Beth Williamson’s Blog

You know, there are so many odd and sometimes fascinating things that happen in the world. My friend and I used to read the Weekly World News (think National Enquirer only worse) in college just to get that taste of the bizarre.

I don’t have to read the Weekly World News anymore.

Thirteen Bizzare/Strange/Odd News Stories

1. Woman sat on Toilet for Two Years. This is really the #1 odd story. I mean, WTH?

2. In One Arizona Home, Hundreds of Dogs Found in ‘Record Breaker’ Bust. 800 dogs, y’all.

3. Arizona City Wants Moat to Secure Mexico Border. A moat, as in Medieval moat! Wonder if they’ll put crocodiles in it.

4. Boyfriend Kept Woman’s Body on Ice for a Year at SoCal Hotel ‘for Religious Reasons’. Not any religion I’d want to belong to.

5. Woman Tries to Bring Skeleton on Plane. Yet another dead body? This one in a ziploc baggie?

6. Woman Faces Fine for Dyeing Poodle Pink. Hell, she should have a right to a pink poodle, dontcha think?

7. Honey Drips out of California Family’s Walls. Um, yuck.

8. Texas Mother, Son Charged in Sex Slavery Plot. Okay, now, sharing a sex slave with your mom goes beyond squicky.

9. Illness Caused by Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Calif. Firefighter. OMG, the poor man!

10. 30,000 people a year wake during surgery. This does NOT make me want to go under the knife anytime soon.

11. Dolphin appears to rescue stranded whales. Now that is really cool!

12. Sample The Beer Before You Buy It. Man, they do some cool stuff in Washington.

13. The best for last, right? Clinic: Have Vasectomy, Watch NCAA Hoops. How much do men really love basketball anyway?

I got this from one of my book club friends and I had to post it.

Thirteen Things You Can Learn from a Dog

1. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

2. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

3. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

4. When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.

5. Take naps.

6. Run, romp, and play daily.

7. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

8. On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.

9. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

10. When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

11. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

12. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

13. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you’re not.

Hey y’all, hard to believe it’s Thursday already. Woohoo! Tomorrow I head to Columbia, SC for Celebrate Romance. I’ve got to pack and this TT is going to help my swiss cheese brain.

Thirteen Things to Bring This Weekend

1. A case of water (already in the car).

2. My cell phone charger - dangit, don’t you hate it when you forget it?

3. My laptop (can’t be offline for three days, now can I?)

4. Bookmarks, lots and lots of them.

5. My cool pens to give away.

6. A few koozies in case people want an extra (I donated 100 to the goodie bags).

7. Buttons - my darling DH made about 750 buttons for me to give away at conferences. “Read a book, ride a cowboy!”

8. Extra books - for my peeps who read Sexy Spurs, a free autographed book if they find me at Celebrate Romance.

9. My new majorly cool tote bag with purple handles and “Beth” stitched on the side.

10. Additional clothes and shoes - hey I’m driving so I don’t have to pack light.

11. Bookplates for anyone that already owns one of my books.

12. My mom - she’s so excited. :)

13. My brain. A very important commodity often overlooked.

Ah, Thursday! The special day right before Friday, I’m liking it. Of course, it’s February 21st already and I swear yesterday was the 1st. I know it’s a short month, but damn it goes by fast. I’ve got 8 days until the end of the month and my “to do” list is still to-doing.

Thirteen Things Left to Accomplish in February

1. Locate the remains of my brain (this is an important one).

2. Get about 4K more written in Zeke’s story so I can submit it for publication to my editor at Samhain. Devils anyone?

3. Flesh out the synopsis for my trilogy proposal to a lovely agent who says I’ve got the “chops” to make it.

4. Write the first 30 pages of the first book in the trilogy to submit with the synopsis.

5. Tease you all with no information about the trilogy proposal.

6. Read another book in my TBR pile.

7. Clean my linen closet (can’t squish anything else in there).

8. Clean my walk-in closet (even scarier than the linen closet).

9. Get my promo items ready for the Celebrate Romance conference on the 29th!

10. Paint my toenails - it’s been a long winter without any polish.

11. Get used to my blonde hair (I’m getting there, but I still get surprised when I look in the mirror).

12. Lose 3 1/2 pounds (my goal before CR).

13. Not procrastinate and get all of these accomplished (or at least more than half!).

Today is my older son’s 16th birthday. I can’t tell you how much my life changed when he came into the world. Today’s TT is devoted to him.

Thirteen Memorable Moments In My Son’s Life

1. In the delivery room when I looked at the digital scale and it read 10 lb. 1 oz.

2. Also in the delivery room when the nurse put him on her shoulder and he lifted his head to look around as if to say “hello world.”

3. When he grabbed a toy for the first time with his hands. It was a green frog puppet.

4. When he said his first word while sitting in the highchair - “Mama”.

5. His first Halloween when I mercilessly dressed him as a pumpkin.

6. The Christmas he was almost two when he shoved half-eaten Zwieback toast into his father’s eye (no damage, just pain and cursing).

7. When he was four and got stuck in a tree after climbing halfway up.

8. On his first day of school, he got on the bus without fear or hesitation, just a big grin and a wave, while I cried.

9. As he walked onto a plane for the first time alone to visit his grandparents at age 7. (Note, I cried again)

10. When I heard him play the trumpet for the first time and realized he was musically gifted.

11. The phone call from his 6th grade science teacher that he’d been caught french-kissing in the hallway. (Note the gray hair on the right side of my head)

12. His first high school dance when his date didn’t show up because she was sick and all I wanted to do was hug him, but he just sat quietly.

13. When I hear thumps from his room and realize he’s playing his keyboard with headphones on, doing what he loves best, losing himself in music.

Well, this was a good TT post to make me cry. Big surprise there, eh? Anyhoo, Happy Birthday to my baby. Love ya, sweetheart.