Not Quite The Bluebird of Happiness

My phone rang at 1AM on Monday morning, or Sunday night; however, you want to look it at. It was a man from an accounting department in a hotel in Saudi, Arabia and I believe that after repeating myself 3 times, I conveyed the message that it was 1AM, I was sleeping, the next day was a legal holiday so please call me back on what would be Tuesday here at 430AM. Now although I was looking forward to the tad of flexibility that the summer might afford my schedule, I knew that I needed to get up at 415 so that I could be ready and on my computer in case he called back. Which by the way, he did not; he sent an email.

Anyway, I took Hershey outside around 500AM and 45 minutes or so later she seemed interested in going again, so I opened the door, let her out and although I NEVER do this; I left the door ajar so that she could come back in at her leisure.

I went back to my desk and continued working until I heard her barking inside the house. I didn't think much of it, until I heard what sounded like a very distinct whistle; which startled me. I slowly got up to go see what it was; and when I went in the playroom I noticed that a medium sized bird was sitting on the top of my banister. OK, so I did what any normal woman would do (I think) I SCREAMED which naturally woke all 3 kids up and caused the bird to go flying into my picture window that doesn't open. The bird resumed its perch and although I opened the door for it to fly out, it took 2 more stabs at making out that window. After a couple of minutes the bird flew out my front door and the kids and I took a minute to talk about how bizarre it was to have the bird in the house.
I gave them breakfast and went back to work until 800 when I had to get ready to take them to the pool for swim team practice. Once practice started it seemed like it had been no time at all since we had been there last summer; and was just another reminder of how quickly time flies. Nicky practiced at 830 with the 9 & 10 year olds, Lyndzi & Kelsie practiced at 9 with the 7 & 8 year olds; but when Kelsie saw the 5 & 6 year olds start their practice, she decided that she wanted to swim with them at 930; so I indulged her for the first day. I thought she was a trooper to swim for 2 practices, and sometime before the week is through I'm sure we'll figure out what's best for her. I left the pool, went home to work for a half hour and FINALLY made it back to the gym.

I never thought that I would see the day that I looked forward to going to the gym; but I surely did today. I rode the bike for 10 minutes, used the treadmill for 35 and the elliptical for 10; and I felt good. Lesa G had been with me for the bike and treadmill but by the time I made it to the elliptical, I was on my own and without my Ipod; so it really gave me a chance to think. I was very aware that I felt SO much better about everything, when I was exercising. When I had to take time off from the gym, I was also taking time off from my blog; and although I don't know exactly what the correlation is there, I don't think it's a coincidence. It's almost as if I was punishing myself by having to let everything go. I completely recognize that I always feel good when I am at the gym and it is a great way for me to get my creative juices flowing. So, I hope that I'm not making TOO bold of a statement by announcing "I'm back!" I'm back on the path to CREATING the life that I want. The life filled with good health, and a future as a writer. And so I would like to share part of a little project that I did while I was in Santa Monica a few weeks ago, celebrating Rachel K's 40th birthday. Rachel had asked each of her guests to choose a word that represented something that they wanted to work on this year; and my word was CREATE. We made cubes "Scrapbooking From The Inside Out style;" and each side was supposed to represent our word. My 6 sides were as follows:

1. "Achieving Starts With Believing" Author unknown (and then I decorated it very simply.
2. Inspire, Dream, Create
3. "The Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" - Elanor Roosevelt (and then I decorated it very simply.)
4. Creation is my goal... Creating is not an option for me; it's a NECESSITY. Every fiber of my being tells me that I AM MEANT TO BE A WRITER; and it is MY ultimate goal. There is no time to waste. It is time to CREATE. - Paige Ramos
5. I will CREATE a home where the kids feel emotionally & financially safe & secure. I will CREATE an environment of positivity & understanding. I will CREATE lives that are full & rich with experiences & LOVE; for CREATION is the manifestation of our DREAMS. - Paige Ramos
6. Now dancing the Samba, WRITER Paige Ramos & her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

So a bird flew into my house today; and instead of it bringing gloom and doom as wives tales would suggest; it was just a bird who flew into my house; and that is how I choose t see it. I think things are looking up; I feel recharged and I can't wait to see where my creativity is going to take me ~ Hawaii I hope. So stay tuned because I'm planning to CREATE like it's no bodies business.

Till next time...

Queen of EVERYTHING

Why Scrapbooking Matters

Disclaimer: The Bumpy Ride is NOT becoming a Scrapbooking only blog - Not by a long shot; so for those of you non-scrappers who like to take the ride; please indulge me one more time. This is actually a tale of yet another twist and turn in the Queen's journey...

Well, that sounded a little ominous, but you know me, I don't want to scare away any of the few readers that I have. LOL Now, last I wrote I alluded to a piece that I had written that was almost published and BOY am I glad that I had held off in telling you all about this (even though everyone who personally knows me, already knows) because in the long run; I would have had to have written a blog explaining why my publication NEVER happened. How's that for a Bumpy Ride - It almost doesn't even make sense to me; so I guess instead of talking in circles; I'll just start from the beginning.

On February 5, 2008 Rachel forwarded me a "call for writers." Basically, this new craft magazine that was being published in the UK was looking for writers and they asked for a submission of 50 words or more, entitled "Why Scrapbooking Matters." Well, I wasted no time, because this just seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to submit a writing sample AND on Feb 22 I received the following email from the editor:

Hi Paige,
I would LOVE to use your words below in our first issue – and wondered if you had a picture of yourself that can go along with it?

Thanks
Becks x

OK, well I don't think I have to tell you how EXTRAORDINARILY excited I was to receive this email; but I will. I was ESTATIC, I cried tears of joy, I just was so overrun with emotion and I thought that I had finally arrived and that I had a shot at actually getting paid to do what I REALLY want to do - WRITE. Hence the picture that I put up on my blog a few months ago was the one that I emailed to Becks per her request. Well, I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say that my picture is being put to good use on "The Bumpy Ride" and now on "Scrapbooking from the Inside Out;" but it shall never grace the pages of "Creativity Life," ( that's the name of Becks magazine.)

I'm sure that you're all as confused about this situation as I am because it was absolutely shocking to me to go from her asking me for a picture and asking my thoughts on how she might compensate me (since I reside in the US) to her COMPLETELY blowing me off. Had I not (ultimately) been persistent, in contacting this SOB (that's S.O.B - not sob, sob as in crying) I would never have found out that "yah, things changed and ultimately they just decided not to use it." I think this Brit needs a little lesson in courtesy and etiquette because she showed NEITHER to me. Nothing like a bitter Queen I tell ya.

Well, I am trying to move on and trying not to let this discourage me; and as I believe that what I wrote REALLY is worth sharing (not to mention that I want to see these words in print one bloody way or another) I present you with my submission of "Why Scrapbooking Matters."

Scrapbooking matters because it gives me the opportunity to teach my children who we are through art. By scrapbooking I am able to recreate our holiday and vacation memories as well as capture all of the nuances of their personalities; their triumphs and joys, their worries and quirks. Scrapbooking enables me to portray who we are as individuals as well as a family; and to illustrate all of the dynamics that go with each. Scrapbooking matters because it is a way for me to give my children road maps to themselves. Scrapbooking provides me the opportunity to pass down pictures, stories, emotions and wishes all wrapped up in a canvas of my own design.
Scrapbooking matters because it is my time to reflect, embrace, create. It is my outlet, my passion, my time with girlfriends and dessert; my gift to myself and my family. I scrapbook because it is a way to satisfy the artist in my heart, and the writer in my soul. Scrapbooking matters because it is my legacy; my work of heart.

And there you have it; my first ALMOST published piece of work. Oh there will be more to come, I promise you. If Diablo Cody can do it, SO CAN I. So for now just think of me as the Queen of DETERMINATION. There are stories in me just begging to be written and well, as soon as I can find the time, they will be written, so help me they will be written!! Maybe sleep is overrated??

Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING