And Happy Friday. That’s the more important day, no? :mario:

Jody, thanks for correcting my last post. LOL Duh. I should’ve known that! Glad you had fun ToTing.

As to what state I’m researching…. I suppose I could tell you.

I’m researching Alaska, and as of last night I made contact with an aviation company willing to help me with the hunt for details. Yay! But, please, if you’ve ever been to Alaska and would like to share info or photos, please do. I’d love to see them.

Now for my question of the day: I’m already getting into the mood for Christmas. Music, movies… What are your favorite holiday movies?

Is that the saying? Really wish I had a witch hat on here.

Tonight is ToT here. What about you? Does your city/town host ToT on Friday nights? We don’t because of the potential for chaos. It’s always a school night. Bet those teachers LOVE the Friday afterward. LOL Oh, wait–ACK! The kids are out of school on Friday which means –they’ll be home with me!!!! :tantrm: :chair: All that sugar. All that candy. All that picking.

One of my favorite memories growing up is of coming home, dumping my sack of candy and sorting through it. I always ate the stuff I liked least first, and saved the best for last. What about you? What’s your favorite memory of Halloween?

Kay

I’m researching some things for my next book and wonder how on earth I can score a trip to go research a certain state in person. :chew: What state? Ahhh, I could tell you, but then… :starwars: I don’t want to ruin the surprise.

Anyway, the research managed to bring out my history buff side. I find the oddest things fascinating. How or why a town was established, how many people lived there and why they left. I like reading about remote settings, even though I’m a chicken at heart and crave people. I can’t imagine being out in the wilderness or on the plains or in the artic somewhere totally alone.

Are you a people person? Do you crave company or would you prefer to be all alone in the woods somewhere, just you and nature? Somewhere in between like me?

Kay

Hi, guys!

Sorry I’ve been scarce. Things have been BUSY! uter: I finished Ethan’s story on Friday except for a few minor additions, then spent the weekend reading over the edits for Luke’s story. Now to dig back in on Ethan’s story tomorrow and make those additions and get both stories out of my hair! ullhair: LOL Also this week, while I’m in Tulane mode, I have to work on Alex’s story. See what I mean? Busy! But I love it, truly. I’m not complaining and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. How many people can say that?

This week is Halloween, too. I would’ve loved to have had another Halloween party (We had a costume party years ago and it was so much fun!) but there just isn’t enough time to pull things together. I am looking for costumes, tho. My young nephew loves to play dress up so I’m looking for a fireman and/or police costume for him to put back for Christmas. If you know where I might find them, please let me know. We never have any ToT’ers at our house but my brother more than makes up for it. Last year they had over 600 kids. Can you imagine? I’d love to go down one year for Halloween, just to see it. The whole street is a party from what I understand. He and his wife live in an area where decorating for Christmas is mandatory like on Christmas with the Kranks. That’s another trip I’d like to make. (Can you tell I LOVE holidays/Christmas?)

As to the winner of last week’s earrings: Cheryl C! Please email me privately with your shipping information.

Here are a few of the pics taken in Kingsport, TN, at the Kingsport Times-News Women’s Expo.

Me and wonderful reader PJ (who brought me the most delicious homemade candy!)

Teresa Medeiros next to her gorgeous cover of SOME LIKE IT WICKED.

Here is one of a fabulous lady I met last year at the Expo. Becky drove back to see me again this year! She’s such a sweetheart.

And for today’s question: Anyone having a party? Going to a party? Trick-or-treating? What’s your most favorite costume you’ve ever worn or seen?

Kay

Growing up, I had this thing about school. My parents never once had to tell me to do my homework, study, turn something in. Never. I did the work, turned it in (early, more often than not), and worried and fretted over my grades something fierce. Why?

I have no idea. :scratch:

In all seriousness, I worried too much, stressed too much, fretted too much. As an adult, I know this, and I promised myself I’d never put that kind of pressure on my kids. The problem?

What do you do if they don’t put (any) pressure on themselves?

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want them upset and worried the way I usually was. My two expectations are that they do their best (regardless of the grade, if it’s their best, that’s good enough), AND they do the work that’s expected of them by their teachers. Is that too much to ask?

Our school system has a reading program for all students K-12. They read a book, take a very short computer test (multiple choice) and earn points. Each book is worth a set number of points and at the end of the 9 weeks, every student is required to have achieved a certain number of points for a grade. The required points aren’t a lot. In fact, the requirements are too lenient IMHO. But, as the mother of a reader and a NON-reader (where did this child come from?), achieving the required points has become an issue.

Why?

My NON-reader doesn’t want to read (Can you even imagine?). NR would rather take an F for the 9 weeks instead of cracking open a book. And even though the NR was reminded EVERY week of the last 9 to be working on the reading requirement (because we had this same issue last year), the NR didn’t do it.

The kid in me, the one who worried and fretted over homework, tests, etc? That kid is freaking out. Oh, who am I kidding? The MOM in me is, too! Not because my NR can’t do it but because the NR just doesn’t WANT to do it. Yeah, well, sometimes in life, we all have to do things we don’t wanna do, right? :violin: That includes reading.

So, what kind of kid were you? Were you the type to study, work and get things done , or did you take the more *ahem* relaxed approach to things?

Kay :nono: