Selena Thomason's Blog

Friday, June 24th

Go to New Blog

I'm just posting in the new blog now.

Visit there at http://www.selenathomason.com/mt-static/.

Thanks for playing.

;)

Selena on 06.24.05 @ 05:10 PM EST [link]

Thursday, June 23rd

Today’s Tally

I got a lot done today. I sent off a couple more submissions, bringing the total pending to ten – definitely a record. It seems I’ve been in a submitting mood lately, not so much a writing new stuff mood. But now I’m going to work on new scenes of stories started but too long neglected.

I’m trying to learn Dreamweaver but haven’t gotten very far. I did the introduction and tutorial today but didn’t find it helpful.

My main page [http://selenathomason.com/] is kind of boring design-wise right now but I guess it’s not bad for a beginner. Besides I’m a word-person not a picture-person. It’s the content not the visuals that are important to me. Still, I’d like to figure out how to do a banner at the top with a different background color, maybe find a couple cool pictures or graphics to use. But, that’s for tomorrow.

Selena on 06.23.05 @ 07:46 PM EST [link]

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Reading Right Now: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers

I finally finished reading Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers. (It’s a good book, I've just been busy with other stuff.)

What sticks with me most from this morning’s 2 am reading (couldn’t sleep, too stressed) is that it’s best to keep your coping strategies flexible but that we tend to think that if an approach isn’t working that we just need to try harder.

So, what is the healthiest approach?

“Coping responses built around fixed rules and flexible strategies. This requires that we fight a reflex common to most of us. If something bad is happening and our attempts to cope are not working, one of the most common responses is to, well, go back in there and just try twice as hard to cope in the usual way. Although that sometimes does the trick, that’s rare. During times of stress, finding the resources to try something new is really hard and is often just what’s needed.” (p.412)

It’s that last line that particularly struck me in the wee small hours. “During times of stress, finding the resources to try something new is really hard and is often just what’s needed.” Faced with chronic stress and my usual strategies not working, I’ve been thinking of trying something new, making a change.

For more of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, check out these earlier posts:
http://www.selenathomason.com/bblog/archives/00000030.html
(part of the lost ones, so it’s far down the page, the 3-11 post)
and Recommended Books at
http://www.selenathomason.com/bblog/archives/00000008.html

Selena on 06.23.05 @ 10:37 AM EST [link]

Wednesday, June 22nd

Today's Tally

Ok, so at least I didn’t waste the day. I did get a lot of writing in. I even sent off two subs. I’ve now got a total of seven subs pending. Could be a record.

Also got some new blog software, trying Movable Type this time. Check out the new blog at http://www.selenathomason.com/mt-static/

I’ll probably also post entries here for a while to be on the safe side. To quote “Beauty and the Beast” again – “I’ve been burned by you before.” Funny how that quote works in so many contexts.

Selena on 06.22.05 @ 08:26 PM EST [link]

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Three Days Off

I have the next three days off. I’m gonna try not to waste it. By which I mean, I’m gonna try to get some writing done.

Heather Sellers says “If you take one day off writing, your muse will take the next three.”

Sadly, that means I will probably be writing junk the next few days. But I’ve got to get back into it.

Selena on 06.22.05 @ 09:17 AM EST [link]

Sunday, June 19th

Happy Father’s Day

I didn’t see my dad today, but I had lunch with him earlier in the week.

I couldn’t ask for a better father than the one I’ve got. It’s one of the many advantages I’ve had in my life. Sometimes you realize that God has been so good to you that you don’t have a right to complain about anything. When I think of my parents that’s how I feel – too blessed to fuss.

My dad is a genius. Maybe all daughters think that. But my dad really is. Sometimes it seems like he knows everything.

Maybe it’s a memory I created in my head, but it seems that when I went through my questioning phase as a kid, my dad was always willing to provide a real and extensive answer. Instead of getting annoyed by my incessant questioning, he would answer “why is the sky blue” with an explanation of refraction. I didn’t always follow what he was saying, but I was always fascinating by it.

Once he showed me how to float a needle on water, along with an explanation of surface tension of course.

Maybe I got my love of learning from my dad. It certainly seems to be where my fascination with science came from.

My father is also the person who taught me that science and religion aren’t mutually exclusive, that science is really just striving to know God’s mind, to better understand His creation. And for that I’m truly grateful.

Happy Father’s Day everyone.

Selena on 06.19.05 @ 09:50 PM EST [link]

Saturday, June 18th

Hitch

I just watched the movie "Hitch." It was great.

Really, has there ever been a movie that Will Smith wasn't good in? If so, I haven't seen it.

Selena on 06.15.05 @ 10:18 PM EST [link]

Tuesday, June 14th

This is why I love country music…

I’m watching the country music video channel and Jo Dee Messina comes on with what you think is gonna be your standard “you done me wrong and I’m not taking you back” song. But then the line comes when she says why the offending ex-beau shouldn’t even bother trying to win her back and it’s because “my give-a-damn is busted.”

I laughed out loud.

A few times in the song she pauses to see if she’s feeling anything, but nope, nothing, still busted.

Hilarious.

Listen for yourself at http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/messina_jo_dee/879080/album.jhtml

Shoot, I may have to buy the CD.

Selena on 06.14.05 @ 08:25 PM EST [link]

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