Scout Studio

Pizza!

I've heard rave reviews about Pizzeria Bianco. And tomorrow, the Hubby and I are going to enjoy dinner there. We'll see how it goes...along with the rave reviews comes really l ong lines and a no-reservations policy.

SCBWI Conference

Saturday will be a full day at the SCBWI conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Writing Group

"I am not a genius. I am not talented. All I have is the desire and discipline to take the first draft to the fifth draft." - Kate DiCamillo

Words to aspire to.

I am far from achieving anything close to what I'd like to in my writing. However, I am taking one more step by finding someone to be in my writing group. This is important because a writing group comes with deadlines, expectations and accountability. Three things that I need to inject into my writing routine.

Our first meeting is next week and I've got a lot of work to get done.

Limits

For the past month, I've limited my time spent on the Internet. I felt as though I was wasting so much time reading other sites, responding to e-mails and getting lost down the rabbit-hole of blogs.

So far, I feel that my days are more peaceful, my time on the Internet more focused and I am getting more done during my day.

Beauty & Bread

"Everyone needs beauty as well as bread." - John Muir

One World Running

One World Running is one of my favorite charities because I love running, understand its transformative powers and always feel guilty about just throwing away a pair of $120 shoes when I'm finished with them.

Just clean your shoes and ship them to the address listed on their Web site and they do the rest: making sure your running shoes get a second life on the feet of an African runner.

33!

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

To celebrate, we hiked Aravaipa Canyon last weekend. It was a gorgeous hike and I can hardly wait to go again, though next time I plan on making my reservations earlier so we can get a permit for the West Trailhead. (Shorter drive!)

If you go, wear your old running shoes and be prepared to get your feet wet...again and again. There is no official trail, you just follow the stream bed of Aravaipa Creek which runs along the bottom of the canyon.

Oh, and this is #19 on The List.

Las Vegas, I Do Not Love Thee

I've been hesitant to write about our trip to Las Vegas because I have nothing nice to say about it.

And nobody wants to hear anybody grumble about raging allergies, the sadness in elderly gamblers' eyes, smoke-filled casinos and an entired economy built around naked women.

I was not impressed.

The only edifying thing I witnessed were the Fountains at the Bellagio. Except, after the show was over, as I turned to make my way up the walkway when a big German woman accosted me for, let me think, I guess she was offended that I was breathing. So, that was a fun encounter.

I was officially done with Las Vegas at that moment.

But, the guys ran well in the relay race and they had a great time. They placed 30th overall out of more than 250 teams. Congratulations!

Sunday Ritual

My long-interrupted love affair with The New York Times has resumed.

This grad school ritual is so much better this time around:

I don't have to read EVERY section EVERY day. I can just scan the headlines and read what I want or I can take it line-by-line. I don't have to hurry, hurry, hurry. There is no "quiz" at the end. And I now enjoy coffee while I read.

Three weeks in, this has become a carefully guarded ritual that goes like this: Shower. Make breakfast of two scrambled egg topped with this spice from Penzeys. Drink coffee from a carefully selected mug-of-the-day. Read slowly, carefully, with a scissors nearby and a notebook and pen on hand to jot down ideas and make a list of words that elude me. Take as long as possible to do this.

The Hubby is stationed at the other end of the table - we share details when we read a story that delights us, refill each others coffee mugs and revel in our day off. Together.

Bloom

Much to my amazement, my newly planted pomegranate tree is thriving.