Behind the Manuscript - Dancing in a Minefield

We have been doing a lot of cleaning because the holiday season is upon us! While going through some stuff, Kitty came across a pink binder with a hard copy of my high school book "Dancing In A Minefield". Since she found it: I decided to read it again since it has been a few years. And it really took me back...

I wrote this book as an homage to my high school years. Or what I had wished was part of my junior year! It was a fun labor of love because I based the characters on some of my real friends from high school. They know who they are! Of course I changed the names to protect the innocent, and guilty 😏 And yes: I am one of the female leads in the novel.

Anyhoo, in a nutshell, the premise of the book is two "nice" girls have crushes on the school's most popular "bad boy" seniors. When the guys discover this, they make a bet about who can get the farthest with their designated girl. The plot may sound familiar but trust me: the plot takes a few interesting turns. There's also a backstory about one of the guys that will explain why he is the way he is.

I've had many people ask me about the title, and what that could possibly have to do with the storyline. Here's a story about that:

When I lived in Long Island with the was-band, we lived for a while with his brother and sister-in-law. I never felt that comfortable around them, because we were so different. So I spent most of my time in our room. It was summer and I had the window open. It was a big apartment complex, and across the way lived a big group of Latinx folks. They spent a lot of time outside playing music, playing cards and socializing. Having the kind of fun I wished I could have. One day I heard this song, and it just took me someplace else that made me happy (and wasn't that room).  From the lyrics, I figured out that the song was called Dancing In A Minefield.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and I tried every way I could to find that song to download, but I couldn't find it. So to commemorate the song, I used it as the book title and figured a way to reference it in the book. Now here's the funny thing: that wasn't the title of the song! It is actually just Minefield, by a group called I Level. Yes, I did finally find it and download it. But I kept the book title as it was. That song had been playing in my head for so many years, and I had remembered the tune and everything. When the book is made into a movie (and I know it will be!) I'm using that song in the opening montage.

Writing that book helped me keep my sanity more than once. When I couldn't sleep, I'd lay in bed and run plot lines in my head. When I was lonely, I would work on it and think about the friends that were represented in it.  When Marie would ask, "Why don't you write something worthwhile?" I would ignore her and put more love into my book, especially the mothers in it!

So there you have it: the backstory of Dancing In A Minefield which was my first full-length novel. It's still available on Nook and Kindle, or you can download it onto any e-reader (PC, tablet, etc.).  If you want to relive a little high school and visit with my "friends": give it a read! Now that winter is trying to show up by dusting us with snow, you can spend time curled up with a good book, some hot chocolate, and enjoy! Thank you 😊

  

Well That's Strange...

 I have a lot of really nice dusters / cardigans that I bought last year. Now the sad part is: I can't find any of them now that I need them for this season! Luckily, JC Penney had some at a great price, so I ordered 2 for me and 1 for Brie. I also got a lovely black pullover, but I digress...

Anyhoo, I received the email that my items were at the store, and I could pick them up. After a few days, I decided that maybe I should pick them up before they were sent back. So this past Saturday, in the cold and rain, Brie and I finally made it to the store and arranged for curbside pickup.  Presently the employee came to the car with our bag, and we left.

Sunday was cold but I decided to wear a different cardigan to church. Afterwards, Brie opened the bag to get her black cardigan out, but I left mine in the bag. Monday, I finally took my black one out to wear, and set the navy blue one aside along with my pullover. I noticed there seemed to be something else in the bag. I shook out the small plastic bag, and there was something purple in it. Huh. I put it back in the bag and set it by the couch.

After work, I shook out the bag again and the plastic bag came out. I looked at it, and there seemed to be writing on it. I thought maybe it was a free gift, like a t-shirt or a hair wrap or something because I hadn't ordered anything purple. Later that night, I decided that instead of wondering what it was, maybe I should just take it out of the bag. So I did...

It wasn't a hair wrap. It wasn't a t-shirt. It wasn't a towel. It was a light purple size 12-months onesie! The white writing on it said "Crib hair, don't care". My eyes widened as Brie gasped. "What the eff is that?" she said. "Did you order that to tease me because I have no children?"

"Of course not! I have no idea where this came from."  I couldn't stop looking at it. Of all the things that could have been sent to me by mistake, this wasn't even on the top 100 list. I checked my receipt: no sign of a onesie on there. I looked at my online order details: no mention of a onesie there either.  It was a most curious thing! There didn't seem to be any snaps on it, so how were you supposed to change a baby or even get it into the onesie as it had long sleeves and legs? I went to the JC Penney website, searched "purple onesie", and a few came up. However, the writing was green, it didn't have legs and had button snaps on the diaper area. 'Tis a mystery.

I put the onesie back in the plastic bag, then put it back in the JC Penney bag. Then I thought hey: maybe it's a sign that someone we know out there is pregnant! But who?? I can't wait to find out; and then give them this onesie as a present. And maybe the next time I'm sent an item by mistake: it will at least be something in my size!

Live at the Acropolis

Most of the best concerts I have seen on PBS, I have found by accident. Either channel surfing, which I dislike, or I use the channel guide. 

Well way back in 1993, I was channel surfing and happened across a concert that was just beginning. It was  Yanni - In Concert, Live at the Acropolis. What was this? I wondered to myself, as the camera showed beautiful scenery and ancient ruins of Greece. Finally, it showed the most beautiful thing of all: Yanni himself, bedecked in white with a black tie and black belt, standing in the middle of three keyboards.  Well, I thought: what have we here? 

"Yiannis Chryssomallis, known professionally as Yanni, is a Greek-American composer, keyboardist, pianist, and music producer. Yanni continues to use the musical shorthand that he developed as a child, blending jazz, classical, soft rock, and world music to create predominantly instrumental works."** And was the best looking man I had ever seen! Dark moustache, long dark hair, soulful brown eyes and a musician: what wasn't to like?

Needless to say: I was mesmerized. Where had this man been hiding? I watched this concert from beginning to end, and besides his good looks: the music was amazing. He had a full orchestra, and the standout for me was the black woman who, unlike the others, wasn't wearing all black. Nope: Ms. Karen Briggs, American violinist extraordinaire, was wearing a drop-dead red ensemble and was sitting right up front. You go girl! She was the featured violinist and at one point did a dueling violins song with the conductor! Karen didn't even break a sweat! Fabulous! To this day that performance still gives me chills.

Being me, you know I had to tell everyone I knew about this, and they made fun of me as was expected. Who cared? The concert was fantastic, the music was fantastic, my husband Yanni was fantastic...Yep, right up until I realized he was dating Linda Evans of Dynasty fame. Seriously? When he could have had me? At that point our imaginary romance was over. Ugh, the camera even panned to her a couple of times, with her big shoulder pads. Whatever.

However, even Linda Evans couldn't detract from that concert. I was given the DVD one Christmas, and you know I wore that out. But I still have the CD!

And one last thing: apparently I was so enamored of Yanni, the following year, 1994, I actually met and dated a gentleman that looked like Yanni! Same moustache, same flowing long hair, same build but he had gorgeous green eyes instead of brown. I knew at that point I had done something right: until it went wrong. If you want that story, you will have to hunt for my post entitled Yanni Jr.!

So if you get a chance, just check out the concert on YouTube with an open mind. You won't be sorry/ I'm listening to it right now while I work. Okay, every so often I sneak a peek at YouTube and watch for a couple of minutes. Shh...don't tell my boss. It will be our little secret! 😉

**Courtesy of Wikipedia

Comfortably Numb

 I was taking Kitty to the store the other day. After we got back in the car with our groceries, I turned on the radio. The song "Comfortably Numb" was on. "Mom, is this Pink Floyd?" Kitty asked. "It sure is!" I replied enthusiastically. "Cool."

I love Pink Floyd. I'm rather late to the party, as I've only been a major fan for four or five years. I used to be afraid of their music because people said it was 'head music', and I knew that meant drug music. I thought if I listened to it: I would do drugs, so I didn't listen. Yep: another one of my irrational fears. But I digress...

As we were driving home to that song, I started thinking about the past almost two years. I thought about things that had happened, and how I reacted to them. I thought about a couple of battles I still have to face. And as I thought about all of these things, it hit me: I have become 'comfortably numb'.

By this I mean usually when situations happen, you have a fight or flight reaction to them. Or you get emotional about them: cry, scream, throw yourself around the room or something. But I seem to have stopped doing any of that. What I do is internalize and handle the situation with no real feeling behind it: like a robot. Comfortably numb.

I am not saying this is a good thing. My girls tell me to let them in, tell them my feelings, talk about stuff but I don't want to. I tell them that it's my personal business and my personal feelings and I don't have to share them with anybody. Then they get mad and remind me that internalizing stuff isn't good for your health. You think I don't know that? But I can't just spew forth everything I'm feeling, because to me that's a sign of weakness. And I've had to be strong for so long by myself, that weakness is not an option for me.

I know that Pink Floyd is talking about a different kind of numbness, but I can identify. Only it isn't the good feeling like I'm sure they are speaking of. Drugs have never been an option. I just power through.

I'm listening to the song as I write this. How could I have ever been afraid of their music? The lyrics certainly let you know that this is a drug song, but the song isn't telling me to medicate myself. Seriously: I was a weird kid. Yet a drug-free kid!

Anyhoo, I know that I need to get out of this numbness. Sounds like a job for prayer. I have a wonderful friend who prays with me, and for me. Because at some point I want and need to join the world of the 'feeling' again. Amen.

Here is a painting that Kitty did for a friend, but they never picked it up. For some reason I love this picture, even though it is sad. But sometimes this perfectly depicts how I feel.