Sweet Marley

I realize the bestseller Marley & Me by John Grogan has been out for quite some time but I finally just got around to reading it. Several people had told me how great it is and it's been on my "to read" list for months. If you're not familiar with Marley & Me, it's the story of life with a crazy yellow Lab named Marley. Marley is goofy, loveable, crazy and fiercely loyal to John Grogan and his family.

Well, over the last few days, I read Marley & Me. It's a funny, sweet, beautiful and heart-wrenching book. If you have a dog that brings immense joy to your life, you must read this book. Just be sure you have a box of Kleenex handy. And you might want to schedule reading the final chapters when you're home alone so you can blubber uninhibited.

This evening I closed Marley & Me and laid the book on the end table. I crawled onto the floor and just let my dogs lick my face. I gave them hugs and petted their faces.

Mocha once chewed a hardback book autographed by the author. Belle has destroyed more items than I can count. They both shed--a lot. Sometimes they stink. Often they embarrass us by trying to jump on strangers and sniff friends' private areas. They dig holes in the yard and wallow in mud puddles.

But I wouldn't trade them for anything. They bring us such joy. Their loyalty and devotion is almost beyond comprehension.

Thank you, John Grogan, for writing such a beautiful book and for putting into words our love for dogs.

And, check out the book's Web site.

King George

Last night I want to my fourth George Strait concert and, like the others, this one was terrific. Opening for George were new singer/songwriter Taylor Swift (only 17 years old) and another country music legend Ronnie Milsap. Clint and I had a great time at the show.

Quote of the Day

"Isn't it strange what happens with old books? They choose you. They reach out to their buyer--Hello, here I am, take me with you. It's as if they were alive."

--The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte (2000, Harcourt Books)

Mats ain't movin'

A few days ago, a friend sent me a link to this news story with the subject line "My hero." I mean, really, don't we all feel this way somedays? Especially on a Monday.

Puppy Bowl III

Clint and I were just discussing how the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet is just as good -- if not better -- than the actual Super Bowl. In case you're not familiar with this, Animal Planet puts puppies in an enclosed area and for about seven hours just broadcasts them romping and playing around. It's beyond cute. Although I'm still saying Go Colts!

Writing is hard

Instead of writing this blog posting, I should be working on a writing "assignment." It's not really even an assignment but I feel compelled to complete it.

A few months ago, a few of us writer types started a writers group called The Deadline Society (sort of like Dead Poets Society, a fabulous movie). We started out meeting at Starbucks (where else would creative types meet but a coffee shop?) and just chatted about writing, work, families or any other topic that popped up. But in January, we decided to take our little group one step further and actually -- gasp -- write!

One of the members provided us with some writing prompts from a writing book in case we needed inspiration. We would distribute our work one day before our next meeting so everyone could read and critique.

It's supposed to be fiction because most of us write non-fiction for a living. It's supposed to stretch us. It's supposed to be low-pressure and fun.

I'm on my second writing attempt and the meeting is next week. As a journalist, writing about other people's lives is one thing. I don't have to make up stories, quotes or drama -- I write about what already exists. Now, I'm trying to write about what I see in my head. It's anything but low-pressure.

I suppose all of us who make our living with words harbor a secret desire to write a book. Who doesn't want to do a book signing at Barnes & Noble? I've come up with the beginnings of a dozen books. They are nicely filed in a part of my brain called "book beginnings" and never actually make it to paper.

Why? Because writing is hard. Good writers make it look easy but all writers know it's tough to string words together into something interesting. It's tough to keep people's attention past the second paragraph. It's tough to write something and then toss it out there for the world to read (and possibly even hate).

I'm hoping I can at least write 200 words for next week's meeting of The Deadline Society. I'm also hoping my fellow writers will be kind. For the next week, I'll keep at it, clicking away on the keyboard and all the while dreaming about how I'll autograph my books and what sort of questions Oprah will ask when my work is selected for her book club.

It's a sickness

Last night I went to bed at 8:30 and finished reading a book (already one book read in 2007!). I honestly had nothing else pressing to do.

Oh sure, I could have tackled some work-related tasks or got started on some SPJ project. But nothing was screaming, "I should have been done yesterday!" Particularly because I'm not teaching this semester at the College of Charleston, my evenings aren't filled with lesson plans and grading.

A friend called while I was reading and I admitted my guilt over what I classified as "doing nothing."

"It's a sickness," I told her. Truly, I have a tough time relaxing. I feel guilty when I do something that's just for me. But step one is admitting you have a problem and one of my goals is to get better about this. Last weekend, I watched a movie. On Sunday, I'm participating in a four-part mystery book club.

I'm also checking into a women's crafting circle, church Bible studies and adult swimming lessons with an equally water-terrified friend (this should generate lots of blog postings).

I'd say my 2007 is off to a pretty good start.