Waffling

I am continuously waffling between writing a “final blog post” and making a commitment to blog more often.  I’m reticent to just end it all because… what if I decide I want to start blogging again?  Would I start a new blog?  What would I name it?  I don’t think I can come up with something as creative as “Holly Goes Lightly” again. 

Also, I don’t want to be the Brett Favre of the blogging world, in the sense that he kept coming out of retirement.  Not in the sense that I am awesome at blogging like he was awesome at football.  That is not what I am saying.

It’s been a rough year.  Naturally, I don’t feel like blogging when things aren’t going well.  Of course, there’s always that slightly optimistic feeling when one year closes and another opens, and we pump ourselves up with “2013 is going to be the BEST year ever!  BOO-YA!” proclamations.  As if, with Cinderella-like magic, the clock stroking midnight on New Year’s Eve will usher in a clean slate and you won’t have all the emotional and physical baggage that’s been hanging on for months any more. 

Also, I’m about to turn 35.  So that’s happening.

I’m a lot of fun to be around. 

I’m planning a “Books read in 2012” post, and am waffling about the rest.  If I decide to ditch the blog, I will do so in a lovely final post that will have an image attached, and I will thank my supporters in appropriate fashion. It will be a lot like an Oscar speech.  You might cry.  

In the meantime, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all that jazz.  You know what?  I have this funny feeling that

2013 IS GOING TO BE THE BEST YEAR EVER!!!!

BOOOOOO-YAAAA!

Holy Toledo

There's a stack of papers a foot high I've been weeding through- my kids school folders threw up all over my floor.  I think we should reinstitute the slate tablet in schools.  A lot less paper waste.  Most of what my kids lug home is garbage, with intermittent notes to remind me to send in a permission slip or a special snack or some extra glue sticks.  Glue sticks are an integral part of the first-grade experience. 

This is one of many reasons I haven't been blogging. 

If I may be honest, I've kind of checked out of life for the past month or so.  I emerge from the hovel I live in to deliver kids to school, to stock up on basic necessities, and... that's about it.  I've been ignoring phone calls, e-mails, get-togethers of most types and text messages.  The ignoring of text messages is not purposeful; I have a new phone, and I'm not actually sure how to access text messages.  It's a very complicated device.  When I finally learn how to use it, I will essentially have a medical license and an engineering degree.  I will build myself a skyscraper where I will perform brain surgeries, thanks to this phone.  

Instead of being a responsible adult, I have been either a) sleeping or b) watching the movie Paul on HBO.  That's about it.  John has been so pleased.

Two days ago, I lifted papers from atop the answering machine (I prefer the old-fashioned answering machine to voice mail.  I tried voice mail for a while.  I found it tedious.)  The machine had been blinking red for weeks.  With great trepidation, I pressed "play."  The thing spoke to me. 

"You have 78 messages," it said.

"Holy Toledo," I said.

"What's a Toledo?" Dan asked.

"It's a city in Ohio," I said.

"Can you eat it?" Dan asked.

I ended the conversation there.  It wasn't going anywhere.

I was, however, incredibly impressed by my answering machine's storage capacity.  Sometimes, a phrase like "You have 78 messages" is just the thing one needs to hear to check back into life.   Also, I think my new meds are kicking in.  There has been a lot less sleeping and a lot more vacuuming of dog hair from the furniture. 

Today, I may even venture to Rite Aid to buy some glue sticks.  Heck, I might start blogging again.

You never know.

Blog Annoucement

After some consideration, I've decided not to publish blog posts on my Facebook page anymore.  However, since some people won't remember to read my blog unless it's on Facebook (you know who you are), I am creating a Facebook page for the blog.  You can find the page HERE. 

If you would like to continue to receive my blog posts in your news feed, please "like" the page. 

If you'd rather not, then you can subscribe to the blog via Google, Yahoo, etc. or stick your email address in the Feedburner spot over there and have the posts arrive in your inbox.  Neat, right?

If you don't want to do that, either, well.  Fine then.  I don't care.

(Except I do care.  Deeply.)

I will post a couple more posts through my regular Facebook page and then move completely over to the Holly Goes Lightly Most Awesome Community Facebook Page in America Thank You Very Much where I will post pithy quotations, witty sayings, what I'm eating for lunch, how I'm feeling, plus my deepest darkest secrets every half hour or so.

(I won't.  I will only post blog posts and rarely anything else.  Promise.)

Again, the link is HERE.

Next post: Back to Our Regular Scheduled Programming...

Tagged

Jessie tagged me. And because I’m low on blog-post inspiration as of late, I’m being a good sport and participating. Here are some questions and my riveting answers.

Dear Lord, I’m boring.

If I could go back in time and relive one moment, what would it be?

This isn’t a healthy question. It leads to ruminating.

If I could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?

Since we’re so insistent on dwelling on the past-

I’d just try to be better- a better sister, daughter, friend, student, girlfriend, wife, citizen of the United States, Gap customer, and high school band participant. Better.

What movie/tv character do you most resemble in personality?

Sleeping Beauty. Minus the beauty.

If you could push one person off a cliff and get away with it, who would it be?

Billy Fucillo (of the HUGE commercials.) I don’t want him to get hurt; I just want him to go away, please.

Name one habit you want to change in yourself.

I don’t have any regular habits. I should probably get some.

Describe yourself in one word.

Medium.

Describe the person who named you in this meme in one word.

Jessie!

Jessie is a talented writer, a mom, a friend, and an owner of I think 2 dogs. She also has a new jewelry business; here is her Etsy website: http://www.cobblestoneroad.etsy.com/.  She sells these cool tree-of-life necklaces:

Why do you blog?

It’s easier than preaching it on the streets.

Name at least three people to send this meme to and inform them.

Nah. But if you want to play- you should go for it.

2 Years of Blogging

Yesterday was the 2 year anniversary of Holly Goes Lightly. This is a major feat for me! I rarely stick with ANYTHING more than, say, a week. For instance, I’ve been making curtains for our playroom. I have three up. There are four curtains still to be made. I started 6 months ago.

Because it’s my blog’s anniversary, I feel obliged to mention how often I consider quitting. Do you want to know why? You don’t care and you think I’m full of it? Maybe so, but I’m going to write about it anyway.

1. I have a rather humdrum life: The most interesting thing that happened to me this week? I found a $40 bra I’d been missing for two years wedged beneath my dresser. John had always found its sudden disappearance mysterious. After I pulled it out, Ella immediately put it on her head and ran around the house screaming “Minnie Mouse!” And I was so happy to be reunited with it, I let her. In other words, life is a little dull around here. Which doesn't help for making interesting blog posts.

2. I’m horribly self-conscious. Which is an extreme form of narcissism. And narcissism is something that shouldn’t be fostered. A friend recently wondered why I never mentioned her in my blog. To which I got all excited- “You don’t mind if I mention you in my blog???” Because, I’ve found, some people don’t like their name or picture spread all over the internet. I don’t know why. In defense of what may seem to be extreme narcissism, I’m very sensitive about respecting others’ privacy; however, it limits my writing to me, my husband, random people at the supermarket, and my dog. As Caleb gets older, I have to be more careful about what I say about him. He deserves to have his privacy respected, too. This is really just a small part of a major discussion about sharing one’s life in such a public way- the ethics behind it, etc.- issues that fester in my self-conscious brain. (Case in point- take a look at this blogging nightmare.)

3. My readership is down! Way down. Fizzling. For several reasons: 1) My domain change debacle, 2) fewer posts being published, and 3) I dunno. Fading away.

Of course, there are some lovely things about blogging. Some days, I feel like telling everyone, “YOU should have a blog! It’s cathartic! A great outlet! We could be bloggy buds!” Here are some of the reasons I stick with it on a semi-regular basis:

1. Connections all over: I love the friendships I’ve made because of this blog. I won’t go into specifics, but I’ve met (virtually and in the flesh) some amazing people. And the blog has opened up doors to actual writing jobs, which is crazy and strange and great.

2. Maintaining a habit of writing: Having a blog forces me to sit in front of the keyboard and write SOMETHING. This was always my biggest obstacle pre-blog- just sitting down and doing something.

3. One clean, well-lighted space: I clean the house, decorate it, change things around, and within 30 minutes it becomes completely trashed. I love having this little corner where I’m entirely in control. I AM THE BLOG ADMINISTRATOR. I can come and go as I please, and everything stays just the way I left it. And that is a wonderful thing.

Anyway, thanks for reading. The readers of my blog are far superior to the readers of other blogs.

Let's Talk

Oh blog.

Where has the love gone? Our relationship has become, and it pains me to say this, lackluster.

Remember our pet names for one another? I’d call you my bloggy blog, and you’d lovingly call me your own “blog administrator.”

These days I get on and you dare to ask me for my password. What is that? Why must you be so cruel? It’s like a knife through my heart.

So the posts have dwindled. I know that. You know that. So let’s talk about it. Let’s try and be mature about this.

I don’t have good news to give you. Ella’s speech is… regressing. That’s what they tell me. My backyard is one big brown pile of dog excrement. Kiah the Wonder Dog won’t stop jumping on people. The husband has all but left me for the land of corruption and budget cuts. Daniel keeps telling me (in a rather ominous tone) that one day he will be bigger than me. Ben is boycotting baths and Caleb- Caleb spends most of his time making elaborate leprechaun traps. He stopped believing in Santa, the Easter Bunny, even the tooth fairy, but, and this is my fault, he believes in leprechauns. This might be because I claimed to have witnessed a leprechaun climbing out my window when I was a little girl.

I am a compulsive liar and I fear there is no hope for me.

Japan is under water. They found a baby, days later in the rubble, crying amidst the corpses.

Who knows how to respond to news such as that. With joy? It’s a miracle? Or with horror?

You don’t really need to be told these things. But in March, I have a hard time feeling lighthearted.

Yet, there are so many things, bloggy blog (and yes- you will always be MY OWN bloggy blog) that I love about you. I like that you are always just how I left you. No child has moved things around or wiped snot all over my widgets. I like that you politely e-mail me when someone has left me a comment. I like that you always know what day it is, even when I don’t. You are a reliable friend.

I haven't forgotten you.  I just haven't had much to say.

Hello Kiah, Goodbye hollygoeslightly.net

1. We picked out a puppy, who will be coming home in approximately four weeks. Her name is Kiah.

It is hard to pick out a puppy! I wanted a girl, so that made it significantly easier. There were only three females out of nine puppies.

As we were watching them stumble about and sleep and just be absolutely adorable, I said, for what I hope is the last time I EVER say such a thing:

"I can't tell them apart! They're all black!"

Kiah is a docile, fluffy little thing. What really drew me to her, I think, was the way she sticks her nose in corners when she sleeps. She burrows. In a pen of nine puppies, I knew which one she was because she would lay flat on her belly, nose tucked into the corner, with her hind legs splayed out behind her.

I have a perpetually cold nose, too, so I can totally relate.

Kiah

2) Thank you for voting on my new blog design. After some consideration, I ditched the chandeliers. They were just too busy. I'm keeping the header for a while but I'm sure I'll change it back sometime. I do this with the furniture at home, too.

3) I went to try and buy my domain back but someone else- someone I'm having a hard time forgiving- swooped in and bought it. Hollygoeslightly.net is now for sale. I made what I felt was a generous offer. You know what the minimum bid was? $480!!!!! I paid $10 for it a year ago! That's a lot of percentage increase there, my good man. It definitely exceeds the rate of inflation.

I was a little upset. I may have teared up. I'm almost over it. Such is capitalism, after all.

I purchased Hollygoeslightly.us which will hopefully be up and running in a day or two.

Am I the first person in the history of personal blogging who has had three domain names for the same blog within 1 1/2 years? I am a disgrace. Truly a disgrace.

To my lovely domain, hollygoeslightly.net: It was my fault. I didn't treat you as good as I should. Maybe I didn't love you quite as often as I could. Those little things- like updating my credit card- I should have said and done, I just never took the time.

If I made you feel second best, I'm so sorry. I tried.

You were always on my mind. You were always on my mind.

Goodbye.

Holly Goes Lightly Is Experiencing Technical Difficulties

So, I've gone and lost my super cute custom domain, all because Google is stupid and does not cater to the needs of technologically unsavvy stay-at-home mothers. Who are at least 2/3rds of the blogger population.

To make a horribly boring story really long, here we go: my domain registration wasn't renewed because I forgot to update my payment information after my credit card was stolen out of my vehicle along with my GPS, cell phone, and camera, which I know I have griped about in a previous post. Deep breath. Even though a really nice man took the time to call me and warn me my domain was about to expire, I still allowed it to happen because the website Who Is.com does things all weird. They said my domain would not expire until July 2011, but the nice man at GoDaddy said that they actually display the date a whole year later than the ACTUAL expiration date, and you can find this information somewhere on their complicated website. AND Google Apps is apparently different from plain old Google, and I had this whole other email address I didn't even know about. And Google doesn't have a customer service number. You have to troll forums hoping to find an answer to your obscure question.

Bloggy people who are technologically unsavvy NEED someone to walk them through things, so they don't break their monitors with their rather large and bulky Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference. (On a somewhat related note, last weekend I used the word electronical in a sentence. ELECTRONICAL.)

It's all been rather exhausting.

To get my domain name back, I will have to pay an exorbitant fee, which is not really in my budget, especially since Caleb informed me yesterday that I better start saving for his Spy School education. It costs lots of money to be a spy, what with all those fancy gadgets and all.

I'm back to my original clunky domain name, holly-goes-light-ly.blogspot.com. If I don't get my old domain back, I will lose a lot of readers. This is very anti-bloggy, the losing of readers.

And to top it all off, this is a conversation I had with Ella's speech therapist today:

Speech Therapist: Does Ella put a lot of things in her mouth that she's not supposed to? (After Ella takes a sticker ST gave her and promptly inhales it like it's pizza.)

Holly: Some things, I guess.

ST: Like what kinds of things?

Holly: Hmmmm. Let's see. Things Ella puts in her mouth. Coins, dimes, pennies, quarters. Marbles. Cereal off the floor. Dry macaroni. Pen caps. Legos. Barrettes, hair bands, hair. Her hair, my hair.

She eats dirt, sand, little pebbles, medium-sized pebbles. Lint. Dust. Grass.

Sock fuzzies, Barbie shoes, memory cards.

And play-doh. Oh,man, how that girl LOVES play-doh.

Why. Is this not normal?

(ST's eyes are wide. Apparently, not normal. Appointment with additional therapist forthcoming.)

So, you can see the STRESS I am under lately. Plus, there's a fly buzzing around my face and a pungent skunk lurking outside. AND, I cleaned my sheets today but haven't put them on the bed yet, so there's that to look forward to.

I'm going to hang in there. Hang in there with me?

Tiffany Blue

So my house is a mess. I’m about to start cleaning it. Really. I even (based on a recommendation from someone who seems to know what she’s talking about) joined Flylady.com, which is a boot camp for those of us who are organizationally challenged. My first “assignment” is to shine my sink. I’m supposed to soak my kitchen sink with warm water and bleach for one hour, and then scrub, using a toothbrush to get the crevices. This is supposed to be therapeutic or something. It is psychologically beneficial, supposedly, to have a nice, clean sink.

So here’s an odd conundrum: I can’t find my bleach. I probably put it up high somewhere.

Last night, I had a not very unusual bout of extreme insomnia. Usually, I lay in bed staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling (came with the house when we bought it. I rather enjoy them, actually.) Last night, instead of writing or cleaning my house, I redesigned my blog. It is now a Tiffany blue. Because my blog name references Breakfast at Tiffany’s. And because I like blue.

If I could get away with it, I’d smoke one of those long cigarettes. And that’s about as rebellious as I get.

I have saved the template for my own blog; I am undecided about my makeover. I think I like it. I voted that I liked it in my poll to your right. Please vote. Be honest. I can take it.

(Updated pics of my kids forthcoming.)

One Year of HGL

Today is the… wait for it… first anniversary of my blog, Holly Goes Lightly, which has recently been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

In honor of this special day, I will be awarding one lucky reader with a very imaginary prize if he or she answers all of the following questions about me correctly. (If you are a faithful reader of the blog, this will be no problem for you.)

Here are the questions, and, godspeed, my friends:

1)For what Broadway show did Holly win a Tony award?
2)What was the name of Holly’s second bestselling novel?
3)What is Oprah’s nickname for Holly?
4)Who stalked Holly this past Valentine’s Day: Colin Firth or Colin Farrell?
5)Where is Holly’s summertime vacation villa located?
6)What is the name of Holly’s children's nanny? (Bonus: Why did her second nanny quit?)
7)How many children does Holly have: one or two?
8)Where is Holly’s penthouse located?
9)Holly sang the national anthem (and received a standing ovation) at: the 2009 Pittsburgh/ Arizona Super Bowl or the 2010 Vancouver Olympics opening ceremony?
10) When Holly passes gas, does it smell like roses or lavender?

Whoever correctly answers all of these questions will receive a free copy of Holly’s bestselling memoir: Going Rogue.


First person to answer all questions correctly wins my book, which only consists of a dust jacket, but it's a cool dust jacket, I think. It took me like fifteen minutes to design it.

Thank you so much to Brittany from Mommy Words for bestowing upon me the Over the Top blog award. Very cool. It’s right there above my OTHER award. (Not bragging or anything.)

The rules of the blog award are below.

The thing is, I haven’t yet chose recipients for the other award I’ve received. So it’s going to take me a few days to get it together and pick recipients for this one, too. I’m such a procrastinator, even on my own stinking blog. So sad.

Thanks again, Brittany. Everyone check out Mommy Words at www.mommywords.com/

Brittany writes funny, personal stories about her life with kids, builds large castles, listens to Regina Spektor, and occasionally passes out. All normal everyday stuff, I guess, but she makes it seem interesting.

Plus, she has a really cool blog layout that I am jealous of.

The rules of this award are to:

Answer the questions with only one worded answers.

Thank the blogger who gave it to you over and over and over… go over-the-top if you will…
Pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers…

The One Word Wonderful Answers Follow...

1. Where is your phone: Hmmm.
2.Your Hair: Tragedy.
3. Your Mother: MINE!
4. Your Father: Smart.
5. Favorite Food: Sugar.

6.Your dream last night: Oooh! Oooh! I’m going to break the one-word rule because it’s so rare anyone wants to hear about my dreams. Okay. So I was on this boat and we stopped at this tropical island and people kidnapped us but it wasn’t like Lost at all because there were roads and civilization and Banana Republic stores and then we went underground where there was this waterfall and sunlight even though we were underground and someone gave John a gun which made him happy and then we were on a plane and then I woke up because I had to pee.

7. Favorite Drinks: Ice-tea
8. Your dreams: Big.
9. What room are you in? Office.
10. Your Hobby: Daydreaming.
11.Your Fear: Loss.
12.Where do you want to be in six years? Here.
13.Where were you last night? Class.
14. Something you are not: Invisible.
15. Muffins: Jumbo.
16. Wish List Item: Laptop.
17.Where did you grow up? NYS.
18. Last thing you did? Yawned.
19.What are you wearing? Clothes?
20. Your TV: Sony?
21. Your Pets? NO.
22.Your friends: Jewels.
23. Your life: MINE.
24.Your Mood: Blasé.
25. Missing Someone: Naturally.
26.Vehicle: minivan (sigh)
27.Something you are not wearing:) Hat.
28. Your favorite store: Wegmans.
29. Favorite Color: Blue.
30. When was the last time you laughed? Morning.
31. Last time you cried? Sunday.
32.Your Best Friend? Husband.
33. One place you go over and over? Prison. JK.
34.One person that emails you? Yes.
35. Favorite place to eat? Closed. (Sigh.) I guess I need a new one of those.

Thanks, Brittany!

A Loveliesh, Christmasiesh Blog Post

People who blog and then start reading other people’s blogs (women, in particular) start to realize there are recognitions for superior blogging that come in the form of a badge you can paste on your OWN blog. And, if you are insecure and moody like I am, you may start to develop “blog award envy” and also frustration because a) you haven’t paid anyone to give you a great website design b) your idea of Photoshop is the edit function that came with the Windows Photo Gallery and c) even though you took a class in college, you are a horrific photographer whose good photos are absolute flukes. (Second lowest grade in college, by the way, after an eight o’clock math class that I missed six times.)

EcoMeg, a cool chick who writes a very cool blog about parenting and green living, has awarded me “The Lovely Blog Award.” I’ll take it, man! It’s over to the left. Isn’t it cool?

EcoMeg may have actually unwittingly saved my family's lives this evening. Her latest post lists the shelf-lives of various foods IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR RIGHT NOW. I had leftover ham in my fridge I was intending to use in a yummy quiche for dinner. (Yes, you can eat quiche at dinner. And despite what my husband says, quiche is perfectly acceptable for anyone, no matter what their sex or sexual orientation, to eat.) My ham had been opened later than 3-4 days. Much later, actually. So, with great drama, I threw it in the garbage. (Chicken nuggets it is!)

The deal is that I’m supposed to pick 15 blogs that I have discovered and award THEM the “Lovely Blog Award.” I figure, if this continues, everyone who has a blog out there will have this award, probably by the end of the year. Except people of the straight male persuasion, because it is definitely a very girly award.

It’s going to take me a couple of days to do this. But I will. I take this responsibility very very seriously.

My ego has taken SUCH a boost because another friend nominated me for this OTHER blog award and, get this, it comes with money cash. If you win. (John’s G.O.L.D. award didn’t even come with money cash!)

Look to the left… it’s all pink and says DivineCaroline. You can follow the link to the voting booth, where they WILL allow you to bring your child in with you, so that’s not an issue at all.

The problem is a) I have been entered late in the game… lots of people entered a couple of months ago and already have over 100 votes and b) people have to register on the dumb site to vote. Which is totally lame.

I haven’t even voted for me yet because I haven't registered. It's a cool site, however, and a fun place to explore. If you really love me, you will go on there and vote, darn it. (I'm a big proponent of emotional blackmail.) $250.00 in a Visa check card! Remember, I have four kids, two sisters, a brother, a sister-in-law, a brother-in-law, five parents, two grandmothers, two nieces, two nephews, and a really greedy husband to buy Christmas presents for. (THANK GOD for the Secret Santa thingie we do with John’s brothers and sister and their respective others. Because if we didn’t? EIGHT MORE GIFTS.)

Christmas is such a hassle. I always intend to start shopping early but inevitably wait until five days before Christmas. Since I’ve been married, I have spent every Christmas Eve wrapping presents while watching It’s a Wonderful Life on television, even though we have it on DVD. And predictably, only half of the presents are wrapped by the time I start crying like I just lost my puppy, which is always at the end when George Bailey’s brother toasts, “To my brother George, the richest man in town.” TAKE THAT MR. POTTER!

After that, I put in my other favorite Christmas movie, Gremlins, and fall asleep around 3am, that much closer to carpal tunnel syndrome from excessive scissor cutting, taping, and wrapping. (Actually, at the beginning of marriage bedtime was much earlier. Then people kept getting married and having kids and, well, you know. It’s happened to you too.)

People, I will so start Christmas shopping like two weeks earlier if I win this $250. I will be out there STIMULATING THE ECONOMY! (That sounds suggestive. Oh well.)

All this self-promotion is great practice for my presidency run. Merry Christmas!

Blatant Self Promotion: Free Book Giveaway!

In honor of my interview with Double Duty author Christina Tingflof on Examiner.com, I am holding a drawing where anyone can enter to win the new edition of this classic "raising twins manual."

So if you have twins, or know anyone who has twins, or want twins, or want to get a gift to someone who has twins, or just think it's cool to learn about twins... check out the article and the drawing information.

Anyone can participate! Book arrives in the mail free to you! Yay! Free loot!

I'm done self-promoting my article now. Have a lovely day.

New Domain, Same Crazy Lady

I will come forth and just tell you that I KNOW the domain holly-goes-light-ly@blogspot.com was, well, horrible. Long. Clunky. Confusing. Insurmountable. Unwieldy.

Don't you just love adjectives? If you want to add your own adjective to describe my former domain name, I won't be the slightest bit offended. Really.

I have fixed this problem! I shelled out $10 to get my website domain name changed to the easy to remember and quite adorable http://www.hollygoeslightly.net/. Dot net is the up and coming dot com, I'll have you know.

Of course I wanted http://www.hollygoeslightly.com/. It was taken someone who appears to be some sort of interior decorater or House Beautiful fan. I will tell you, though, that if you desire the answer to the burning question What does George Stephanopolous's living room look like? (a question I have had for years and years now) you need to check out Hollygoeslightly.com.

However, if you enjoy the occasional tidbit about the life of a shy, neurotic housewife who dreams of someday singing the national anthem at a professional sports game, http://www.hollygoeslightly.net/ is the spot for you.

I'm also on Twitter, now, though I don't quite get it. It's all the rage, twitter. Anyway, you can follow me, if you so desire. Look to the right. There I am, all twitterpated.

Blogger will still direct you to Holly Goes Lightly if you feel attached to the old domain name. Me? I'm so over it.

Will Write for Cruise

I started "writing for money" in February, I think. I haven't made all that much money, really. But like any other home business, it takes time to gather clients, form a good reputation, get things together. The great thing about freelance writing is that there's really little to no overhead cost. It just all takes a lot of time. I find myself doing 25% writing and 75% searching for jobs that fit my qualifications, networking, waiting for websites to boot up.

A lot of time is wasted waiting on slow websites.

A new problem has arisen! Two of my clients have dropped off the face of the earth! I don't know the protocol for this... how long before I flip out and send the marines after them? I don't mean to sounds stingy and all, but I want my money, man. There was talk of a cruise for our ten-year wedding anniversary. A cruise! With a big boat! And salty waves! And shrimp cocktail!

I wanted to contribute in my own small way.

This is my first annoyance this past week. The second is the fact that my oldest child is not getting enough sleep.

He finds excuses to stay up late. He worries about things in bed. Sometimes I hear him giggling at ten o'clock at night. I run up to see what the commotion is all about... he states that he just told himself a funny joke. Then he tells me the funny joke. Guess what? It wasn't really that funny.

I know he's overtired because I know how I act when I'm overtired, and Caleb acts the same way. Here's is a conversation with Holly when she is sleep-deprived:

John: Hey baby, what's for dinner?

Holly: (Dissolves in tears) DINNER??? I didn't make dinner! Why are you putting all this PRESSURE on me? You just... just (sniffle)... just make dinner for yourself. (Sob. Gets quiet.) (softly) and could you make me some too?

Here is a conversation I had with Caleb yesterday upon returning from the drugstore:

Holly: Did you see the rainbow? It was a full, gorgeous rainbow across the sky.

Caleb: (Dissolves into tears.) I didn't see the rainbow(Sob)...I never saw a rainbow (gulp) before... I wanted to see a rainbow sooo bad(Choking sob)... I WILL NEVER SEE A RAINBOW EVER NOW!

One should not get that upset about not seeing a rainbow. One might be described as "overtired" or "overwrought" or an "emotional wreck" when one behaves in such a manner.

I'd love to know how to get him to sleep at night. I'm afraid he's prone to anxiety like his mama... but he's only six! Was I anxious when I was six?

Thankfully, after Caleb's breakdown the sun broke through the rainclouds and another rainbow bloomed across the sky. It was so clear, you could see each distinct color. (Roy G. Biv in the full monty.) It was a complete rainbow, a magnificent arch. Another, lighter rainbow appeared above the first, and Caleb got to see it. He saw it all. Now he can put down "saw a double rainbow" on his list of amazing things he's experienced...

I'm a Blogger!!!

My first post. I have been staring at the computer deciding which font to go with. This seems like an important decision because once you start with a font, you've got to stick with that font. I don't want to be inconsistent. I hate New Times Roman because it reminds me of long, boring research papers. Arial was a little too childish. Verdana seems breezy but serious enough.

Verdana it is.

I also came up with a great address for my sight- hollygolightly... y'know, the Audrey Hepburn character from Breakfast at Tiffanys? I thought I was sooo clever. Of course, hollygolightly was taken... by a person NOT EVEN NAMED HOLLY! This, of course, is outrageous. And hollygoeslightly is a blog by a Holly who has never once posted anything. Not once. She's been on since 2006. She should really do the right thing and relinquish her address.

So, I recently bit the bullitt and actively started seeking freelance writing jobs, and guess what? I even got a couple. And I think I'm pretty good at it. But technical writing and editing and drafting pithy little "how to" articles breeds apathy... so I'm going to blog a bit. Maybe a lot. Because that's what writers do. They create blogs in the hopes that an agent will happen upon their site and think to themselves, good gravy! This is the writing of a bestselling author. WHERE HAS SHE BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

All ye agents who never actually look at blogs at all, I've been here, in Ra-cha-cha New York, pro-creating with my husband like we're rabbits and writing a bit on the side. And now I'm going to have a little bit of fun and write about what I want to write about, gripe about what I want to gripe apart, and write ostentatious posts because this is America and I CAN.

(You can read them if you want.)