A Little Pet Peeve

Everyone has pet peeves and I know that I actually have a lot. Towels need to be folded in quarters and then in thirds, except dish towels which need to be folded a totally different way. I don't care if the toilet paper is on the roll any which way but I find it annoying when people take out a new roll and then place it on the counter instead of on the roll. I hate, and I mean hate, when people wear hats indoors and I really don't like nicknames. In fact, my husband never calls me by anything but my first name because any reference to dear, honey or sweetheart is met with a snide comment from me. It's not that I don't understand where the endearment is but I spent several years of my life being referred to as "chicken" by my mother's husband that all other nicknames bring to mind that one despised name.

But I digress. I realized that I have a huge pet peeve and what is even worse is that I'm usually the culprit that does it. I hate it when people ask you to repeat yourself or clarify with a "Haah" noise. I don't do this very often, preferring 'pardon' or 'excuse me' or when I'm not thinking the simple, 'what did you say?' but every once in a while I will issue forth the "haah".

Once I do, I spend 20 minutes berating myself quietly for using the noise and I think about all the times I correct the kids for the same offense. It irritates me to no end that I did it but I can't take it back. I think it is a funny little pet peeve and even funnier that I annoy myself with it.

Anyway, just a little ramble. What pet peeves do you have?

All the best,

Sirena

A Few New Things

It seems like I have been away for a while and I guess I have. I think I have just been walking on eggshells, not sure if I should give out news or if I should stay quiet. It has been a busy few months with freelance writing picking up speed and my own novella being accepted for publication.

Yes, that's right. I have my first book contract! I am really excited about it and can't wait to work on further books. I am currently working on my second novel and hopefully it will be a success with finding a publisher and everything.

The book will be published with Wild Rose Press and I have written a few articles for their blog. You can read them here and here.

On another note, I had an article come out in Runway Magazine so I was really excited about it. You can pick it up at most book stores so I already have my copy. Actually, when I went and bought it, I had my kids with me. I showed my oldest the article and he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Yes, a magazine."

I was a little crestfallen. Had he become that bored with my writing? As I was walking out of the store, I asked him, "Don't you think that's cool?"

Where he said, "What? That you bought a magazine?"

At that I flipped open to the article again, waited a moment as he read the title and then smiled when he said, "Hey, you wrote that one. That is really cool!"

So my kids still think writing is cool and while I enjoy it for myself, it feels much better when other people are as excited about it as I am.