Waiting on Harry

Well I admit it. I'm excited about the final Harry Potter book which comes out at midnight tonight. And though I'm not going to be at Barnes and Noble at midnight to buy one of the first copies, I am going to be there tomorrow morning. In fact, I even saved a birthday Barnes and Noble gift card for this occasion!

And I can't wait to read it. But at the same time, I'm a little sad. I know two characters die, and quite frankly, unless it is Snape or one of the Malfoys, I'm not too happy with it. And to be honest, I'm sad it's the last book. I wish she would keep writing them until no one wants to read them again! (although I guess depending on the ending of this one, that might be tough to do)

I just re-read the Half Blood Prince, so I'm definitely ready to find out what happens next. Hopefully it will be a satisfying ending to a great series.

I'm just afraid the ending will end up on the Internet (like on the front page of MSN) or on the news. And I really don't want to know the end until I read it with my own eyes. I'm really hoping Harry, Ron, and Hermione live. And Hagrid. I really don't want him to die. And of course, I wish Dumbledore could come back to life. And Sirius. Obviously I'm more of a happy ending kind of girl! :)

So of course, I will start reading it tomorrow. And probably not stop until it's over! With Half Blood Prince, I had to make myself put it away periodically, or I think I would've read it at one sitting.

Oh, to be able to write like that!

The Reality of It All

Summer TV just seems to feed my reality/game show addiction!

First off, The Singing Bee is very fun, even though Joey Fatone is even cheesier than he was on Dancing with the Stars. My verdict is still out on this one, but I'll definitely tune in tomorrow night.

Second, and a little more disappointing (yet somehow still strangly entertaining) was VH-1's Scott Baio is 45...and Still Single. I was a Scott Baio fan during Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, and of course, Charles in Charge. But I never knew he was such a womanizer! The basic premise is that he's now 45 and has a long (very very long) string of girlfriends but no wife or family. So he's hired a life coach who is making him re-visit all of his exes to see what went wrong. (there was a movie a few years ago with this EXACT same scenario called Seven Girlfriends. Tim Daly was in it and it was actually pretty good) Anyway, the Scott Baio show looks a little trashy. I'm giving it one more week. He did reunite with Erin Moran (Joanie) and talk to Henry Winkler (the Fonz) which was kind of cool.

And now for my favorite of the recent reality shows--I loved Victoria Beckham: Coming to America! Posh is really funny. And she has such good hair. A little disappointed that they aren't doing the weekly reality show they originally planned to do. Nope, just the one night hour long special. But it was good.

And now I think everyone knows why I haven't made as much progress on my Chick Lit manuscript as I should have! Too much TV!

But I am excited that the e-mail loop is getting started for those of us who will be new to the upcoming ACFW Conference. We are all in the process of introducing ourselves right now and I'm hoping that this will provide motivation for me to turn OFF my TV and write!

I Love a Good Bargain!

This has really been the week for bargains. And there is nothing I like better than getting a good deal!

First, you have to realize that the U-Haul has already visited my house and taken my earthly possessions to Arkansas. Which means that I'm surrounded by pretty much nothing. Here's what I kept with me:

• A box of books (The Ashley Stockingdale series by Kristen Billerbeck, Arkansas and Promise Me Always by Christine Lynxwiler, a Heartsongs Collection--Bayou Brides, the entire Anne George Southern Sisters series, and all 6 Harry Potters, just in case I want to marathon read them before July 21st)
• Some magazines that need to be read and thrown away before I move
• Enough outfits to wear each one twice for the rest of my time at work
• Way too many shoes (I'm ashamed to tell exactly how many pairs)
• My dog, Arnie, who is currently curled up on a twin size air mattress which he has claimed as his own (after his favorite bedding inadvertently got packed up and sent away)
• A couch that I'm leaving on the curb in Mobile (and which is doubling as my bed until July 31st)
• My laptop

So I thought I'd just spend these few weeks reading, writing, and maybe going to the gym and getting some use out of my Y membership.

Unfortunately, when I got back to Mobile Sunday night, after being in Chattanooga for several days, I was unnerved by how quiet and empty the house seemed.

So Monday after work, I went to America's Thrift Store and found a 20 inch color TV for...$19.96! Seriously! And since I hadn't cancelled the cable yet, I bought it and plugged it in, only to find that the picture is better than on my other (expensive) TV! YAY!

That was bargain #1. Bargain #2 came yesterday.

I went to Bruno's after work, thinking I'd pick up a frozen pizza for dinner. (my plan to lose a little weight and log a lot of gym time before I go back to Arkansas is obviously not working out very well...)

Anyway, I get inside and glance at the ad they have posted near the front of the store. It was there that I found my next great bargain of the week--I bought 2 large Red Baron Pizzas for $9.98 and then got an 8 pack of Garlic Bread, a Mrs. Smith's Apple Cobbler, and a 6 pack of Pepsi product for free! That is a lot of food for a grand total of $10.88!

So of course, I'm tempted to go shopping tomorrow just to see if the bargain fairy is still with me!

I Resigned!

Well, life is certainly crazy, isn't it?

I turned in my resignation last week, effective July 31st! I have made the decision to move....back home! To Arkansas... With my mom.... And we haven't lived under the same roof since high school...

Okay, so that will really only be temporary, but still it's kind of funny. Talk about life imitating art. One of my current WIPs is about a 30-something girl who moves back to her small town and lives with her mom for a short time. And here I go, doing the same thing! (although I hope I don't find any dead bodies, as she is prone to do!)

And while I don't really know what I'm getting myself into, moving back to a place without a red light or a Wal-Mart, I feel like I've made a good decision.

Really I go back and forth between being happy, sad, and overwhelmed.

Happy because I have been hours away from my family for so many years. I won't know what to do with myself when I don't have to rush around and see everyone in one weekend then hurry to the airport. I'm looking forward to spending time with all of them, especially my grandparents.

Sad because I like my job, and living this close to the beach has been such fun. It's been nice living in a vacation spot. I can hop in the car, and 45 minutes later, I'm on the beach in Gulf Shores. And the winters are nice too--I haven't really worn a heavy coat in 3 years!

But most of all, right now I'm a little overwhelmed. The whole packing thing has never been my talent. Where did I get so much stuff!!?? And the thought of unemployment, even for a short time, leaves my insides knotted.

Enough of that for now though. I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say as I make the transition!

And let me say thanks to Christine Lynxwiler for giving me a "Rockin' Girl Blogger" award! Right back at you!