You will be reading in the very near future.

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 what it said. Probably something like You will be traveling a great distance in a very small space.)

Currently, I have two taped to my monitor. One says The difficulty is not coming up with new ideas but to undo the old ones. I like that. It fits, especially now that I'm doing rewrites on one of my books. Even though there are some scenes I love, the book would be better if those scenes were undone. (aka--ack!--deleted...)

The other fortune reads: :) You have much skill in expressing yourself to be effective. :) I like this one particularly because it almost, but not quite, makes sense. I have much skill in...expressing myself to...what? Does this mean that I'm effective because I have much skill in expressing myself? Or that I'm so skilled at expressing myself that I'm not effective at all?

Either way, there are smiley faces on both sides of the phrase, so whatever the fortune means, it's happy.

My favorite fortune is taped to a frame on my desk. The frame holds a photo of my two older children, meeting their baby brother for the very first time. They're cradling him on their laps, and they've got looks of wonder on their faces. The fortune says: You lead a useful life no matter what riches are coming to you.

Looking at that photo, I have to agree. I've given birth to three beautiful children, and no matter what material wealth occurs, my life has been a good one.

Have a great weekend.