What is playing on the iPod? Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon

Musical side note - seeing Kings of Leon live was one of the highlights of 2009 for me. We went on my birthday and took my children (yeah, I know, generally a bad idea). However, my 8-year-old stood among the biggest partiers, holding his arms up and yelling the lyrics to the songs along with the best of them. I wish I could have got it on film. Only By the Night, the whole album, is on my iPod.

I have read a great deal of material on advice from published authors on how to become published yourself and how to improve your craft while waiting to do so. One author said to write 1000 words at day at least. Those 1000 words may suck, but write them nonetheless. That is a pretty good goal because 1000 words equals four pages. If the work is quality, four pages is not a bad amount of work.

It is now Christmas vacation time at the Blackburn house. My husband has two and a half weeks off and the children have the same amount in different intervals. Roughly translated, that means at least four weeks I will not have the house to myself. Not to sound selfish, but there is only so much the iPod will tune out. Put three extra people in the house yelling, arguing, being boisterous and that does not bode well for putting my thoughts and story lines on the screen.

Needless to say, there is a lot of late night and early morning typing going on.

I love my family and I love having the honor of watching my children grow up. However, being a wife and mother has driven home the importance of me time. If you spend every waking moment being a caretaker of others and not having any time for yourself, then it takes a toll. My personal me time comes in front of a computer or with a book in my hands. Right now, me time is in short supply.

At this moment, it is 10:33 pm and I am waiting for the last holdout, my husband, to go to bed so I may enjoy a silent couple of hours or so in front of the computer before I go to sleep.

I see a ray of light and a quiet computer. Until next time.