Wow. That's the only word that sums up how I feel about this episode.

Well, I could also say "holy catfish, look at how skinny we all are now," but that doesn't have the same impact as a three-letter word.

Clarice had the best decorations, which never made it into the show. She had this inflatable ice chest that had a palm tree in the middle of it, there were garlands and leis everywhere, and I did up some of my carrot-and-green-pepper palm trees, which I learned to make when I used to be a Pampered Chef lady.

We put Clarice's son to work on the BBQ and Maxine brought the largest, tastiest salad I've ever seen in my life. It was HUGE. Or we were so skinny that everything around us looked big. :)

Oh, and what you didn't see was that it was FREAKING FREEZING. When the cameras weren't rolling we were clutching each other (or a cameraman or two) for warmth.

And a June bug flew over to the table and landed right into Nicole's oh-so-tempting cleavage! Magnolia screeched and jumped back about 12 feet in one smooth move while Nicole calmly made a few graceful adjustments and shook the bug out.

Now that's being a professional.

I simply can't imaging doing this (getting fit and actually going to the gym) without these gals. The seven of us all came together for our own reasons and it's amazing how our reasons for sticking to the program started to change. Instead of trying to please others or compete with others, we all started to do things for ourselves, no matter what else was going on in the background.

And that's hard to do with camera crews following you around and microphone cables in inconvenient places, let me tell ya.

The whole experience was totally worth it and I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat -- or continue doing it if they ever decide to do Stuck II: The Legend Continues. ;) While parts of my journey -- being judged by a treadmill, telling Mary to use duct tape as a parenting tool and using that coupon for a free sundae -- made me feel...angry, uncomfortable and embarrassed, I wouldn't have the abs I have today if I didn't sign up for the program.

Now, I'll be honest, I struggle with making it to the gym. Thankfully Aden drags me there so that he can get to his beloved rowing machine. I just have to remember to push myself and not get too comfortable with my workouts. If I could afford it, I'd work out with Olga twice a week so that she could torture me in new, fun ways.

And yes, the seven of us all get together every once in a while to try new things. Belly dancing was a blast and there's talk of bowling, inline skating, soccer and other activities. I'll keep you posted on any cool things we try out. Who knows? I may turn into a fitness columnist for newbies or something.

Hey, you never know. At least now I know not to wear my socks in the shower at the gym anymore. ;)

While the show did compare our before and after images, the real difference for all of us is the way we feel about ourselves. We deserve to feel good. We deserve to feel energetic. And we owe it to ourselves to keep it up.

Especially if they do a "Where are they now?" episode next year. LOL

Labels: adventures, Stuck

Now that I've finally been able to watch the "Confidence Course" episode, I can now provide a wee bit of background for this fabulous episode.

Unlike the Fitness Boot Camp we attended halfway through the show, this obstacle course was located on a military base and truly scared the bejesus out of most of us. Well, except for Nicole, that is.

I did not want to get out of the van. As soon as I saw the "teepee of terror" (a stacked set of logs that we'd have to scale over that rose to about 20 feet in height), I knew I'd have...difficulties.

Still, I surprised myself (and the other gals) by volunteering to go first. Actually, this was because I thought there might have been chocolate at the end, and I wanted to get their first.

What you may not realize from watching the show was that we all followed each other around the course -- so we all ran around it SEVEN times. This was also the case for the two camera crews, who lugged their equipment (not a euphemism) around the course along with us. Once we all completed the course, the crew challenged each other to race through it.

Talk about crazy.

While, through editing, it may appear that I did not complete the course. In reality, I gave it my best shot and feel I did a damn good job, even though I skipped over some obstacles, like actually getting to the top of the teepee of terror. The parts I didn't even attempt were the hanging in midair upside-down while on a rope, the jump over the wall and the monkey bars. Well. I did do the monkey bars, but I had the hunky instructor hold me up the entire time. ;)

It was hard. It was incredible. And, at the moment when Tracy got stuck on the hanging upside-down rope thingy, my heart went out to her. Here's a bit of my journal entry on what the experience was like:

"At that moment in time, she represented all of us hitting that bump in the road. The place where, every time before now, we’d all get stuck. And she had every opportunity to give up, but instead she held on. Through anger. Through tears. Through support from her friends and her coach. We all stood by and watched what I can only describe as one of the deepest connections I’ve ever felt with someone I didn’t even know six months ago.

She held on and completed every step of the course. And, because of Tracy, I feel like I completed it too."

And that's a very empowering feeling that I'll carry with me forever. Now I just have to get my butt back into the gym after being away for a week.

Labels: adventures, Stuck

Right now I'm in San Francisco, and they don't show Canadian television stations in the hotel, so I'm afraid that I've missed this week's episode. Rats. But, have no fear, I'll be telling all about our obstacle-course adventures upon my return home.

Hey, what are you up to on the Holiday Monday? Feel like watching SIX HOURS of Stuck? W Network is having a Stuck marathon on Monday, August 4, showing episodes 1-12 all in one big broadcasting blob. How cool is that?

Labels: Stuck

There I was, all happy to finally get a sports bra, and Nicole shows up to beach volleyball in a string bikini. ;)

Labels: Stuck

Oh my goodness, there are only three episodes left!

This week truly showed how far we've all come along on our journeys. Tracy's crowded-beyond-belief office is finally a safe haven, Clarice has finally put her depression out for garbage pick-up and Mary has finally realized that what she needs to be happy is already around her.

Yeah, there were good vibes all over the place.

Playing beach volleyball has never been on my list of things to do, but Nicole made it fun. I'm not a big fan of games where objects come flying through the air at you, but at least my feet were completely exfoliated after running around on the sand for an hour.

And for some reason playing without my glasses on improved my ability to hit the ball. Hmm.

Next week we're all coming back to beach volleyball, this time with another instructor so Nicole can kick our butts as a team member instead of a.b...beach volleyball expert. ;)

Going back to kickboxing was the best! Not only was I able to keep up this time around, I really could feel how well my strength, stamina and overall fabulousness have improved (yeah, I learned that from Nicole). Watching Clarice and her daughter Simone work out together was fun too -- you couldn't tell who was 52 and who was 31!

While everyone's bodies have changed for the better, so have our attitudes. Sure, there may be days when we really don't wanna work up a sweat or eat something green and leafy, but we feel like sludge when we don't. And that's the part that scares me sometimes. Because I grew used to feeling like sludge for 40 years -- so it may be really easy for me to fall onto the sludge wagon if I let it happen.

So I guess I'll just have to make sure it doesn't. But I'm still gonna have ice cream if I feel like it -- and if I have a coupon.

Next week is also another round of kickboxing, OOPS! I mean rock climbing -- don't expect to see me anywhere near there!

Oh, and I can't believe the show left in the part where I comment on all of my clothes being too big and ask viewers to send their money in so I can buy new clothes. LOL

Hey, I wonder if I should wait by the mailbox, just in case...

Labels: Stuck

July has been a great month for me. First of all, I realized that I was able to write my last manuscript in one-third of the time as the one I'd previously done. For me, that's huge. Especially when I hear that it takes more than one novel to make a gazillion dollars. ;)

Then there's my ongoing exposure through Stuck on Canada's W Network. I'm starting to get recognized by perfect strangers, which is perfectly fine by me. Most of them stop to tell me how much they like the other ladies on the show. ;)

And I'm in two publications through interviews instead of writing the articles myself:

My love of entering contests earned me an interview during the Canadian Contesting Convention for "Eyes on the Prize." an article by Steve Burgess that appeared in the July issue of Reader's Digest Canada.

And I'm a local hero in the July 11 issue of The Etobicoke Guardian. (Please note that DH is not a freelance journalist, not sure where the reporter got that from.) Woman's fitness journey on the small screen.

Here's the photo:

Caption: Bonnie Staring (right) works out with trainer Olga Segovia.
Photo by Evan French

Now I'm just gonna wait beside the mailbox for money to arrive. ;)

In other news, I've almost completed the outline for my next WIP. While the last one was written in nine months, I'd like to see if I can write this one in less time. But first, I think I'll focus on getting the first draft onto the page...by December 31. Stamp saved.

Somehow giving myself a goal in July doesn't seem to have the same effect as doing it in January. I'll have to see how those January goals are doing next blog post.

Labels: fun, goals, Stuck, writing

This has to be one of my favourite episodes so far, because watching Nicole and Magnolia totally murder a really expensive steak using a potato masher, a grill and a pound of butter was just way too much fun!

And there I was thinking I didn't know anything about cooking. ;)

This was a fun day since we didn't have to work out! Hooray! No, we're still working out with our trainers and everything, but most of us still feel challenged when it comes to eating right and actually preparing food that doesn't have a gazillion calories or carbohydrates.

We had a cooking class with a nutritionist (who's way too cute and skinny) and a chef who taught us a few tricks about cooking things properly and eating well. It was a great exercise for all of us, even though Nicole admitted she was out of her depth.

Oh yeah, I'd totally agree to that.

My DH also got some screen time in when the cameras followed us to Clarice's gym -- it's waaay bigger than the one we normally go to so we knew we'd be able to find equipment to work on. We also got to see what the director refers to as "Springtime in Vespa Land" -- footage of me being able to get on the scooter properly and Aden and I driving around the neighborhood.

The sad part is they filmed us for about two hours to get those 20 seconds. Le sigh. But the "behind the tulips" footage was really good -- I hope my neighbor with all those tulips was able to tune in and see them. ;)

No tulips were harmed in the filming of this episode.

And it was so nice to see Nicole trying on wedding gowns! My goodness, it's easy to forget that she's engaged and planning a wedding. How exciting, nerve-wracking and all that good stuff. I'll let you know if she invites us for her big day.

Magnolia was just too much fun this week, getting drunk while trying to cook and passing out at Nicole's place. LOL What a party animal!

But you really have to tune in next week where we take on two activities: beach volleyball and spinning. You won't believe how much Clarice swears like a sailor when she's working out at her maximum potential! She's a true force to be reckoned with!

Labels: Stuck

Oh my goodness, there are only five more episodes to go! :(

I was very relieved to see things work out as well on the show as they did in reality for Mary and I. Sure, her timing might have been better (she brought up how hurt she was over my comment right after I told the gals how great I was feeling about myself), but at least she said something instead of keeping it all bottled up inside. It's great that she had the courage to speak up.

And it was great to have the other women (especially Tracy and Nicole) point out what was really happening: Mary's stress was reaching new heights. This was a really awkward time for me, as Mary caught me off guard just when I thought I could "be myself" around the group. It's not her fault I'm uncomfortable in groups and it's not my fault that she had way too much going on. Our journeys simply collided for all to see.

And now I can go out in public again. ;)

It is also my duty to warn you that yoga is HARD. Especially if you're like me and can't keep your balance for longer than a nanosecond. Ugh. There was a lot of sweat involved -- and I have tossed out that pink shirt, what was I thinking? I looked like a big lumpy piece of Bubblicious!

The clutter in Tracy's office shocked me. It makes my home office look organized, which is so wrong on too many levels. Can she work her way through all that stuff while working full time, working on her acting career, working out and trying to eat healthy?

Well, you'll just have to stay tuned.

What I find really cool about watching the show is seeing how we're all getting to know each other. Remember, except for Mary and Magnolia, none of us knew each other before this all started. And what we've shared with each other many of us probably haven't shared with our normal circle of friends.

And maybe that's something we can all learn from: being open about our fears, desires and motivations. Sure, it's easy to get caught up in busy schedules and surface stuff, but sometimes all it takes to truly connect with someone is to sit back and listen to what they have to say.

Just don't try it with seven women all in one room together at first. LOL

Labels: Stuck

First, I want to send out a big thank you to everyone who voted for me in The Bay "Reveal and Win" contest. You rock!

Unfortunately, other folks got a few more votes than I did. Like over 40,000! Can you believe it? That's amazing! Obviously I need to join Facebook or update my Classmates.com profile. Or promise to name my next houseplant or main character after them. ;)

Of course, I had already planned all the clothes I was going to pick up if I was declared a winner. A few suits, a ton of shoes, a party dress or two...and some new workout clothes. All in smaller sizes -- woo hoo!

And that alone makes me feel good. I don't need to win a wardrobe to feel that way...but it would have been nice. Sigh.

Now I did celebrate clearing off some to-do list items with a little actual decluttering. Inspired my Stuck sistah Tracy clearing out her master bedroom and home office, I took the plunge and grabbed anything not nailed down and sorted it all into three piles: keep, recycle, yard sale/donate.

The yard sale/donate all goes in one pile, as anything that doesn't sell in our yard sale will go to charity. Most of the folks in our neighborhood know that (and now you do too) so the best time to come to our driveway is about 11:30 a.m. -- when we're feeling tired and ready to pack stuff up.

You didn't hear it from me, but we may be having a yard sale this Saturday, since we missed the street sale a few weekends back. Of course, this is all weather permitting. And mood. Sometimes it's best not to tempt fate. People could get hurt.

And tonight should be another fun-filled episode of Stuck. See you on the other side!

Labels: blahs, fun, Stuck

This week is the infamous rock-climbing excursion. Or, as the DH calls it, "one very small step for Bonnie, one giant leap for everyone else." LOL

This was a hard one for me. Between my fear of heights and my frozen right shoulder, I just felt couldn't do it. And, as I so eloquently said on national television, that "f***ing sucks." (Sorry Mom.) It was great to see everyone give rock climbing a try, especially Mary, who was even more scared than I was about going up the wall.

And yeah, there was a little drama between Mary and I on this episode. Okay, maybe a lot of drama.

Ugh. Ever heard of Watergate? Well, the production team refers to this episode as the start of Ductgate -- a huge dilemma brought on by a thoughtless comment made by little old me. And the reason I call it thoughtless is simple: I didn't think it would hurt anyone's feelings. That was never my intent.

If you didn't see it, let me try to explain. Of course, this is my version of events; I'm sure I'd appear even worse if anyone else told it. Especially if interpretive dance is used. ;)

After a really lousy experience (for me anyway) rock climbing, we all gathered to talk about how the past week had been. You could feel Mary's stress from about five miles away. And really, who wouldn't be stressed changing jobs, trying to move, trying to work out and eat right all while being a wife, mother and dog owner?

So Mary was telling us how her daughter was driving her crazy one evening, and I, feeling the need to lighten things up, suggested that she try putting duct tape over her daughter's mouth to keep her quiet.

It was meant as a joke. And it totally backfired.

Now I'm sure a bunch of mothers (or even pet owners who feel I was way out of line) who watched tonight's episode are now burning photos of me (or crude drawings) and carrying big sticks while on their way up my driveway, ready to call me names and throw rolls of duct tape at my head.

And this isn't the last we're gonna hear about this...my most uncomfortable on-camera conversation happens next week. Thank goodness I've worked on my core strength -- I'm gonna need it when Mary beats the crap out of me while showing off her new tattoo!

Have I mentioned yet that groups make me kind of uncomfortable? Oy...

Labels: Stuck

Just give us a big tire and a hammer and who knows what the gals from Stuck will come up with!
Fitness Boot Camp was the activity of the day, and I was delighted to be able to finally participate with my Stuck sistahs once again. Of course, some of us enjoyed the day much better than others. ;)

Oh, what a tangled web competitiveness weaves. Funny thing is, I really enjoyed the FBC, as it was the first time that I felt that I could keep up with the others. Okay, maybe "keep up" is the wrong phrase, but at least I got on the scoreboard.

What disappointed me most was the parts they didn't show: me doing a full sit up and push up -- without dying! Squee! Can you believe our little Magnolia held a squat for over two minutes without heels on? Way to go sistah!

And kudos must go out to Tracy and Clarice. Tracy deserves it for allowing a camera crew into her home after a hurricane went through it (or, as she says, theater season) and Clarice gets a big round of applause for getting rid of some of those outfits that the 70s have been trying to get back for at least two decades! Hats off to her daughter Simone for wrenching that one dress out of her mother's hands! LOL


Don't we all look skinnier already? I think that's the best part of watching the show: seeing the changes in everyone. And remind me never to wear my hair like that again -- and to burn that bra. Ack! What was I thinking?

Oh, and rock climbing is next week, which may prove to be a bit of a drama-fest. But you didn't hear that from me...

Labels: Stuck

No, I didn't get kicked off Stuck Island for this episode, I'd actually re-sprained my ankle (which was initially a victim of ju jitsu) by slipping on some ice and stayed home instead of risking a hip hop inspired injury.

So the gals shook what their mamas gave them and ate some more. Is it just me or do we eat an awful lot? LOL

We also got to know more about the other gals in the group, which is nice since it was looking like the Bonnie and Nicole show for a while (not that we were complaining, mind you). Who knew that Maxine was living with a miniature drill sergeant? Little Jory was totally putting Maxine through the paces...no wonder she always shows up at our group activities winded!

And only Magnolia would go tobogganing with high-heeled boots on! Gotta love a woman with fashion integrity, no matter what she's up to.

It was great to see Clarice reconnect with her crazy sisters. Okay, maybe crazy isn't the right word, but knowing Clarice, I'd say those gals know how to have fun. ;) And Simone, Clarice's gorgeous daughter, deserves a medal for making her Mom apply to be on the show so that she could shed the pounds that were holding her back from living life to the fullest.

As far as I know, no one was injured in the taping of the hip hop class. And no one took the cute instructor home for private lessons. ;)

Next week is an episode I'm totally looking forward to: fitness boot camp. It feels kind of weird actually writing that, but it's true. While things got kind of competitive with the other gals, this group activity was one of my favourites.

Stay tuned!

Labels: Stuck

Finally -- an episode where I'm just lingering in the background like a giddy wallflower. ;)

Okay, I don't know about you, but didn't you feel a little bit stressed when you saw all that Tracy and Mary have going on? It made me want to lie down with a soft blankie...and a small bowl of popcorn.

Seriously though, how do they do it all? They must have magic beans or a special timepiece like Hermione had in Harry Potter. And Clarice was finally able to make it to a workout, so now her friends and coworkers can stop teasing her about getting kicked off "Stuck Island."

No, the show is more like the song Hotel California: we can never leave.

Of course, since the focus wasn't on me this episode (I'll get over it one day), there's really no "behind the scenes" stuff to dish out. All I can say is that the DH was totally horrified by the state of Tracy and Todd's kitchen. And I found it interesting that Mary left her boots at the gym, and then her daughter left her gloves at school. Coincidence or genetics? The jury's still out on that.

Just when you thought Mary had enough going on already, she ended up getting a job -- in another freaking city! Oh yeah, so let's just add an 1-1/2-hour commute, looking for and selling a home and staging it all so they make millions to Mary's already jam-packed schedule. Oy! The gal must have a body double go to the office for her or something, don't you think?

Speaking of thinking, here are some Mary quotes:

Labels: Stuck

There are some things most people don't want to see on television: childbirth, animals suffering and Bonnie doing ju jitsu.

This episode might suddenly get "taped over" by a repeat of I Know My Kid's a Brain Surgeon or Celebrity Plumber. I spent most of the show huddled behind the couch with the cat, asking the DH if it was over yet.

And no, none of that was played up for the camera. I really did have a hissy fit during the 3000-minute ju jitsu warmup. The instructor was freaking impossible to understand. And something really did snap during that one move between Mary and I.

What you didn't see on camera was that the ju jitsu studio was on the third floor of a building without an elevator. And that cute little restaurant we were sitting in? Add another flight of stairs there too.

I swear, the show was out to kill me. And I was this close to bailing on the whole adventure. Funny, when I remember why I decided to continue, it wasn't just one thing. It was a bunch of things:

Wanting to be able to fully participate
Wanting to belong
Wanting to fit into my skinny jeans
Not wanting to be seen as a quitter
And maybe, just maybe, wanting to prove all those negative thoughts in my head wrong.

And how come Mary got to eat ice cream with her nutritionist? Mine just kept on showing me plastic replicas of food! I thought it was cool the way they showed Magnolia running around downtown (in her high-heeled boots!) like she stole a pair of designer shoes or something. She didn't people; I'm kidding.

So if you ever want to know what I'm like when I get really frustrated, overwhelmed and basically have a total spaz attack, well, there you have it -- Episode 3 is all yours.

Labels: Stuck

Ugh. Now I know where I earned the moniker of "gym loser"!

I won't lie; this episode was hard for me to watch. Especially since it basically compared Nicole, the hot actress, to me, the couch potato who tends to fill her cupboards (and stomach) with carbs.

At least I can identify a sweet potato. Because we're totally related. ;)

It was very scary for me to go to a gym for the first time. There were so many questions running through my head:

What the heck do I wear?
Would there be chocolate fountains?
What kind of people would be there?
Would they all be skinny?
What the heck do I need to bring?
Was there a snack bar?
How about a steam room?

And most importantly:

Would my trainer Olga suddenly become the shouting-in-your-face Biggest Loser type of trainer I feared?

Turns out my imagination is a lot worse than reality. Though there were no chocolate fountains or a steam room, everyone seemed friendly and no, they weren't all skinny bitches. Olga even said she wanted to start things really slow...probably so I'd keep coming back.

But it wasn't a picnic. Not for a woman who felt that walking up the stairs once was a major workout. And, if I was carrying a can of Diet Coke as well, that counted as an extra half-flight. It was freaking hard. Muscles I didn't even know I had were the ones shouting at me, not my trainer.

So when Nicole told us that she was doing FIVE HOURS of cardio a week, I had a minor heart attack. At that point, Olga had me on an hour a week -- divided up into 20-minute sessions so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.

So there was Nicole, getting blisters on the bottoms of her feet, while I was gasping for breath once I got 3 minutes into my 20-minute workout. The tread on my sneakers still looked brand new.


Hopefully Aden will forgive me for sneaking into his chocolate stash. He made me pinkie-swear that I wouldn't do it again -- especially on camera. ;)

So, what did you think? Ready for next week's episode?

Labels: Stuck

Yes, I really did have a coupon for that ice cream sundae in my freezer. ;)

First, I have to say what a surreal experience it is seeing yourself on TV. While two of the gals, Nicole and Tracy, are actresses, the rest of us aren't. Well, I'm a media whore, but that really doesn't count, does it?

It's just so bizarre seeing things from the camera's point of view. Different things play through your head, like:

What on earth was I chewing on when they did that close up?

Wow, the camera really does add about five gazillion pounds!

Could I have at least brushed my hair before the cameras started rolling?

And then I got caught up in seeing everyone's stories. Please note for the record that Tracy is 37, not 39. Gotta love it when facts aren't double-checked.

Oh, and I'm a man. LOL

I can't speak for the other gals, but everything they showed about me is true. The "below average" message on the treadmill did happen. I'll get over it one day.

And I can't believe that Mary could hold a plank position for 31 seconds at the get-go! At the time I thought the plank position involved an eye patch and having a parrot on your shoulder.

Did you tune in? If so, what did you think? Are you gonna keep on watching?

Labels: Stuck

Hey guys, if you haven't been over here recently, you may not be aware that I'm part of a new show on Canada's W Network. It's called Stuck, and it's about seven women who feel stuck about their lives, so they band together to do something about it.

Stuck starts airing tonight (May 14) at 9:30 on W Network. There are 13 fabulous episodes.

Consider this your personal (okay, as personal as you can get on a blog) to tune in:

Labels: fun, Stuck

Today was such a wild day, I'll need about a week to let it all sink in.

The Toronto Star's weekly TV guide, Starweek, ran an awesome article about Stuck. While I didn't appear on the front cover (sob!) they had a photo of all seven of us on the inside front cover and my story (about being a diabetic and totally out of shape) was mentioned.

It was a great article and if I could link to it, I would. Here's a photo that's similar to the one that appeared in the magazine:

So today, as I was panicking right before the workshop I was going to lead at my Toronto Romance Writers meeting, one of the gals came up to me, Starweek in hand, and asked me for my autograph.

She wanted my autograph! Can you believe it? Little ol' me?

Oh Maya, not only did you totally make my day, you also presented me with my first-ever celebrity autograph moment! It made me feel like a million bucks. Thank you!

Oh, and the workshop went okay, I think. Apparently I talk with my hands when I stand in front of a crowd and with my legs when I'm sitting on a table. Who knew?

Well, at least I can call it a workout. ;)

Labels: adventures, ideas, Stuck

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I was going to do this post in Spanish, but the closest I could come to that was playing the Tijuana Brass in the background. ;)

The show that I'm a part of, Stuck, airs in just over a week (May 14, 9:30 p.m., W Network) and the press coverage is slowly building. Of course, it appears that every other cast member is being interviewed. The producer assures me that it's just a coincidence and not that I scare people.

Hmm, we'll see.

But for those who are interested, there's an article on the show appearing in the Globe and Mail on Friday and we're the cover story for the Toronto Star's Starweek magazine, which comes out on Saturday. Squee!

For information about the show, visit http://wnetwork.com/tv_shows/shows/stuck/index.asp

We're still shooting the last few episodes so things have been kind of, how you say, CRAZY! Yesterday was a 12-hour day -- with no time for napping. Le sigh.

Of course, I have to keep in mind that this time next month the film crew and entourage will suddenly disappear, along with the wind machine and chocolate fountain. No, hang on, I'll keep the chocolate fountain. ;)

And I guess a little part of me (my liver) is kind of nervous about how it'll all turn out in the editing. Already labelled as a "gym loser" who is haunted by being picked last in high school gym class, I wonder what else I may have said that will reveal to the world that I'm either unstable or just someone too freaky for reality.

Then I remember that dying from embarrassment isn't possible: I've tested that theory many, many times before.

In other news, writing is going well. Magazine article assignments are landing in my inbox and I placed in the top quarter of scores for the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award for The Hot and the Bothered, which is an improvement from the previous year, so all those revisions appear to have worked.

Now I just need to sell it. ;)

Labels: fun, Stuck, writing

I coulda sworn it was right over there by March, and that month is long gone. ;)

This is been a "shut up and dance" kind of week for me, except you have to replace the "shut up" with "stop surfing" and the "dance" with "write". Le sigh. I know I've been working hard because my fingers are achy...and I have a bunch of to-do's checked off that stinkin' old to-do list of mine.

:::decides to dance anyway, demonstrating her feeble Electric Slide:::

Now that May is here (yeah, I meant to post this yesterday, sue me), I can't help but wonder what glorious delights await. I mean, 2008 has been pretty darn cool so far, what with my YA novel coming in second place, actually completing it, getting some awesome magazine article assignments and, best of all, being part of a TV series!

It's called Stuck, and it's on W Network (in Canada) on Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m., staring on May 14. Here's the info about the show, which now includes pictures. Remind me not to wear my hair back ever again: http://www.wnetwork.com/tv_shows/shows/stuck/index.asp

And if that wasn't cool enough, I'm very excited about the creativity workshop I'm leading with the Toronto Romance Writers in a few short weeks. Oh yeah, it's gonna be a blast -- I almost have enough silly string and pork rinds for everyone. ;)

I better post this now before another week goes by.

Hey, what's been the best part of 2008 for you so far?

Labels: adventures, fun, ideas, Stuck