Listen Up, Girl!

So, we all know the awesome Maya Angelou does not mean go out and beat-up people, right?

She's talking about LIFE. And GOALS and DREAMS and GETTING YOUR STUFF DONE. And being STRONG. Being POSITIVE.

BECOMING.

Becoming all kinds of wondrous things, becoming who you are meant to be.

Remember this.

U of Spark, Moving Sale!

Okay, not really. There's no sale. But there is a move...new address:

Those Kennedy Women 

U of Spark, aka Cupcake, aka Muse and Musing (!) will now be a part of Those Kennedy Women. In my last post here I wrote about what I wished I blogged more about...which got me all excited for re-launching Those Kennedy Women, which we did. But then the reality hit me.

Bonk! Boiinnnng! Crash!

I couldn't manage two blogs successfully before, how would I/we do it now? I decided to concentrate on one blog--with, hopefully, all the good stuff in one place! So, for now, no new content here, but new stuff over at tKw. Really, truly hope you join us there!

Everything in one neat-o package. Hope you join us there.

#blogitjuly What Do You Wish You Blogged More About? And City or Country?

Are you kidding?
I'm just so flipping happy I've blogged more than once this bloggity month-o-July!

But, seriously folks, my plan is to make a plan. I've changed the name of my blog to reflect what it is I want to do/write...I think.

I'm hoping U of Spark will be about creativity and hilarity--I'm sure there will be more, um, concrete things, actually there is one. Maybe two. Possibly three.

I'll be using Pinterest, yes Pinterest!
A Life More Pinteresting! Will showcase all those cool pins in action--do they work? Are they awesome? Will you feel totally cool and creative/organized/gorgeous/culinary when you try them? I'll be answering those burning questions
I Am Not Even Kidding... will highlight the weird and wonderful of life! True.
ArtBee <3/ My Place 2 Create is a work in progress--I've written about this before:

"...some kind of art space(s) for at risk kids and young adults--a safe place to come together, create art whether that's painting, poetry, photography, mixed media, quilting, handcrafting--anything. A place to create and heal."

But, since I can't create a physical space (yet) I want to do something online--I just need to figure it out--which is cool, because we can figure it out together.

August 1st seems an auspicious date for the beginning of this new adventure--it is my Mom's 91st birthday.

If that's not auspicious, I don't know what is! And, well, it gives me some time...not much, but some.

We'll also be re-launching Those Kennedy Women on August 1st...cuz it's my Mom's b i r t h d a y (how many times do I have to explain this?) and she's the original "Kennedy" woman (at least in our family)!

It might seem counter-intuitive to launch them both on the same day, but...I don't care!

"...Do or do not. There is no try." Yoda.
So, see, I'm just going to do.

Now, onto the next question: city person or country person? I absolutely need both in my life. I love the country--wide open spaces, nature abounding, quiet...love it! But I also know I adore being close to shops and restaurants--and people.

So, where do I live? The suburbs, which is the worst of both!

What do you wish you blogged more about--or other people blogged more about? And are you a city person or a country person?

#blogitjuly Mash-Up Mania (Due To Laziness!)

How do you think you will fare in the zombie apocalypse?

Since I am the hero of my own story, I'd like to think I'd fare pretty well--sure there'd be terror, nightmarish situations, and probably no more Peppermint Bon-Bon ice cream and I have no athletic ability or McGuyver-like skills, yet I'm sure I'd survive in a mobile hold-out with all my loved ones.

What are 3 of your favorite love songs?

At Last, by Etta James
You and I, by Lady Gaga
Everlong, by Foo Fighters
This list can change without notification and sometimes includes, but is not limited to:
Born To Run, by Bruce Springsteen
Roll To Me, by Del Amitri
Fall At Your Feet, by Crowded House...

What is your last meal?

Lobster with drawn butter
Baked Sweet Potato with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon
mushrooms fried with butter, garlic and parmesan cheese
Chopped Salad from Gino's in Chicago
Apple Pie (warmed) with cinnamon ice cream
Cabernet Sauvignon
Coffee (the best coffee) with whipping cream

What do you do when you need to unplug, de-stress and stop thinking about the world?

This:

#blogitjuly Tell Us A Story

I'm going to cheat for this episode of Blog It July...I'm just going to tell you the start of a story.

Mr. Smyth had the job of driving me to my new school and residence. My foster parents said I should feel lucky, not about Mr. Smyth, with his rickety oldhorse cart, but about the opportunity to attend this school. I felt anything but lucky at this moment, as I clutched the invitation – sweat and fear ruining it for any keepsake – and wondered, for the hundredth time, why they would want me.

We left behind a bustling thoroughfare and turned onto a desolate lane. Mr. Smyth slowed the horse to a stop at the only drive I saw, an enormous wrought iron gate barring the way.

I considered this closed gate and looked back at the equally closed Mr. Smyth, he nearly smiled, but instead reached behind the bench, grabbed my bag and heaved it. I watched its graceful arc and hard landing at the gates. A good aim, that Mr. Smyth, I thought as I continued to sit and fidget with my skirts and invitation.

            “Well…” he said. “What are you waiting for, a hand down? Get off girl.”

            “It does not look as if anyone’s expecting me,” I craned my head and looked down the long drive and then back at Mr. Smyth.

            He raised an eyebrow in my direction. “Has anyone ever expected the likes of you?”

            Oh. I thought not. An examination of my own life never led to good. “Thank you for,” the right word eluded me, “escorting me, Mr. Smyth—” he interrupted with a guffaw. “I’ll be going now.” I hazarded a smile, he did not reciprocate.

            Lifting my skirts, I hopped down from the cart. Mr. Smyth did not wait to see if I could get in the gates, he barely looked to see if I landed.

            Beyond the gate and down the drive was an imposing stone structure – some might call it a mansion if they didn’t know its purpose. Or name. Not that either was advertised:

            Miss Carmella’s School for Exceptional Girls and Above Average Boys

            That much I did know. I searched the gate for a bell, or lever, or even small hidden doorway, finding none of those things, I resigned myself to simply waiting, something that could be considered almost a luxury at the Theatre. Then the rain began.

This is (possibly) the opening to a YA steampunkish/paranormaly romance (yay!):

Goddess In The Mechanica

I'm at a little over 26,000 words, rough, rough, rough draft. There's a cool school, mythological DNA alchemy, a mechanical spider, Airpirates of the Mississippi (!), and a mad scientist. 

#blogitjuly ...WORD

What is your word for the year (a word that keeps popping up, something that you want to work on, something to inspire or direct you…)? Why did you choose it?

My first word (because, I can't have just one) is:

Multipotientalite*

*here's where I learned the most about it But after I first read it, I saw it in lots of other places, blogs, tweets etc. The funny thing is I was always worried that I had too many passions.

writing

making jewelry

making crafts

sewing

(If I owned a cool camera, photography would probably be in there as well.)

And then I heard (through Heather Wambach ) the word:

Possibilitarian

*ding*ding*ding*

A most beautiful word! Every time I see it or say it I want to turn into a fairy godmother and burst into song:

 skip to the 5 minute mark!

Possibilitarian makes me all tingly and anticipatory and expectational. Greatly Expectational.

I think I'm starting to work toward this idea of possible things, just the fact that I'm a part of Blog It July is huge--huge, I tell you. I have "put myself out there" more times this year by creating jewelry and crafts and giving them to people and by submitting fiction (and getting some great rejections!). Next up, accomplishment aprons!

Now, all I need is a kick-ass camera and I'll be golden.

What's your word?

 

 

 

 

 

#blogitjuly What Is The Oddest Thing You Have Seen In Real Life?

I'm fairly certain I've seen some pretty odd things, but this is the first thing that sprang (this choice of word is pretty darn funny):

Okay, my best friend Jeanne and I were out partying and dancing and partying and um, doing all kinds of legal things. It was late but we weren't tired so we decided to get donuts or bagels or something and go to the lake and watch the sunrise. This was a LONG time ago. L.O.N.G. Time ago. Like pre-history. Okay?

So we do this. We buy the food we go to the lake we lay a blanket on the ground and we wait for the sun to rise and we chat. And then a guy walks by and plops himself down behind us on our blanket. Weird, right? Well, we're in a love-thy-neighbor kind of mood and simply smile at him and turn back to watch the sunrise.

And then out of the corner of my eye I see him doing something with his hand--I forgot to tell you he had one of those knife holsters on his belt with a KNIFE in the holster*.

*(I know "holster" is the wrong word for it, but it's what I've got for a descriptive and you'll have to live with it).

Okay--so there's a knife and he's doing something with his hand. And I start to think to myself, "Self, he's behind you and he has a knife and even though you love everyone, he might not love you...and he's doing something with his hand."

So, I turn around, aaaannnddd it's not the knife he has in his hand it's his PENIS!!!

I am not even kidding.

So I do the smart thing, I jump up and say in one of those quiet yell(y) shaming voices, "PUT that thing back in your pants and get OUT of here!" Pointing emphatically in the direction of "out."

Jeanne looks around with a "what?" nearly out of her mouth when she sees the offending appendage and then she herself jumps up. We gather our things shake out the blanket and storm off, but I'm happy in the knowledge that the knife wielding masturbator has been thwarted. I know he wasn't actually wielding the knife, but he could have been--it was a possibility.

My best friend and I made it home safely and it wasn't until the next day (well, technically it was already the next day, but you know what I mean) that I realized yelling at him was either the smartest thing I could have done or the most incredibly stupid thing in the whole wide world I could have done!

But it sure did make a good story.

What's the oddest thing you've seen?