Sometimes I feel like a nut; sometimes…

Posted on April 18, 2013 by
If I were a nut, I'd like to be here.

If I were a nut, I’d like to be here.

I still feel like a nut.  Most of all I feel thankful.

Yesterday I saw my doctor for the final evaluation to discuss test results.  (This post is a follow up to I never said I was Popeye.)

In a nutshell (ha), I passed everything with flying colors.  My doctor wants me to work out as hard as I can to try to get beyond the pain.  (As you might guess, he’s a very athletic guy.)

The original cause?  Probable viral infection compounded by scar tissue which formed over a tear to my muscles/ligaments in the sternum and vertebral body joint (Who knew?) brought on by severe coughing or working out.  Which continues to gets agitated and painful when I work out.

Whew.  I’m to think of it like arthritis, even subject to weather conditions.

So, no definitive answer (except what’s been ruled out) without doing a cardio/pulmonary stress test usually reserved for Olympic athletes, which still might not yield concrete answers.  The test involves riding a bike to exhaustion.  My doctor didn’t recommend it which is okay by me.

I’m leaving out a few micro-details, but bottom line:  I’m happy to be released to exercise again, knowing I’m not damaging anything further, and I’m thankful for the chance to get back into shape.  Body and mind overhaul:  Lose the 25 lbs. I accumulated while not working out, and lose the apathetic mindset/personality accumulated while not working out.  Receiving the green light is over half the battle.  I ran 1.35 miles as soon as I got out of my appointment.

Speaking of personalities and nuts, there’s a plethora of quizzes to determine what kind of nut you are.  If you’re curious, Go HERE.

First question:  “You are walking along on the sidewalk when suddenly a squirrel darts in front of you. It stops and gives you the evil eye. What do you do?“

What would you do?

What would you do?

So, back to me.  Arrgh.  I don’t particularly like peanuts,but guess what my result said?

Apparently this is me.

Apparently this is me.

“YOU are a peanut.  You have your moments of being crazy, but you are surprisingly well-adjusted.  You go well with any other type of nut.”

Think about that, my friends and loved-ones,  and have a wonderful kind of day!

PS:  If you take the quiz, I’d like to know what kind of nuts I’m hanging out with.  :)

PPS:  Finally activated my screenwriting website  and am open for comments and/or suggestions.  www.gaylabetts.com 

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I never said I was Popeye.

Posted on March 28, 2013 by

popeye1At least I don’t think I did.

Sure, I’ve been showing off with all my triathlons.  I mean, wouldn’t you if you did five triathlons and got four medals?  (Even if they were basically for showing up because there’s almost no competition in your age group.)

My last tri was an Olympic version, double the distances for the previous sprints.  Two weeks later, I felt like I was in the Psycho movie when I woke up with stabbing chest pain.  (I should probably insert a movie clip here, but since I’ve never had the stomach to watch the shower scene, it’s not fair to subject you to it and I think we all know the screeching music.) Continue reading →

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It’s not a screenplay option but…

Posted on March 11, 2013 by

It’s not a screenplay option, but my heart still did a little flip when I learned my story about Blue Blue for Furry Friends Fur-Ever: The Book had made the cut.  So Yaay!  (And thank you once again, Blue Blue, for making me smile!)

If you go HERE, it’s the second story in.

I happened to see a post on Facebook about submitting stories, and I knew Blue Blue’s tale might just fit the bill.  So, I whipped up my article and submitted it.

Which just goes to show, if you don’t submit, you’re not even in the game.

Now, please excuse me, I have some more writing to do!

Have cat, will travel. =^.^=

Have cat, will travel. =^.^=

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I Can’t Get His Voice Out of My Head…

Posted on January 22, 2013 by
It's always too soon.

It’s always too soon.

This is an e-mail I received on Friday, January 4, 2013:

Gayla  –

The alarm rang at 4:45 AM.

I fell asleep at 12:30 AM, but if you’d asked me if I got any sleep, I could have passed any polygraph.

There was no reason for me to get up for at least two more hours…except that mornings are the best time for me to write. Once my 3-year-old wakes up, once I check my email, once I go to work, then there are thousands of distractions pulling me away from my script. But before the sun comes up, tired or not, it’s just me and my story. Continue reading →

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That Old Bug-a-Boo Is Not Going To Get Me…

Posted on December 29, 2012 by

Yesterday I started a 21 day project I’m calling Vibrancy.

Because… I have three weeks of time staring me in the face.

They're supposed to look like little coins.

They’re supposed to look like little coins.

My husband and I start thinking about our New Year’s Resolutions a few days early.  We spend January 1 making lists and eating black-eyed peas, collard greens, and johnny cakes–here are some recipes–for good health and fortune plus chocolate and champagne because that’s our tradition.  (This year, we will be skyping.)

All for me this year!

All for me this year!

So, I went to sleep Thursday night sorting my most important resolutions.  You know, resume triathlon training and fit into everything in my closet, get rid of clutter, take those dance lessons my husband promised last year, answer all correspondence and clean out my 36,000+ e-mail backlog, set up an Etsy account for my jewelry, pick out a dress for the Oscars when I win Best Original Screenplay…

As a veteran of many years of making resolutions, focusing on only three is most productive.  This year, these three weeks, I want to concentrate on only one.  Selling a screenplay. Continue reading →

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Silver Bells For Nine Red Birds

Posted on December 17, 2012 by

I always postpone taking my birdbaths down until the very last moment.  But, in the middle of December, with snow and ice finally predicted, I couldn’t wait any longer and take the chance my beautiful bowls would crack from the frozen pressure.

In September...

In September…

So, sadly, I told the cardinals and the mourning doves it was time.   And took down or turned over at least eight birdbaths.  (I lost count for the benefit of my husband who seems to delight in keeping track and telling me I don’t need anymore…)  One shallow dish on the ground is kept filled with water for those birds willing to swoop low with the rabbits, squirrels, and other wildlife, but it’s not nearly as pretty.

The ceramic anniversary gift--to my husband.

The ceramic anniversary gift–to my husband.

The lady's face down until spring...

The lady’s face down until spring…

What’s left are stumps ~ the birdbath bases.  Yuck.  On one of them I placed a mirrored ball of crackled glass.  On another, a mosaic-tiled stepping stone is perched.

Still pretty in winter.

Still pretty in winter.

But, for the centerpiece of my shell garden…  something spectacular–at least in my eyes–had to do justice.

Some dead tree limbs had fallen into our yard; a stroke of luck.  ZuZu thought me demented as we gathered and placed them in the now larger-than-life vase.  As if she would be receiving a new supply of throwing sticks…  silly girl.

Huh?

Huh?

A new idea hatched and an hour later, courtesy Meijers’ 25% off sale of already quite reasonable plastic ornaments and Joanne Fabrics’ 70% off all holiday decor, my wildlife arrangement was decorated.

Ta Da!

Silver Bells for Nine Red Birds ~ Happy Winter!

I don’t usually write poetry, so I apologize in advance, but I’m inspired by the new arrangement.

                              “Silver Bells For Nine Red Birds”

   Nine red birds dance on dead forgotten limbs

                   While silver bells swirl round and tinkle in the wind.

     The snow is coming; the snow won’t wait.

                   But I’ll delight to watch, then listen, to the prance and prate. 

This year I’m trying to slow down and cherish the moments as I wrap a special present, drink a cup of hot chocolate under soft Christmas lights, and look out the window in the bleak cold to see a flash of red and silver in the backyard.

A different kind of tweet.

A different kind of tweet.

For now I’m going to turn on the Christmas music of Michael Bublé for a few minutes and  carve out some quiet writing time before I jump back into my hectic to-do list.

A Very Merry to YOU!

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How Sudoku Helped Write My Query Letter

Posted on November 9, 2012 by

The word of the day in our household yesterday was router.

This is for you, Dear.

As my husband struggled with that oh-so-important computer thingy that we take for granted until it doesn’t work, I struggled with taking new paths in my brainwaves.

Before we go any further, let me state for the record:  I will always love crossword puzzles.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for something else in my head though.

Continue reading →

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