Fools Rush, Where Angels Fear

I saw this photograph while searching for inspiration. Often times when writing and the words sort of begin to feel stale or the flow feels off I'll take myself on a virtual field trip. I came across this photograph and it spoke to me, because, in a round about way it very much reflects what I was writing about...Funny how things like that happen...Huh?

love & inspiration,

nicóle

photo: piccsy.com

Stalemate

What does one do when disappointment among friends looms over a friendship like a tower from a horror novel?

I’m hurt, she’s hurt, neither one of us is really speaking to the other; unless you count text messages that are pleasant enough but feel hollow and distant, like one of those old radio shows from the 40’s.

I’m sure she feels I let her down. I didn’t mean to…But meaning to do something and not doing it are worlds apart when feelings are involved. She probably felt ignored. She should have understood, I said to myself  while my nagging conscience clucked.

I should have called her up and let her bitch at me, but I didn’t. I didn’t pick up the phone because I needed to be selfish and because I was a chicken-shit. Because truth be told I hate confrontation. Fighting with her (something we’ve never done in the 12 years I’ve known her) would only make me feel worse. I couldn't allow myself to feel any worse.

In the swirl of a homecoming that was much too short, I was hanging on to a happiness, that for duty’s sake, would take he, who I hold most dear, away from me for another year. I was trying my best to drown out the sadness and depression that lay beneath my fleeting happiness.

Could she not see the hollow light in my eyes? I wondered on a most special day.

I thought she’d understand. I was wrong. She couldn’t possibly understand what I was feeling-I shouldn’t have expected her to.

We'll figure things out once he's gone. I thought. I was sure she’d call and ask how I was doing, on the day my Airman flew away.

She didn’t. Was this my recompense? I failed her. She failed me. It’s so stupid really, the dumbest stalemate in history.

Now, nearly a month has gone by.

Did we expect too much from each other?  I love her like my own sisters, she stands high on a platinum pedestal, one reserved only for the most deserving of friends, and there she’ll remain.

Yet now there is this thing–casting its shadow on our friendship.

I can’t help but feel my own disappointment in her. Part of me feels like an ass for even feeling this way, but I do. There are some days I feel like I’m hanging off a ledge on that dark tower with only my fingertips to keep me from falling, I dare not glance down, for fear she may not be there.

* * *M - if you read this. You are one of the best friends a person could have. xo* * *Author's note:This has been weighing heavily on me. I've wanted to write about it, but for what-ever reasons I hadn't. Then this writing prompt for Write On Edge's  "RemembeRED"  series was posted. The topic was friendship. That's all the nudge I needed.image: this dude on deviant art ->http://adriandierigl.deviantart.com/Save

Anniversary Wedding Video to Blue October's Calling You

So today is my anniversary... I tend to make these goofy videos of my lypsyncing to a son. Here I am doing just that to Blue October's "Calling You".

A Simple Meal Made Special

Sometimes life gets hectic and it can be easy to relegate dinner to rushing through a drive-thru, which isn't always the healthier option for our bodies or our wallets.

I love quick and easy dinners and food made simply. I think the less complicated something is on a busy week night the better!

Which is why I love pre-prepping dinner ingredients or having short cuts.  A great short-cut is to use canned soup in dinners as either part of a main dish or to enhance meals. I mean, who hasn't heard of green-bean casserole made with canned mushroom soup, or cream of chicken soup used to enhance...well...chicken?

Those are fine -but if I'm going to use a canned soup as a "main course" in a dinner I prefer them to be of top quality...as close to home made or something I'd find in a restaurant as possible.

Which is why, when time is short but I still want to have a nice meal with my family a "go to" quick and healthy meal is Tomato and basil soup over brown rice. I love this meal. It's a favorite of my two boys which is a bonus because I know it's something I can whip up quickly, that is pretty wholesome.

To prepare I use a store bought tomato soup (I love the one by V-8). Brown rice (buy the quick brown rice that is ready in ten minutes otherwise brown rice typically takes about an hour to prepare.) Fresh basil (this is completely optional, but I like to sprinkle a bit into the soup as it's heating up.)

Prepare the soup and rice according to the directions. To brown rice I always...ALWAYS add butter or margarine. I feel the buttery flavor enhances the nuttiness of the brown rice. Truth be told I add a generous amount of buttery yumminess.

I serve this with a simple salad and a smile because dinner was prepped and served in under 20 minutes!

All the extra time I saved is used to enjoy my family. Talk about our day, tell jokes, laugh, make plans for the weekend...whatever. It's those simple, mundane moments that make life special. Having the time to relax and enjoy them is what resonates with me. It uplifts me, because I know that it's moments like these that my boys will look back on fondly. I was compensated for this post.

Homemade Hummus Dip Recipe

Snacking can break a diet. Here is a healthy snack that is also good for you.

Homemade Hummus Dip

For the dip you'll need:1 can of garbanzo beansolive oilfresh garlic -1 clove either finely chopped or crushed.sea salthot sauce I used Louisiana Hot Saucejuice of a lemon/lime about 1/2 to 1optional: Goya Vegetable seasoning packet 1/2To prepare: Mash the garbanzo beans. You can also use a food processor. I went old school and used a mortar and pestle to mash the beans and crush the garlic.Once those are mashed mix them together, next drizzle about a tablespoon or a bit less of olive oil. Then squeeze the lemon/lime juice into the bean mixture (you can add more or less to your liking.) Add in a few dashes of hot sauce (again to your liking). Sprinkle in the sea salt. I like to add in about a half or less of a packet of Goya Vegetable Seasoning. You can really season with what-ever you like or just leave it with the salt.That's it! It's so easy and I prefer it over the store bought kind any day!Serve with pita chips and fruit.

Step Outside

Photo: Katie Ruther

Plagiarism & Piracy on the Web

Last night on Twitter yalitchat.org held it's weekly twitter chat #YALITCHAT the topic was plagiarism and we inevitably got into the topic of piracy. With all that is going on with SOPA and PIPA I thought it very timely.

I also discovered this video from author Neil Gaiman where he speaks about the web and piracy and how it actually brought him new readership. Very interesting.

I'm the membership ambassador to YALITCHAT, if you're a young adult literature enthusiast or interested in learning more about our mission to advance the reading, writing and publishing of young adult literature around the world please stop in and check our community out.

I also am responsible for booking the weekly chats. If you have a topic you'd like to see discussed, or are a professional in the publishing industry and would like to be a guest please contact me.