tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24691000762385533382012-02-16T08:36:15.292-05:00...a blog by an unpublished writer of comedic contemporary romances who'd rather write than clean.Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-52178554278469813012008-04-07T13:55:00.004-04:002008-12-11T02:24:44.865-05:00

I quit!This home maker thing is for the birds. Honestly. It would be one thing if you cleaned the house and it stayed relatively clean, but this...this is total chaos. No. Wait. It's anarchy!All I wanted to do was vaccuum. That's it. Even though real writers don't do it, I needed to, because it's spring and the dust bunnies are larger than usual, thanks to my two shedding dogs. So I started at

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-62764884718529621402008-04-02T20:52:00.003-04:002008-04-02T21:01:46.655-04:00

I've been looking for a job. No, wait. Not a job...I'm looking for a career. Personally, I'm feeling a bit old for this, but I'm hopeful. Enough people have told me that the 40's are the new 20. (What does that make the 20's? And what happens to people under 20? Are they in the negative numbers?) I'm thinking that people who say this haven't reached their 40's yet; there is NO way this body

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-48280606083308423742008-03-15T10:06:00.002-04:002008-03-15T10:11:01.260-04:00

written on March 14It's my birthday today.For a gift, my best friend in the whole world (for 25 years!) gave me a train ticket to come see her in Maine. And even though I'm now the ripe old age of 43, I've never gone anywhere by train. I've taken the T in Boston, but that doesn't really count as taking the train to go somewhere.I'm blogging from the train right now, as a matter of fact. We just

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-62681629614907653312008-03-12T11:35:00.005-04:002008-03-12T13:01:46.259-04:00

Since I've been laid off, I've been making important phone calls. Like the one to my husband's health insurance company, to see if I've been added to his account. Have you done this type of thing, lately? Try to avoid it, if you can, because this is how it goes:(pleasant pre-recorded female voice, unusually chipper) "Thank you for calling United against your Health, we really don't Care. If

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-52761577604007437982008-03-10T11:04:00.002-04:002008-03-10T11:13:25.994-04:00

You know how Santa is constantly making his list and checking it twice? I think I know how he feels. Lately, I'd be lost without lists. Grocery lists, to do lists, laundry lists (literally. Like, Monday house, Tuesday--boy 1, Wednesday--Girl, Thursday--toddler boy, Friday-Husband, Saturday-Me, Sunday...whatever's left), shopping lists (cleaning supplies! Clorox CleanUp, Mr Clean Sponges--

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-76227358072001671522008-02-27T00:39:00.002-05:002008-02-27T00:54:36.392-05:00

Okay, it looks like crap, because sometimes what you see is NOT what you get (no matter what wysiwyg promises) but--MY WEBSITE IS UP!Complete with links to all my webfriend's websites. So, kids...visit www.cyndisweet.com within the next few days and let me know if the links is workin' da ways de should.I'm so punchy. Please 'scuse me. I'm so not a techie and my art major days are far behind me

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-52152320023612701202008-02-25T11:10:00.002-05:002008-02-25T11:14:31.186-05:00

I've been trying to figure out how to get my website published. It's not working.The worst part is knowing that it's probably very simple. But to a technophobe like me, it's akin to flying to the moon. Even with instructions. I might as well be reading blahblahblah...At any rate, I've been ignoring my blog in my attempts to get my other site up and running under the domain name,

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-8357810354123305172008-02-15T15:27:00.001-05:002008-02-15T15:27:42.040-05:00

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-388095408778993542008-02-05T20:11:00.001-05:002008-02-05T21:17:59.143-05:00

After more than five days of not being able to log in to my blog for NO APPARENT REASON (scream), I've decided to move. This isn't the first time I've been locked out of my blog here at blogger. In fact, this is my third blog at this site; third, because the same thing happened with my other two. So--that's it. Three strikes and you're out. Goodbye, Blogger. Hello, wordpress. And while I'm

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-56668469428653351072008-01-28T07:09:00.000-05:002008-01-28T07:41:09.695-05:00

Good morning!I have a vacation day, today. It's 7:00 am. I've been awake since 5:30 because--I'm a mom.Vacation days now that I have three kids are very different from vacation days when I used to work, pre-kids.For one thing, at this very moment, two of my children are pounding on things. My 7 year old has drumsticks and he's pounding on a BJ's Warehouse sized box of oatmeal and the metal paper

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-32734399160875205652008-01-27T10:32:00.001-05:002008-01-27T13:48:51.798-05:00

More or less.Hello, faithful reader(s). I'm sorry I haven't been blogging this week. I can't even say I've been busy. But I've been reading. My author of choice--in honor of the Patriots--is Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I never read her before, even though critique partners recommended her to me. When I'd picked up her books and read the summaries, I'd thought--euww, football?--and put them

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-20335035254859098132008-01-22T10:27:00.000-05:002008-01-22T10:58:27.959-05:00

I heard something interesting the other day, which I must attribute to entertainer, Robert Wuhl, and his HBO special, Assume the Position 201 with Mr. Wuhl. He talked about the actress Hedy Lamar, an actress some of you may have heard of. She lived way back when everything was in black and white. (I'm not sure that color had been invented yet.) She also starred in the first major film where

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-41709501361861454352008-01-21T14:54:00.001-05:002008-12-11T02:24:45.406-05:00

Did you ever wonder... Crap. I sound like Andy Rooney. Not that that's a bad thing, but...Let me try again.Have you ever noticed (I think that's better. Is it?) how you get ideas? People haven't often (or ever) asked me where I get my ideas for stories. Probably because the only people who have read my stuff are writers and they know where ideas come from. (The Idea Fairy?)It's strange, really. I

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-78306730041690136052008-01-20T11:41:00.000-05:002008-01-20T12:04:06.567-05:00

...for some folks. For me, it's just another day to do laundry.For my husband, Sunday=Football. Especially today, when the Pats play the Chargers for a chance to play in the Super Bowl. And then there's another game, with Green Bay and The NY Giants.Geesh. You'd think I'd know what I was talking about, wouldn't you? In a way, I have no choice. Even my children are football obsessed. (I suppose my

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-71008053289219691392008-01-19T19:40:00.000-05:002008-12-11T02:24:46.420-05:00

Sorry I missed Friday's posting. I couldn't think of a good alliteration (or one that didn't make me say "enh"), so I just played with my formatting, instead. Tell me what you think, faithful reader (of one). I decided the blue was easy. Call it Formatting Friday. (geesh.)Have you noticed that HTML rhymes with hell? Hmmm. I wonder if that's intentional? Anyhow:My family has created their own

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-68230127976374040722008-01-17T12:29:00.000-05:002008-01-17T22:04:58.393-05:00

Thirteen things I love about winter:1.... Snow is pretty.2....I have an awesome sweater collection.3....I don't have to worry about looking fat in a bathing suit.4....Ditto. In shorts.5....I don't have to clean the pool.6....There's no pollen.7....Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day.8....The cold air makes the stars sparkle at night.9.... Snowmen are cool.10...It's easier to get

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-31846679280237387282008-01-16T19:57:00.000-05:002008-01-16T20:23:54.680-05:00

I hate it whenever there's a newsbreak and the headline suddenly becomes a perky alliteration. You know, like Death for Diana or Kennedy Catastrophe or whatever. I can't believe I'm trying to think of perky alliterations for my blog. Eeeek! It's Wacky Wednesday...Worry Wednesday...Wordy Wednesday...Wierd Story Wednesday...Heart-Warming Wednesday...Writerly Wednesday...W-T-F. Wednesday...

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-51902114502435349802008-01-15T16:18:00.001-05:002008-12-11T02:24:46.561-05:00

Yesterday, I mentioned I wanted to try writing in themes to help me actually blog each day. (waving to my one faithful reader...)Anyhow, I thought Tuesday could be Technology Day.I'm not technological.I'm not even logical.That's probably why I clicked on the button at blogger that asked if I wanted to attach my blog to a domain name (thus, I think, even losing my one faithful reader). Since then,

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-77426105478443352502008-01-14T10:02:00.000-05:002008-01-19T09:33:21.444-05:00

Jan 9, 12:55 PM (ET)DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Jane Hambleton has dubbed herself the "meanest mom on the planet."After finding alcohol in her son's car, she decided to sell the car and share her 19-year-old's misdeed with everyone - by placing an ad in the local newspaper.The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-45257872516526654852008-01-11T12:15:00.000-05:002008-12-11T02:24:46.801-05:00

I collect fortune cookie fortunes. Not like stamps or coins; I don't stop at other people's tables and pick up their litter just so I can have their fortunes. I don't even put them into albums.Mostly, I just stick them into my pocket and then, later, tape them to my monitor. Or my refrigerator. Or wherever they might fit. I remember I had one taped to the dashboard of my first car. (Don't ask me

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-11953559851559972072008-01-10T13:46:00.000-05:002008-01-19T09:32:02.956-05:00

I have no voice today. I have The Cold.Assuming that most of you (my one or two readers) also have The Cold, I decided to post the following, courtesy of CNN.com.Cold remedies. What works:Water and other fluids like juice, clear broth or warm lemon water with honey help loosen congestion and prevent dehydration. Salt water. A saltwater gargle — 1/2 teaspoon salt in an 8-ounce glass of warm water

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-57255181247076716972008-01-06T20:29:00.000-05:002008-01-06T20:47:23.667-05:00

Today's blog topic was inspired by an email to my friend and soon-to-be-published author, Jennifer Shirk. I told her, "...I didn't insert the love scene. I just don't want to go there, though I know I need to. I'm sorry, but you just have to be in the mood to write that stuff. Plus, you need privacy. And I mean PRIVACY. You can't have your husband sitting 10 feet away watching the NFL

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-64754677975719687312008-01-05T21:21:00.000-05:002008-01-06T20:18:04.060-05:00

Recently overheard:1. "So the electrician told me that something chewed up the wires between the walls. I asked him if he saw any mouse drippings."2. "I'm not wrong very often, especially when I'm right."3. "Are all the people buried in that cemetery dead?"I started thinking about what I write about the most. What's my big theme? Everyone's got one. It's something that rears its head in your

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-27663104821268267922008-01-02T02:17:00.000-05:002008-01-06T20:24:29.458-05:00

...never to live in Washington.Here's why: (Associated Press) BREMERTON, Wash. - A 25-year-old woman was arrested for investigation of second-degree assault for getting into an argument with her boyfriend over whether his dog should be in the bathroom while the couple were taking a shower together.A police report said the man, 26, wanted his dog to join them in the bathroom, but the woman

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-49626285463749497812007-12-18T08:31:00.000-05:002008-12-11T02:24:47.128-05:00

"I’m an American Soldier an American. Beside my brothers and my sisters, I will proudly take a stand. When liberty’s in jeopardy, I will always do what’s right. " ~from An American Soldier, by Toby KeithI don't often listen to country music on the way to work. As a matter of fact, I don't often listen to music. Period. My dear husband rides in with me each day and he controls the radio in the car

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-29707963132673912852007-12-02T11:25:00.000-05:002008-12-11T02:24:47.898-05:00

1) I don't care what you give me for Christmas. It's imminereal to me.How about a dictionary?2) You should get that treated. One of these days, you're going to wake up dead.And I thought mornings were bad enough as it is...3) The doctor said I have ammonia.Dear God! At least, you're clean. 4) Let's leave things the way they are. You don't ever want to wake a sleeping horse.Of course not. He

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-60762471249942451292007-11-13T12:33:00.000-05:002008-12-11T02:24:48.385-05:00

I heard that the Pope plans to visit to the United States in April, 2008.Now, I am not a good Catholic. In fact, whenever I write a short story, invariably I touch on something Catholic—things I question, things I find absurdly superstitious, medieval, or even oppressive.But I still cling to those roots. I can’t help myself. In times of desperation—as do many—I turn back to the faith of my

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-33750022032029200572007-10-25T12:50:00.000-04:002007-10-25T12:51:57.161-04:00

PRODUCT REVIEW: Werther’s Original CaraMelts: soft creamy caramels that melt in your mouth! Result: blech. I’ve made a shocking self-discovery: I’m NOT a pantser. This means I don’t write by the seat of my pants. I’m not a plotter, either. Filling out charts or blank spaces on character interviews do absolutely nothing for me.I’ve decided I’m a third category of writer, a combination of the

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-18959100830966291852007-10-24T13:02:00.000-04:002007-10-24T13:03:42.857-04:00

First of all, I’d like to have a blog moment of prayer for the people in California whose homes are—at this moment—burning, and especially for those who have lost their lives in the fires. Pray for the firefighters and the rescue workers. And pray that we as a nation display more compassion, concern and care. We failed miserably with Katrina. Let’s get it right this time.Okay…moment over. It’

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-56768508139145867652007-10-01T14:06:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:48.939-05:00

There are some women who are sleek. Tall, streamlined, with long, straight hair that shimmers. They smell nice. They look nice. They wear makeup and beautiful clothes that fit their slender frames perfectly. When they go to the ladies' room, they stop in front of the mirror to fluff and preen--and they should. They look good. I, on the other hand, wash my hands and leave the room. Waah.If women

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-46745013422391048132007-09-30T09:56:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:49.495-05:00

A teddybear exploded today in a freak laundry accident at a Cranston, Rhode Island home.Miss Dearheart Valentine, covered in chocolate (due to previous accident in the same home) entered a pillowcase in order to take a bath with some towels. "The bleach hurt my eyes," was all she would say, still obviously in shock after the accident."Fluff was everywhere!" Retched a horrified eye-witness, still

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-76617246784284982332007-09-29T17:20:00.000-04:002007-09-29T17:31:48.505-04:00

Yes, you got it. I have it. Writer's block.To be honest, I'm not surprised. My little vacation from writing has put me into quite a funk. I don't know how to write, anymore. And...here's a secret...you know how I call my blog Real Writer's Don't Vaccuum? Well...this writer actually does. Yes! I not only vaccuum. I dust. And, I do laundry. I like to keep my house tidy and clutter-free,

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-59300864140264673242007-09-06T13:11:00.000-04:002007-09-06T13:16:16.753-04:00

After nearly ten long years, I've crawled out of my basement office and entered the light of day.I've also entered the work force.This is a good thing, I think. For example, I'm able to blog for the first time in...I dunno. A while. Also, I've picked up a manuscript I haven't touched in years--and decided to rework it. I now have an hour (and two fifteen minute breaks) free and all to myself,

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-50226351425844492852007-08-19T17:22:00.000-04:002007-08-19T17:32:37.417-04:00

Before he lost his hearing, my dad would read jokes to the us from the Reader's Digest. Red-faced, he'd snort and giggle his way through a joke, stopping to lift his glasses and wipe away the tears streaming from his eyes. It was one of his favorite things and though we teased him about it, we all tend to do the same to our families.And me? I'm going a step further. I'm going to blog a joke

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-65159930725822810892007-08-14T15:30:00.000-04:002007-08-14T15:38:08.279-04:00

Just a little brainstorming type question, for all two or three of you who actually read my blog.You have a female vampire.She's from this century. This millenium. In fact, she's only been a vampire for a year or so. What do you think she could be addicted to? Ah, writing. It's a strange thing. You suddenly have a character in your head, dictating a story to you, demanding you tell it. The

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-12388907300224329142007-08-06T12:53:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:49.784-05:00

...Check out Annette Blair's latest book! SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH She could touch the past…As the buyer for her sister’s vintage curio shop, Harmony finds her job almost unbearable, since she has the ability to read objects and learn things about their former owners—even their deepest darkest secrets. Now, a Celtic ring depicting a man’s empty embrace has led her to the Paxton castle on the

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-2622377561576320732007-07-23T11:35:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:49.902-05:00

I spent my weekend reading Harry Potter. Actually, I spent my weekend preparing to get Harry Potter, then buying Harry Potter, then reading Harry Potter--and then, thinking about Harry Potter.How many more times can I write Harry Potter?Anyhow, I took my daughter (age 9) to a release party on Friday. We got there at 11:00 pm, and watched dedicated fans parade about in their costumes (my personal

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-73506804366926898302007-07-20T10:46:00.000-04:002007-07-20T11:07:05.963-04:00

Have you ever noticed how the same letters (+i, -r, -e, -d) of editor can be rearranged to spell...idiot?That's one of those things that always pops out at me when I'm trying to write. You see, I've got this editor in my head. And the editor says, "This sucks. Are you kidding? You can't write. You can't plot. This is boring. There are too many words. There aren't enough. This whole thing doesn't

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-5009164330038353012007-07-19T11:01:00.001-04:002008-12-11T02:24:50.441-05:00

Hello. My name is Duffy. I am the Dog of the House. There is another dog of the house. She is a bitch. Her name is Rosie. Mommy isn't here, today. She is using the hose in the giant water dish in the backyard. She is muttering something about overfilling the dish and shorting out the filter. She is not cheerful.I am cheerful. That is why I decided to help Mommy by writing her blog. I am a

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-67963447583300777932007-07-14T10:31:00.000-04:002007-07-14T10:54:13.750-04:00

A friend of mine was excited recently. She got her very first contest scores back. She'd done pretty well. But she was puzzled. There were two judges who loved her writing. They praised her characterization, her voice, her use of pov--just about everything. They made long comments and critiques. They even let her know about their own background as published or unpublished authors.And then...

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-51487285520101308172007-07-09T13:08:00.000-04:002007-07-09T13:57:28.734-04:00

Although...sometimes real writers vacuum the pool. What is it about water? The calm blue of a pool, even when dotted with bugs in their death throes, can be inspirational. I have a writer-friend who does all her rewriting in her tub. She's got one of those big, walk-in spas. On the edge, where some folks keep spare bottles of shampoo and razors, she has a mug full of pens. She swears by this

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-6612229782496939582007-06-03T04:29:00.000-04:002007-06-03T05:02:58.265-04:00

My nine-year-old is writing a book. It's a paranormal. (Hmm. How does the child know what the hot market is right now?) She's told me the gist of the story--that's what they're working on in her fourth grade classroom. Instead of a summary, they create gists. "Here's the gist of it," they say.Doesn't that sound less scary than "a two minute pitch outlining the GMC of the protagonist" or

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-17789585658366735822007-05-25T09:44:00.000-04:002007-05-25T09:56:23.987-04:00

Funny thing about taking time off from writing. It doesn't quite work.When you have a "real" job (or--gasp!--hobby), you take time off, recharge and come back raring to go. When you write, however, you sort of fade away. I'm still doing research for my Leonardo book. Sort of. I took a side trip into a bit of research about Henry VIII and his children, which will have NOTHING to do with my

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-33171944940889072422007-05-14T20:36:00.000-04:002007-05-14T21:51:34.556-04:00

I had time to reflect on yesterday's blog, and I realized I left out some important things.First, here's my secret: I keep a stash of chocolate way in the back of a cupboard in my kitchen. Behind the vitamins and boxes of herbal tea, tin cookie trays and the ceramic pumpkin we put the Halloween candy in. It's such a secret, I've even forgotten about it at times. Which isn't a bad thing. Because

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-40686887490273015822007-05-13T09:29:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:50.604-05:00

I've got a secret.And so do you.We all do. Everyone. Even my dogs have secrets. (They just don't hide them very well. Look under the couch. And you can tell if it's a really secret secret, because one of them appears sheepish and slinks about apologetically.)I heard about a really good secret the other day. One of those friend of a friend of a friend secrets--it may even be an urban legend.

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-73797047609594004892007-05-10T11:00:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:50.795-05:00

I've been doing research on Leonardo da Vinci. (Don't ask.*) Leonardo was brilliant in so many capacities--everyone agrees on that. (Except Michaelangelo, and that was mostly sour grapes. I think. I know there was a dueling murals contest going on at one point, but I haven't researched that much, yet. I just liked the idea of it. Two Renaissance men furiously trying to outpaint the other, both of

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-82056470523037100352007-04-27T12:10:00.000-04:002007-04-27T12:44:25.568-04:00

I like the way they're teaching conflict in school these days. When I was a kid, conflict was defined as man vs. man, man vs. himself, man vs society, etc. That works, but it's not very easy to wrap your head around. Especially when your life is mostly kid vs. kid, kid vs. self, kid vs. society, etc. That generic "man" thing doesn't do it when you're reading something like Anne of Green Gables.

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-1260318661948342042007-04-21T15:03:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:50.962-05:00

Another way to say it is internal conflict.A friend of mine was angry with me today. Not undeservedly, I don't think. In fact, I'm glad she expressed her feelings. I'd worried all along that in the course of our relationship she would begin to feel I was taking advantage of her, and she'd always told me she'd let me know if she felt that way.I'm sorry I wasn't sensitive enough to remedy the

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-52196647561465104192007-04-19T22:23:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:51.237-05:00

Call me paranoid. But I'm pretty certain. My children are trying to squash my career before it even gets off the ground. Even the baby's in on the act. He won't let me put him down. Even when he's sleeping. He wakes with a squawk and a start. Then he wails. If I ignore him, he becomes frantic, screeching until my ear drums begin to swell. The worst part is--the second I pick him up, he smiles at

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-18225246308551886192007-04-17T11:56:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:52.122-05:00

We had a Feng Shui expert come and talk to our group (RIRW) on Saturday, addressing The Writer's Space.She began by saying you should put your desk so that it faces the door; your back should never be to the entrance. And if you can't do that, you should angle a mirror so that you can see the goings-on in the room behind you. She also said that so many of her clients devote a tiny portion of

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-24280881865594133172007-04-13T23:16:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:52.304-05:00

My notebook is dead. My daughter dropped it, cracking the casing and causing the pin that the charger hooks up to, to loosen.We've been using a pointy-screwdriver thing to straighten it out so we could put the charger-thingy in there (sorry for all these technical terms; I know they're confusing to the lay person, but really--learn the jargon, folks!) and charge the battery. We used duck tape to

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-81305656043606621642007-04-10T11:56:00.000-04:002007-04-10T12:01:03.651-04:00

Quick! Go here:http://themoodymuses.blogspot.com/'Nuff said. And eloquently, too.Cyn

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-16721757760420570512007-04-09T20:35:00.001-04:002008-12-11T02:24:52.440-05:00

"If you ignore what I have to say, it really won't surprise me. I've come to find that most people ignore the dead."Nice hook, huh? It's from a book entitled: The Worthy (A Ghost's Story), by Will Clarke. Here's what the jacket says: ...The Worthy, a wickedly funny and frightening ghost story of unholy proportions about secret ties...thanks to a brutal hazing incident at Louisiana State

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-55826136964999250772007-04-05T21:35:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:52.561-05:00

...basically, because I feel as if I suck. At writing, that is. As well as sucking at housework. I'm not kidding about the giant dust bunnies*, you know. One of them, big enough to swallow up my four-month-old son, rolled out from under my couch the other day. Thank God I was there to stop it before it did. We'd still be looking for him. And I'd have to explain it to my inlaws. "He was there, and

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469100076238553338.post-82232669103654443132007-04-04T19:47:00.000-04:002008-12-11T02:24:52.788-05:00

A blank blog is even worse.I thought I'd start this particular blog with a quote, something really literary. (Anyone who knows me is already laughing. Literary?) My writing is about as far from literary as you can get. Like, out in the remainder bin, on the sidewalk outside of the store. But here's how one person defines the genre of literary fiction (which, incidentally, is supposed to be the

Cyndi Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13958562127741474567noreply@blogger.com1