oldest daughter is coming from school for a short stay next weekend. I'll get to see my mom twice this month! Once when Laura and I go see my niece's new baby next Sunday and again for my regular visit at the end of this month (or first of next). I'm hoping to get a lot done on the kids' recipe scrapbooks. That's one project I *really* need to wrap up!!!

My son's on the way over. He's stopping by McAlister's to pickup sandwiches and broccoli cheese soup (in a bread bowl, of course!) and then we're going to play Samba (a form of the card game Canasta). Life truly is good.

Always,
~pinkie

Smiles to all you moms

Spyder's Got the Blues

Just got a rejection from Nocturne which is kind a mixed blessing. I really wanted to sell to them, but my dream agent doesn't represent series (Harlequin/Silhouette), and she liked this one (at least the first chapter which is all she's read so far). I know, I'm talking in circles. Not a good day today. Suffice to say, I was having trouble keeping the word count down anyway, so I'll be turning this into a single title. Hopefully my agent of choice will continue liking it all the way to the end.

The rejection from Nocturne was that the premise is good but a couple of major aspects don't fit with the Nocturne line. I'll just have to keep reading them and see if I can shoot within the target with another book later. For now, I'm going to develop some aspects that my critique partners mentioned during the readings that will deepen the storyline.

Not today, though. I've been in a weird mood all day, and I'm going to give into it while trying to get some laundry and grocery shopping done so the day's not a complete wash. I'll snuggle with my doggies, regroup, and start again tomorrow.

Love you all!
~pinkie