Random Musings, Part 1

I title this part 1 because I always have random musings, so there will be a sequel to this.

First, I promised, in my last post, to let you know if the character that I placed on Death Row gets a reprieve or not.

Drum roll please..............


Steve lives!

He does have a purpose, if only in the first part of the book. He won't be back once my protagonist leaves Denver for his home town in the mountains. We all have more than one friend. I just have to be diligent in the way they interact when they're all together.

Next!

I'm working a seasonal job right now and someone asked me if it was fun. You see, this company rents inflatables. The company is Blaster Bouncer . We have three locations; Denver, Chicago and Pittsburgh. I'm the Customer Service Manager for all three... Where was I? Oh, yes, fun. Yes and no. I love the company, love the owners, love my office mates, love the guys that drive long hours and set up bounce houses and other inflatable games and such all day, love the guys who come in and clean them, even the customers most of the time. What's not fun is telling someone that the company is cancelling their order because the wind is too high (really, safety first people), making calls to people to tell them their credit card declined, listening to the few people who just like to complain (mostly trying to get a discount), and the sometimes long hours and incessantly ringing phones. It's all part of the business, so I'll take the good with the bad, because this is a good company, with good work ethics, run by good people.

This past Saturday, I went to the Farmer's Market at Southwest Plaza Mall. My friend and fellow writer, Jody Romero, has started a business and is peddling her wares at the local markets. Her new company is called Kuzala! (it means happy in Sanskrit). She makes gluten free, low glycemic, cookies and biscotti. So far, my favorites are her chocolate chip cookies, which taste like the unhealthy kind, the cranberry/chocolate/pecan biscotti, mocha biscotti, and wild berry shortbread. There are many more to try.

I looked around the market, at all of the mom and pop, cottage industries and reflected on something a friend posted on Facebook:

I know several people with small businesses, and I'm proud to support and promote them!

Which brings me to my next ramble.

I'm going to throw my daughter a Bon Voyage party with a little help from my creative friends. Two of those friends have a business called PSMIYO (PS Make It Your Own). I met Pam Smerker of Pamela Smerker Designs and her partner in creativity, Dawn Rumin about six years ago when doing a fund raiser at the high school. We've been friends since.

They will be helping me with the decor/theme of the party and I have no doubt that it will be fabulous. I believe Dawn has her wheels turning with themes of travel and the UK, and Pam has started a board on Pinterest so that we can all post ideas for the party. I'm so excited!

I've also been musing about the blessings of belonging to my writing groups. The first group I joined is called the  Golden Wannabe Writer's Group. It's a MeetUp! group led by writer's coach Janet Lynne Roots. We meet at Read, Write & Brew (I did a blog review on 6/9/12). It's such a great venue for readers, writers, students, musicians and groups. I highly recommend checking it out whenever you're in Golden, Colorado. GWWG is the group that got me going and the support, feedback, and friendships that have come from this group have been priceless. Janet's instruction has been invaluable as well.

From this group has stemmed a small critique group, which started with myself and Lisa Fender. We've recently added Janet Baltz another member of GWWG. The benefit of this small, personalized group is immense. Love these ladies and respect their feedback. Thank you for the support!

My third group is the RMFW Tuesday Night, SW Plaza Critique Group. There are groups like this all over the Denver Metro area, all springing from The Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers organization. I joined this group after my friend Mindy (also of Blaster Bouncer fame) coaxed me into coming to one of their monthly seminars. I've been bizarrely attracted to this group ever since. I love them and I hate them. I have learned so much from the critique I get. Sometimes I leave feeling elated, sometimes I'm deflated, but something keeps me going back, like some sick addiction or masochistic thing.  No matter how I feel, everything I've gotten from them has been valuable.

I have to stop rambling now. Got pages to print out for tonight's torture at critique tonight.

Thanks for reading my meandering post! ~RGC