Theresa Rose's Diary

To: Everyone

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:27:00 +0000

Every time I start to forget why I cut certain people out of my life, they remind me. I need to write this stuff down. These people are so not worth the frustration and emotional drama that I allow them to put me through (not that anyone is). These folks are taking up way too much of my time. There are people out in the world who want, need and will actually use the gifts that I have to share. They will use my advice, my support, my dedication and loyalty to better their situation...to grow. So...

Do not ask questions you don't want to hear the answers to.

Don't expect me to keep listening to your same old drama, give you the same (and very accurate) advice only to have you not follow it (even though you know you should).

For those that seek my opinion then proceed to discount what I say or turn it against me: No Comment.

To the ones who pretended to be on a journey with me, who told me that they would follow me anywhere then made excuses or disappeared... you know my motto: "I'll do it with or without you." The choice is yours.

And finally for those to whom I have done (and in some cases is still doing) any of the above...I apologize. I love you and value your wisdom, your support and your unfailing loyalty. I will do better. If you are reading this and you're not sure if you fall into this category...you will when I make you proud!

New Year, New Goals!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 10:26:00 +0000

I know I've posted goals on here before. But I think I finally figured out what I ought to be doing in the first place. I will still be writing quite a bit. I've got a few good stories for kid books, 1 mystery for grownups, and several articles in the works. I've also started an "irrational passion" blog called Dividend Investing Newbie. Yes, I know. But I figured if I'm compelled to write, then I should be writing about all the stuff I love. As the title of my new blog suggests, I have no idea what I'm doing. So, I might as well blog about that too.

I've also decided to devote more time to my Avon business. I mean, the whole reason I started was so that I could stay at home and do more writing. Now I don't run around making deliveries to peoples houses or anything. I do online orders only. Again, so I can have more time for writing.

The downside to being at home is that I'm never alone. I commend those people that can block everything out. I'm jealous of anyone who actually has an office or a dedicated writing space. Those are truly luxuries here. Now the upside is that my youngest will be going to kindergarten in the fall:) But I'm not really the patient type. I need to get the ball rolling on my articles. I want to have everyone enrolled in a summer program so that I can truly focus.

*Sigh*
All of my projects have the potential for providing a full time income. All I have to do is focus. Easier said than done for a Gemini with ADD tendencies.

All I Needed Was to Develop Some Character

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:47:00 +0000

Lately, I've been back in my writing mode. I have tons of ideas. However, I always get stuck. My stories fall flat and have no where to go. My characters end up having not have any real character. Boring! Today, I came across an article on Writer's Digest that addressed one of the main problems I've been having: What would my character do next? The article is called 5 Tips for Creating Characters for Kids. The author, Ann Whitford Paul, talks about developing your character first. Once you know everything thing there is to know about their personality, appearance, family, hobbies, and favorite color, food, etc., then you'll know where the story will go. It all depends on the choices that your character is likely to make.

I'm immensely glad I found this particular article. This isn't the first time I've come across this piece of advice. But I guess this has been the most helpful, the most detailed.My characters and stories are much more rich. I can see them, touch them. I let you guys know what I'm working on soon.

Scholastic has a new social network!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Today, there was a tweet about Scholastic's new social network. It's all about books. You begin your profile with the five books that have been the most influential in your life. Yes, I know...you've read hundreds. They also give you the option to favorite other books. You can connect to other members via your book influences. I've already started my profile. I started with the very first book I ever loved. Here's what I wrote on my profile:

I don't ever remember a time when I couldn't read. I don't remember being taught. I just knew. Being an early reader was nice but no big deal to me, (unlike my fellow kindergarteners). Then one day I received a book, (from where I don't remember), that I was supposed to read. It was "Green Eggs and Ham". I had never read a book written by a "doctor with a funny name" before. I read the first few pages and realized that this was a rhyming book...a very silly rhyming book. I fell in love! I fell in love with "Green Eggs and Ham", with rhyming books, and with reading all with this book. I had to find more Dr. Seuss books. "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" was a close second. Unfortunately, I found "Go Dog, Go" a little insulting at the time. I though it was for babies who couldn't read. It's funny how worldly we think we are at 5 yrs old.

Are you you going to sign up? Hope to see you guys there.

You Are What You Read

Is it Labor Day or Thanksgiving?

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:19:00 +0000

This has got to be the strangest Labor Day ever for me. Where I come from, its the last day of rest before we have to hunker down for the working winter season. The weather is still hot and most folks take the opportunity spend time with family and friends before the bad weather sets in. Well...today is cold...really cold. It's Labor Day and it feels like Thanksgiving! Someone out there is still grilling. But it's still weird to see kids riding their bikes with coats on. My first Labor Day in New York...ugh!

Kindergarten Has Begun!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:58:00 +0000

My daughter, Faith, started kindergarten yesterday. Poor thing looked a little shell-shocked getting on the school bus. Fortunately, there was a bus attendant waiting to help her onto the bus and into her seat. Come to think of it, she may have been a teacher or a teacher's aide. The bus attendant had that kind of demeanor. My husband followed them to school so he could spy on them, oops...I mean drop of the rest of their classroom supplies.

According to all, Faith did extremely well on her first day. There were no meltdowns or accidents. She enjoyed pizza for lunch, (even though we packed lunch for her). She came home totally wound up. So I waited a while before doing her homework with her. She fell asleep while we were reading together. I love Kindergarten!

On a different note, I finally decided to read a Nevada Barr novel. Blind Decent was the first, followed by Borderline. Now that I know they are part of a series, I'll look for the first two when I go back to the library. I also read "The Careful Use of Compliments" by Alexander McCall-Smith. I'm liking this series as well. I can't wait to see what else I've been missing in the world of books.

Is Summer Over Yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:54:00 +0000

It's only July. I sooo need for it to be over. All the kids had plans for the summer. They were going to be somewhere else for the whole summer. The kids were supposed to be staying with other family members. I would get a much needed break and be able to give my undivided attention to my own ventures. That didn't happen. Had my husband and I known that things would fall apart the way that they did, maybe we would've had time to put a backup plan together. The kids would have been enrolled in summer day camp here and I wouldn't have spend my day entertaining, refereeing and cleaning. I don't mean to sound unmotherly. I'm just one of those people that need space and quiet time. Add to that the fact that when I'm on a roll (writing), interrupting me is the last thing you want to do.
So while the kids are enjoying themselves, I'm stressed and distracted. This is why people stay close to home or why moms move in once the baby is born. They get it. *sigh*

My Path to Greatness....Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The other reason I have been out of sight for a while is that I've been working on my education. Recharging my brain with new knowledge and expanding on other ideas that I already had. I mostly spent time researching stuff I had been wanting to know for a while but kept making excuses and putting it off. No, I did not enroll in any traditional college or anything like that... just tying up loose odds and ends. I needed time to figure out my purpose, my path to greatness. Okay, it wasn't quite that romantic. I just needed to sit and think about what I wanted out of a home based business and what criteria it needed to fill in order to work with my lifestyle. Writing will still be my passion. My goal for this summer was figuring out where my skills lie and how I could capitalize on my style and personality. I'll keep you guys posted.

I'm Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:48:00 +0000

I've been gone for a while as you can see. I took time out to take care of family stuff. I also took time out to do something else I hadn't done for a while...read. I hadn't realized how much I missed reading. Catching up on J.D. Robb series...you know the one with Eve Dallas, has been quite satisfying. Also on my reading list was "The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series. The HBO series is slightly differs from the book. The order of some events are different from the way they are originally written. Still, the TV version does the book great justice. I told my mom, (who didn't like the book very much), to check it out on DVD instead. She likes Miss Marple, Poirot, Monk, etc. This is right up her alley.
On another note, I've been rethinking my writing for income strategy. The most important criteria was the ability to keep earning for something long after I had originally written it. So not only will I be writing new articles be "revamping" the old ones as well. Be on the look out. There will be links to my articles on my blog. Please read, comment, forward etc.

Thank you guys so much for checking up on me and continuing to read what little I've been posting lately.

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:19:00 +0000

The Secret to Finishing Your Book and Becoming a Better Writer: http://ping.fm/GuvCl

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:08:00 +0000

7 Elements of a Successful Freelancer's Website: http://ping.fm/7clsz

Registration Time is Just Around the Corner...

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:16:00 +0000

I can't wait for my girls to start school. Some of you may remember that I was debating about whether to home school or not to home school. Clearly I have decided. I'd like to...really. However, the reality is that I need space. I need to be left alone, regularly. Otherwise, I start to get very agitated and snappy. As it stands right now, there is no part of my day (or night) that goes uninterrupted. Some people may like having their kids by their side 24/7...not me. Don't get me wrong, I not only love my children...I like them too. But I need time away from them and they need time away from me.

Why I hate sharing bathrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:15:00 +0000

The move is done. There are still some boxes but for the most part, it feels like home. Unfortunatly when we moved, we had to down-size on a few things. One of those things was the bathroom. Instead of 2 & 1/2 bathrooms, we are now down to 1. There are six of us. Hence the title of this post. So here goes:

Why I hate sharing bathrooms

Reason #1 - Having to clean the bathroom before I can use it.

Reason #2 - Having to wait to use it while I clean it.

Reason #3 - Cleaning it then not being able to enjoy it while it's still clean.

Reason #4 - Having to wait for everyone else to use it, then only having just enough energy to clean it.

Reason # 5 - Doing my best to schedule and shorten shower time in order to have hot water for everyone only to have someone totally disregard the conservation effort and take a 20-30 minute shower. Now we all have to wait 30-45 minutes before anybody can get water that's warmer than room temperature.

UGH!!!

Still Unpacked and Ready to Unload

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:19:00 +0000

The movers will be here in exactly 4 days. I have packed a grand total of 4 boxes.

*Sigh* Hard as I try, I just can't seem to get things going when it's time to actually put things in boxes. There's something especially exhausting about the process. I usually end up letting my husband do the bulk of the packing. He's great at it! DH just seems to make magic happen. Methodically, he goes room by room and in no time everything is boxed up and ready to go.

Unpacking is a whole different story. My husband will pull out the bear necessities, like clothes,T.V.'s and dishes and leave the rest. This is where I come in. Stereotypical as it may sound, making the house a home is my specialty. I unpack all the boxes. I organize the house according to traffic flow, rush hour and convenience. I make it my mission to create the feeling as if we have always lived there. The new home becomes a sanctuary that counteracts the feeling of being in unfamiliar surroundings. If this were left up to DH, we'd be living out of boxes for at least a year.

Nonetheless, this can work to my advantage. I can create my own space, after setting up everyone else's of course. The new place is a little smaller so I'm not sure where my space will be yet. But once I get settled, that's it. That space will be mine and mine alone. It will be a place where I can go and write in peace. No kids or adults other than me allowed. I've already gone way too long without a sanctuary of my own. Not only does my creativity and productivity suffer, but I end up feeling like a second class citizen. I get myself situated in one room and soon after, someone comes in and makes themselves at home. They commence setting up shop with absolutely no consideration for whatever I happen to be doing (or not doing) at the time. That will change...

When it rains...

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:34:00 +0000

sometimes it pours. Not that it's really raining in my life, just a little foggy at the moment. However, I was under the impression that the rain wasn't supposed actually be inside my house. Here's what happened:

Yesterday, It rained all day. It rained all night, too. In fact, it's supposed to rain today and tomorrow as well. This morning, the carpet in the living room and hallway were soaked. So I made a quick phone call to have someone come take a look. Well...they came they saw, they destroyed my living room. To their defense, they didn't have a choice. As I said earlier, the carpet was soaked. So, the carpet was peeled back. The gentleman then proceeded to remove padding. I watched as they carried the dripping wet masses out the back door. The men spent quite a bit of time vacuuming up the rest of the water. They left us with an industrial fan, which was later collected because other folks are also flooded and there aren't enough for everyone. Oh, did I mention that a moving company is coming over tomorrow to survey the house and give us an estimate?

I was supposed to be cleaning, trashing and packing today. But with my living room being taken over, I decided to take the opportunity to write while I wait. So here's to a productive day, even if it wasn't in the way I intended.

P.S. Thanks Adiaha

Due Diligence

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:09:00 +0000

The wonderful thing about living in the 21st century is the ability to create your own opportunities. If you need to know how to do something...you can look it up. If you need to know people, you can meet them on one or several of the different networking sites. Maybe you need info regarding a product or service. You not only have the option of checking out their site, but other's reviews and whether or not the company is legit. The only way you can go wrong is by not doing your due diligence.

This leads me to the whole reason why I've been writing here less. Yes, I know that's no excuse. However, there are just times when a person needs to just hunker down and get busy. There were a few things that I allowed to throw me off track. There will be more of course, but I refuse to let them keep me off track. I've been writing, of course. There are a few outlets that I'm very excited about. I have chosen to focus more time at these places because they fit with my schedule (or lack thereof).

EHow

Constant Content

I like these two. I can write about the topics I choose as they come to me. I don't have to wait for someone to order something. I know that eventually, someone will need one of my articles and seek it out. No, I don't really like to wait to get paid. However, I do believe in being ahead of the curve and ready for anything. I never know what my schedule is going to be like from one week to the next. Building a portfolio and letting it do the work even when I can't just makes the most sense to me.

BTW- Constant Content is a referral link. Don't want to be in violation of any laws. Moms don't really have time for that sort of thing. lol

Family History

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:14:00 +0000

I'm back! Yes, I know it's been a while. I've been writing still. There have been more articles and I've also spent some time developing ideas for a series of children's stories. The rest of the time was spent doing genealogy research. For those of you that have tried, you know it can be time-consuming. Some of my family has already been researched, but a big part has not. I wished that I had started asking questions and taking down names and dates when the thought first crossed my mind a few years back. Now, I'm just hoping to get as much history from those that are left by re-establishing relationships and getting to know those that I should have all along. It's entirely too easy to get caught up in my own world. Still, there's no reason I can't at least send a quick email now and again. After all, even my dad has an email account (that my mom checks for him). The rest have telephones, even the ones who live in the middle of nowhere.

I have decided to take a little time and write down some of my family's bright moments. That way, when my kids are grown and their kids are asking questions, they won't have to look far for the answers. There's no guarantee I'll be around to tell them in person, but it doesn't mean I can't do it in my own words.

Do you know your family's history. Where did they come from and why did they come here? How did they make a way for themselves? Why does your family have certain traditions or a lack there of? How did their experiences influence them and you?

Planting the seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:56:00 +0000

One of my favorite bloggers wrote an interesting post the other day. She wants to have the summer off next year. So she's going to spend the next several months writing articles and increasing her residual income. Well that got me thinking. Why can't I do that? Granted this lady already earns a nice amount...enough to pay some bills. Still, since I make exactly $o.oo in residual income, there is no place to go but up. It will be very nice to be able pay a bill. My husband certainly would appreciate this. Of course, there is a chance that I'll only make a few bucks here and there. Still...if I do this, there's a chance that I might become a better writer in the process. Learning the finer points of grammar, finding my voice, gaining confidence...priceless.

A famous artist may never perform one of my songs. My children's books could stay forever incomplete. However, in this day and age, there is no reason for me to be a "starving artist".

Learning to Research

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:06:00 +0000

I've always shied away from writing professionally or having to write in a non-creative way. Mostly because I never liked doing research. I never liked doing research because I never knew how. Sure, reports always turned out good in school, but I was never really sure if I was doing it right. There was always that feeling that it could have been better. I thought that if I knew where to look, then I'd have more and better information to put into my report. The report would be more complete and less juvenile sounding. While there was plenty of talk on how not to plagiarise, there wasn't much talk on what or how research should be done. So, here I am today, trying to teach myself what I wasn't taught before. Using common sense, Google and a few tips picked up along the way, I do small projects. For the past couple of days, I've been doing research for an article that I decided to write just be cause the topic interested me. Imagine that! It's not finished yet. I'll let you know when I post it. Until then, if you guys have any suggestions, post them in the comments section.

Home Stinks!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:09:00 +0000

I am so frustrated right now. It rained on Tuesday and water seeped into our home. When we saw the water on Wednesday morning, we called to have someone come out and see about the leak and the carpet. Well of course, no one got back to us. Yes today is Thursday. Yes, I am sitting in a room with a wet, funky smelling carpet. Hopefully I can get someone to come out before this thing starts to mildew. Did I mention that I am really frustrated. This leak was supposed to have been fixed. Someone was supposed to have come out to clean and deodorize the carpet yesterday. We've already had to have the carpet and padding replaced once. BUT...not before the living room and hallway were dried using loud, industrial fans and dehumidifier for several days last summer. I am starting to grow weary of this whole process. It wreaks havoc on my productivity. I need another distraction like I need a hole in my head. Guess I'll have to work around it... for now. This situation will have to be nipped in the bud.

How the time flies

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Today, my youngest is three years old. Not that long ago, I was 4 months pregnant, taking care of a six month old and working full time (yes, all at the same time). I felt like I was taking care of everybody all the time and nobody was taking care of me. Sleep was the most important thing in my life. Now, things have changed drastically. There's a three and almost four year old and no job. The girls want to take care of themselves. I get to sleep in too, now that the girls have a TV in their room. Their health, self-confidence and education are the most important things to me. Time really flies. I am so grateful for the opportunity to slow down and enjoy it.

No Place Like Home

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:32:00 +0000

I'm back. My family and I took a trip back to our hometown, Philly. It had been a while and we decided it would be a good idea for everyone to see the kids. Some were lucky, others weren't. I think next time, I'll try to organize a barbecue or two. That way everyone will come to see us instead of us driving around the city to see all of them. Still, it's nice to visit family and friends. My husband and I were very interested to see what things changed and what things stayed the same. This time, I found that I didn't miss Philly as much. Sure, there were a few conveniences that I missed. But all in all, Charlotte is home now.

Homemade Books

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Children have very active imaginations. Of course mine are no exception. So, I think I'm going to start writing down some of their made up stories. We'll turn them into homemade books. They'll draw their own pictures. For the sake of legibility, I will write the words. Then they can read their own very special books. In fact, I just may turn some of their stories into books for publication. How cool would that be for your child to go to the library and see a book that he or she wrote sitting on a shelf. Better yet, how proud would they be to see other kids reading them? That's going to be one of our "it's too hot/cold/rainy to go outside" projects. Guess I should stock up on craft supplies. I think I'll use those gift cards I've been carrying around for the past five years.

Reading...Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:06:00 +0000

A few months ago, I wrote a post about being anxious regarding my children's reading skills. Here is an update: A couple of days ago, my youngest read the word "cat". It may not sound like much to some of you. For parents, it's one of the greatest moments ever. She read to me. Yes, I know it's only one word. But that's because it was the only one on the refrigerator at that moment. I'm sure she knows a few more. Now that I've gotten a little positive reinforcement, I'm going to renew my literacy encouragement efforts. The refrigerator will be like an open book, covered with words. Yes, the refrigerator. I can't get them to stay off of it anyway. This will also be a great opportunity to redecorate their room. Currently, the walls are pretty bare. I think I'll add a few of their favorite things in word form. Numbers will be up there, too. They like to count. In the next few weeks, we're going to "try" adding, subtracting and penmanship. I'll keep you posted.

Writing: New Ventures... part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa Rose) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:57:00 +0000

You know, it's nice to get paid to write. Letting other people pick the topics is a very different experience. I tend to be indecisive, so not having to decide what to write about is good sometimes. What's really great are the challenges that come with it. I'm learning to research better, pace myself and write faster. It doesn't hurt that they're impressed with what I've done so far. Yaaay, me!
I hope you guys are having success with your writing journeys as well. Let me know.