Reflections

Reflections: The Origin of My Name

This was originally published on my self-hosted blog, March 31, 2006.

From time to time, I’ll be recording thoughts and events from my childhood. These memories are prompted from the Reflections from a Mother’s Heart – Your Life Story in Your Own Words. I plan on filling this book out one of these days to pass onto my children. I’m sure I’m not the only one who finds the lives of our parents fascinating. It’s weird to think of my parents as children and it’s really fun to hear stories about their past, how they met, etc. If my children read about my past, perhaps they will understand me just a little better.

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Who gave you your name and why?

I learned, some years back, that mom had wanted to call me Carrie instead of Karen. I never knew why she liked that name but I was profoundly grateful that my parents didn’t stick with that name. Any and every time I hear the name Carrie I immediately think of Stephen King’s Carrie.” Carrie conjured up wicked images of a blood-soaked wannabe debutante who killed people with her supernatural powers.

Then Carrie Fisher played Princess Lea in “Star Wars” and suddenly the name Carrie was cool. Though I’m still glad my parents didn’t stick with Carrie. I think it was dad who talked my mom out of naming me Carrie. They compromised and named me Karen.

Did you have a family nickname?

The only name I can remember being called other than Karen was KK. I’m not sure who or why that got started, but I remember being called that a few times by my mother. I like KK, it has a musical ring to it.

General

Please Missouri, Go Hands Free

So I heard on the radio last week that there’s a proposed bill on the floor banning hand-held cell phones in Missouri.

Dear God above, please let it pass.

And no, I’m not trying to be sarcastic, I truly hope it passes. There are bad drivers everywhere, but here in SW Missouri? I think we’ve gotten more than our fair share. In fact, you could skim the top of the bad driver cream, I’m betting you, most of them would be from Missouri. Some of the stupid stunts people do just to save a few seconds nowadays … *shakes head* it truly amazes me.

And I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve had to swerve by, or slam my brakes for, who have been absolutely clueless to my existence because they were too busy yapping nonsense.

Truly. I should keep count. In fact, I think I’ll start carving tally marks in my dashboard just to prove my point.

Of course, even if they pass the law and they ban hand-held devices, there will still be jerks out there doing the same sorts of things like this guy.

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This wouldn’t be so funny if it weren’t ACCURATE.

Seriously. Have you HEARD about voice mail? It’s a handy device that records messages when you can’t talk on the phone, you know, like when you’re driving and responsible for not only your own safety, but those in the car with you as well as those around you on the road.

It’s pretty cool. Check it out.

AudioPlay, General

Theme Song for 2009

I heard something on the radio today and thought it was interesting …

If you could pick one song to represent you for 2009, what would it be?

I think for me, it would be Christina Aguilera’s “I’m a fighter.” It’s rather a mean song (which can apply to me at times), but overall, I think of strength and determination whenever I hear it.

If you’re unfamiliar with the song, have a listen:

This song inspires me. And it serves as a reminder that though it’s important to get along with people, in the end, I must do what I feel is right regardless of whether the population agrees with me or not.

And that, I think, is my overall goal for this year – to submit my writing, the writing from my heart, and hope for the best.

In fact, I read a quote over at 70 Days of Sweat that I thought truly applied to me:

Write what you want to read. The person you know best in this world is you. Listen to yourself. If you are excited by what you are writing, you have a much better chance of putting that excitement over to a reader. -Robin McKinley

And that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve been denying what I truly wanted to write for too long. I read romance/chick-lit. I will write romance/chick-lit and I will get over my snooty attitude about the genre and do what’s in my heart.

Period. And if people in my life don’t like that, listen to the above song.

Please. 🙂

Life

A Sad, Sad Morning

Something died at our house this morning. Don’t worry, it was nothing in the physical sense of the word but rather the joyous, happy spirit of carefree souls. Today was the day that the husband and both boys had to go back to work/school and none were too happy about it.

The morning started out as usual, hubby got up first and his clanging around the kitchen getting his breakfast woke me up. I slithered out of bed, turned on my computer and poured myself the requisite cup of coffee. I ran through my emails, updated some websites, updated my blog and toggled through Google Reader to see what my favorite bloggers had been up to.

Six fifteen hits and it’s time to begin the arduous task of getting the boys out of bed. I turn on MK’s light (because that’s all it takes to wake him up) and then I walk into GD’s room. I flip on his light switch, pull back his cover, tell him good morning and click on his radio (to country music – BOY that makes him cranky – hehe).

I get back on my computer, surf around to my favorite websites, finish my coffee and then when the clock hits 6:35, I get back up and stand in GD’s doorway until he forces himself to sit up in bed. If I don’t wait for the boy to sit up, he’ll go back to sleep.

In the meantime, MK is up and eating breakfast. He’s my early bird.

The next thirty minutes zoom – clothes are being thrown across the room, hair is first matted down with water (because God forbid it LOOKS like they might have done anything with it), trappers are dug out of the closet and the sound of zippers reverberate throughout the house.

I pry my lazy butt out of my computer chair and make the boys’ lunches.

After the lunches have been made, I go out and start my car so it can warm up, come back in and make beds. MK is ready to go by this time and is on his computer.

GD, who got up later, ate his breakfast later and is about five steps behind the rest of us has just enough time to watch a few YouTube videos before it’s time to get into the car.

The time is now 7:20 a.m. and if we don’t get going then we’ll get caught up in the HORRENDOUS traffic by GD’s school and we’ll be reduced to crawling only a little faster than a snail and our lack of progress to get close enough to the school so that GD can jump out and sprint to class (as if he would do that anyway HAHA!) will stress GD out and make him crankier (than usual).

Both boys are in the car and we turn on the radio because I have learned, long ago, that trying to talk to the boys in the morning is hopeless. GD is sitting next to me, MK is in the back seat.

It’s so quiet in the back seat I have to turn around to make sure MK is still breathing. His eyes are glazed over and his mouth is so droopy it’s nearly touching his chest. It’s not that he’s tired, it’s that he has to go to school.

A fate worse than shopping for clothes, don’t you know.

I bite my tongue, after all, there is absolutely nothing I can do to cheer him up, short of turning the car around and heading back home and that’s NOT happening. Are you kidding me?? The kids are going back to school! Yippee!

I contain my glee knowing instinctively this reaction would not go over very well.

We arrive at GD’s school. I dutifully navigate my car into the cattle, er, car line and we inch our way through the winding parking lot until we finally reach the door that GD needs to enter.

“Have a good day! I’ll see you later,” I say.

“Humpf,” he says.

Some days, I don’t even get a grunt but am rewarded with a dirty look. Yay me!

We leave the congested lot and head toward MK’s school. By this time, morning traffic has picked up and it takes sitting through several red lights before we really get going.

We pull up in front of MK’s school right on time.

“Ok bud, have a great day! I’ll see you later!” I say with a false lilt in my voice. MK just looks at me with dead eyes and rolls out of the car. I watch him walk toward the doors to hell and grimace. His shoulders are slumped and he’s walking as if he’s 90 years old.

Anyhoo, my guys are back in their respective “salt mines” (as hubby *affectionately* calls work) and I’m left to my own devices. Which today means heading to the university library and writing something suitable to submit to this place.

ADDED: Which didn’t happen. I got bombarded by emails from the schools so didn’t get a chance to do any writing. But that’s okay, there’s always tomorrow.

And our lives resume a mundane schedule.

Book Corner

New Books on Bookmooch

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Wanna mooch? Bookmooch, that is. I’m a member of Bookmooch which is an online forum to swap books with other bookworms.

I’ve given 35 books away and received 22. I adore Bookmooch and if you’re looking for a cheap way to get rid of your gently read books, this really is the place for you.

I just added Performance Anxiety by Betsy Burke (Good condition)

And Get a Clue by Jill Shalvis (Never read. I bought the Kindle version before realizing I had a hard copy – duh).

(I’ve reserved this book for seven days, so if you want this book, just let me know your Bookmooch ID and I’ll set you up).

If you would like to join Bookmooch (or if you’re already a member, look me up!) and mooch these books off of me, you can find my inventory and my account information here. My Bookmooch ID is: take2max – in case the link doesn’t work and you want to find me. 🙂

Sorry, I’m only shipping to the U.S at this time. International shipping just isn’t in the budget right now.

Monday Morning Meme

Monday Morning Meme – January 5th

All you have to do is answer the questions below either in the comment section, or on your blog. And elaborate! Make these questions show your unique and special personalities. This meme entry will post at 12:01 every Monday morning and will be the first postentry listed on WFK all day Monday. (This is an all-day Monday meme, so please, play all day!)

Monday Morning Meme at writefromkaren.com

January 5th Questions:

1. What was the last thing you laughed at? Would you say you have a great sense of humor? What sorts of things make you laugh in general? Would you say people “get” your humor?

2. How many pieces of jewelery are you wearing at this very moment? Do you wear jewelry every day, or only on special occasions? What is your favorite piece of jewelery? Tell us the story behind one piece of your jewelery.

3. If you could offer one piece of etiquette advice that everyone should follow when dining out, what would it be?

4. What are the first three things a guest would notice when they walked through your front door?

Monday Morning Meme Participants

1. Marianne
2. Thea @ I\’m a Drama Mama
3. Sue
4. Jodi
5. Kathy
6. Dawn\’s Daily Life
7. Shannon H
8. Oregonsunshine

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

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bloggersbest2 Okay, picture this – you’re trying to entice new readers to your blog. But they only have time to read one of your blog posts. Which blog post would you direct them to? Which of your blog posts really shines and says something about your life? Which blog post are you most proud of? Now take that blog post and submit it to the Blogger’s Best Carnival so everyone else can appreciate your greatness. 🙂

To learn more about the carnival, read this page.

The next Blogger’s Best Carnival: January 31st.

Prize: The satisfaction of reading quality blog posts. 🙂