Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Disappearing Act



So... I kind of dropped off the face of the earth for the past week or so. I know I should apologize for the huge blogging faux pas, but can I just say that I've had a wonderful week?!? I never intended to turn off my computer for eight days, but life just got in the way of emails, blogging, Facebook status checking, and all the other "work" I do online. If I had a "Gone Fishing" sign, I would have hung it in my metaphorical blogging window. But that wouldn't be entirely accurate, because I wasn't fishing at all. Instead, I was...

  • Scooping out from under two feet of snow. What a blizzard!
  • Playing in said snow with my kids. It was so soft and powdery white we could swan dive off the steps and sink a foot into the snowy fluff.
  • Celebrating Christmas! Church was cancelled because of the blizzard, but we still sung carols, read Luke 2, ate like kings (and queens), and shared gifts. My favorite Christmas gift? A SonicCare toothbruth. I know, I'm a dork. But I love clean teeth.
  • Swimming at an indoor waterpark during our three-day family getaway. The Baarts took a mini-vacation this year in lieu of fancy presents, and we loved every minute of our time away. I still smell like chlorine.
  • Cuddling our sweet, spayed puppy. Poor thing has eleven staples in her tummy and she just can't leave them alone. It's my job to hold her. It's rough, but someone's got to do it.
  • Writing! I am having so much fun with my third and final installment of Julia's story. And my aunt just (inadvertantly) gave me the pièce de résistance, the scene and symbol that will tie the whole book together. I'm pretty excited. Thanks, Auntie Julie! 
Well, I think that's about it. I am sorry for disappearing on you, but I hope my reasons are understandable. And I hope you had a fantastic Christmas week, too! It's your turn: What have you been up to this past week? What was the highlight of your Christmas? What was your favorite present (to give or to get)? I'd love to catch up with you...

Merry (belated) Christmas!!!

9 comments:

  1. I've been working this past week, yay! Lol. I, too, have been slamming out some chapters on the keyboard, and it feels so good to be back in the writing groove. I took on a new and fresh perspective for my story, and I've fallen in love with it all over again. It is such a nice, warm feeling. :) My favorite Christmas present, so far (as I have not received my present from my cousin), is my new phone - the HTC Droid Eris. It's love, honestly. But in all the Christmas swapping of gifts, I began to understand some of the other posters' feelings of Christmas being too commercialized. It hardly felt like we were celebrating Jesus, and more like we were celebrating excuses to be selfish. At least on my end...

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  2. Welcome back, Nicole!

    I too took a much needed "Gone Fishin" break and it was well worth it as I have come out the other side a much happier person! :)

    Am glad your time away was so blessed and full...and I pray that the start of the new year is just as wonderful!
    Blessings,
    Bina

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  3. How exciting about Julia's story! I'm curious...what kind of writer are you, Nicole? Do you outline, or do you just sort of wing it as you go?

    Glad you had a wonderful Christmas. Hubby and I got pretty sick. But we're all healthy now. Thankfully, my little man remained healthy!

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  4. Wondering the same as Katie about your writing identity...I tried an outline once. It didn't go so well. As it happens, I do more of a Joyce McDonald method. I churn out everything organically with preordained ideas recorded in my head. Seems to work better for me that way. Whatever works, works, right? Lol. :)

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  5. Nice to hear from you all! Sounds like everyone had a relaxing holiday... With the exception of sick Katie. You poor thing! H1N1? I hear it's still going around...

    Great writing question, Katie. I think I'll answer it in an up-coming post. I agree with Lauren about the "whatever works" approach to writing, but I am starting to believe that there has to be some sort of method to the madness... Thanks for bringing up the topic and stay tuned for a post on it this coming week!

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  6. Nicole! You were mentioned on Peeking Between the Pages. :D

    http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/2009/12/favorite-books-of-2009.html

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  7. Hey Nicole, welcome back.Had been looking forward to hear more of you but since it was christmas week, your disappearance from the virtual world waz pretty obvious.Two feet of snow and more writing sounds great....Hope you had much fun! I am not too sure if you ever had been to India.But I spent my weekend at a place called Haridwar(means gateway to God). Haridwar is one of the first towns where Ganga emerges from the mountains to touch the plains.No doubt, there is a definite divinity surrounded with this place and it presents a kaleidoscope of Indian culture and civilization.If you ever get the opportunity to come to India, you must visit this place.

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  8. Oh, I'd love to visit India. I adore the food, the music, the culture... We lived in Vancouver, British Columbia for several years and there is a huge East Indian population there. One of my student's mothers made the most amazing samosas... Mmmm. Makes me hungry just thinking about it!

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  9. Great to know about your interest and knowledge about India {especially the samosas :)}Your most welcome!Whenever you do visit, just lemme know.I offer you to be your prowd host & personal guide, atleast for the destinations known to me.Well, you dint answer my previous question.How can I buy your books?Are they available somewhere in India?

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