Question of the Day #226

So last night, after a fabulous party on the beach, H and I stopped at CVS to pick up some Diet Coke. As we stood in line at the register, Peter Cetera's "Glory of Love" played on the muzak system. So I gripped the Diet Coke bottle like a microphone and serenaded H, quite dramatically.

A guy at a register started laughing. Then he said, "I was singing it too! I couldn't help it!"

After reading your comments about bad movies, I thought about bad songs. Like "Glory of Love." Tthroughout the 80's, that cheeze laden ballad inspired tweens to drape all over each other at dances. In fact, I remember that power ballad playing as I did that slow dance sway thing with my 7th grade BF, BK.

And last night, every sappy word came back to me in an instant. What bad song will you belt out every time?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #225

When I was in college, my friend Waldo and I were invited to a screening of Bad Girls by another friend. Think Tombstone for girls - but worse. It stars Madeleine Stowe, Andie MacDowell, Mary Stuart Masterson and Drew Barrymore and the premise is that these four prostitutes are on the run for killing a colonel. They encounter all sorts of bad guys and steal their guns, kidnap one of them, break out of jail, jack a guy's ranch and somehow make it out alive.

It's hilarious.

Mind you, it's not meant to be. But when Drew Barrymore leaps over a wall on a horse and shoots a man, dead center, in mid air, you can't help but burst out laughing.

And that's exactly what Waldo and I did throughout the entire screening many years ago. So, this weekend, when Bad Girls aired on HBO, I couldn't help but watch the entire film, cackling every time the Bad Girls shot up some creepy cowboy dude or blew up a bad guy's wagon.

What awful movie will you watch every time you notice it's on?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #224

Somehow, N's iPhone ended up in the cat's water dish. Completely submerged. Zapped. So after some searching online, he put the phone in a bag of rice in hopes that the rice would draw the water out of the phone and restore it. It had worked for a blogger, so why not?

And it worked for N too! After a 24 hour rice bath, the iPhone is up and running.

What crazy solution to a problem have you found online?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #223

How about another fill in the blank? Let's try:

If I weren't so ________________, I'd ________________.

Here's mine:

If I weren't so late, I'd try and come up with a better answer.

How would you fill in the blanks?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #222

Yesterday, N and I went to meet his sister and fiance for breakfast. We drove to their house and then we all rode bikes to a beachside restaurant.

I hadn't ridden a bike since I was a teenager. I'm guessing 20 years. And you know what? It was just like riding a bike! Sure, I had wobbly moments, like when I almost hit a fire hydrant or when instead of using my brakes, I instinctively put my feet down to stop. But I didn't crash. Or fall. Or embarrass myself in any way.

It was really fun. And we rode past a marina and over canals and took in gorgeous water views.

What activity have you recently enjoyed after a long break?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #221

Last night, N and I raced cars, bowled a few frames and played some tennis on Wii. I have only played with a Wii once before, so I was completely lost as I gripped the steering wheel and chose a green spikey roaring monster named Bowser as my race car driver.

Bowser came in 12th out of 12 each time. I smashed into guardrails, plummeted into pools of lava, went soaring off cliffs into water, and a few times, what looked like eternal darkness, and I'm still alive to write about it this morning.

Impressive.

I can see how it could get addicting. I can understand how children never put down their remotes and fail to ever converse with family members.

So I ask, do you play video games? Or am I alone with my urge to race Bowser until he's #1 forever?

xoxo,

Suzanne

Question of the Day #220

When I was 12 years old, my father took me to an outdoor amphitheatre outside of Chicago to see Neil Diamond. It was my first concert.

The crowd danced to "Sweet Caroline," roared to "Coming to America," and sang along to "Song Sung Blue." Neil belted out "Forever in Blue Jeans" in a sparkly white Jazz Singer suit. And 25 years later, I can still picture the whole venue and hear that beautiful noise.

I loved it.

What was your first concert?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #219

Here in LA, we are experiencing the worst case of June Gloom that I can remember in my 15 year residency. For the past two weeks, every day has been cloudy, gray and it's looked like it would rain. It actually did rain a couple times last week, which is as rare as snow in Jersey in June.

We had one sunny day. That was last Sunday. I drove with the top down, blasted music and sang down the freeway like an American Idol before entering the dark pub and serving drinks all afternoon.

H just told me that she's been tracking the weather and it looks like we may get some sunshine next Thursday. NEXT THURSDAY???

Something has gone awry in Sunny Southern California.

I am "dying for" a sunny day. What are you "dying for"?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #218

Wowee! You bloggers certainly have TONS of stuff to be thankful for! Thanks for sharing all those good thoughts. Just reading your comments made me feel fortunate that we all have so much to be thankful for.

So...while we're riding the thankful wave, how about setting some goals? My goal for the next 24 hours is to easily transition all tables enjoying the Yankees vs. Red Sox game and the Lakers Finals to the party of 30 that's coming in afterwards. I'm aiming to close checks quickly, create happy customers, evade chaos and, of course, do it all with a smile.

What is your goal for the next 24 hours?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #217

I'm a big believer in prayer. I believe that when I put positive thoughts and energy behind someone, that those positive thoughts and energy actually help that person in some way.

In the same way I believe in prayer, I believe in giving thanks. So before I go to sleep or as I'm waking up or as I'm walking in the hills, I think about all the things I'm thankful for and say "thank you" for them.

This isn't about a god or religion. This about being aware when good things come my way and appreciating them. Because if I don't appreciate the good, I'm pretty sure the bounty will stop flowing.

That said, here's a list of ten things I'm thankful for this morning:

1. The fabulous critique my writing group gave me (and the fabulous group, itself)
2. Pub shifts
3. Long walks
4. Becoming a Fairy Godmother
5. Impending housesitting
6. My mom
7. H
8. My health
9. My agent
10. Hope

What are ten things you're thankful for?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #216

Last night I met with my critique group. After getting some suggestions from my agent, I had revised and submitted the 31st draft of my WIP to them. And I was thrilled to hear that they love it!

Sure they had lots of ideas about what to change and how to make it better, but overall, they think it's great. And this morning, I woke up all excited thinking about how I'm going to improve it before sending it back to my agent.

So what's got you all pumped up?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #215

I'm going to meet up with H and L.E.O. for lunch. They work for FOX Sports and are responsible for all the cool graphics you see during games, like players' pictures, stats, scores and the game time facts that "whoosh" across the screen.

They've got pretty cool jobs. And there are perks. Like when we tell guys we meet that H and L.E.O. work at Fox Sports, their eyes get all googly like we just told them they'd won a date with a supermodel.

They work on the FOX lot which has lots of sound stages, production offices and a New York street scene which you'd probably recognize from commercials. It's always fun to visit.

What cool jobs do your friends have?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #214

I've been defeated. Creamed. Cremated. Obliterated. Taken down. Crushed. Beaten horribly.

Oh yes, last night N put on a clinic and thoroughly kicked my butt at Scrabble. He opened strong and battled steadily through the entire game, wrapping up the mockery with a final score of 284 to 205.

What an embarrassment. I want a rematch. Maybe after breakfast. ; )

What's your favorite board game?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #213

Last night, my friend Bernie played guitar and sang at the pub. He broke down Backstreet Boys' "Tell Me Why," Boys II Men's "Motown Philly" and all sorts of other songs that should not be performed acoustically. It was very funny.

But his favorite was a song from a Jack in the Box commercial, "Mini Sirloin Burgers." He played it a zillion times.



Now that questionable commercial is stuck in my head. What jingle gets stuck in yours?

Question of the Day #212

The last couple nights, I've been helping out, waiting tables, at my friend's pub. They've been busy nights because of the Laker game, a cash raffle and big birthday parties. So it's a lot scrambling, running, and rushing.

Don't get me wrong, it's pretty fun. Joking with customers, laughing at my mistakes, (Who dropped that burger?!?!) that's good comedy.

But for the last eight years, I've sat at my desk and written all day long. That's been my job. And before that, I sat at a desk in an office and wrote. And before that, I worked at a newspaper and wrote in that office. And before that, I freelanced and wrote all day at home.

I haven't worked on my feet, running around, since I shampooed heads in a busy hair salon in the summers between college. Five hairdressers, one shampoo girl. Lotsa time on my feet.

So how do you work? On your feet? At a desk? Running around? And how do you like it?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #211

Every morning I drink a Diet Coke. It's been that way for years. It's my version of coffee, my morning bevvie of choice. Not Diet Pepsi, not Coke, always Diet Coke.

When I binge on potato chips, they're always Lays.

When I buy toilet paper, it's undoubtedly Charmin.

I started wearing Eternity perfume as a big haired Jersey girl back in highschool. And I've been an Ivory Girl since there were toy boats in my bathtub.

Are you loyal to certain brands? Or do you mix it up? Buy what's on sale? Purchase a product because you're drawn to its pretty pink container? How do you roll?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #210

Yesterday, some girlfriends and I took H out for a belated birthday celebration. We went to Half Price Sushi, where during the longest happy hour ever, from 4:30 - 9:30, most of the sushi and all of the beer and saki is half price.

I ordered salmon sashimi and a spicy yellowtail handroll. H ordered the same. C only eats cooked rolls. S enjoys cut rolls and K will eat anything.

Sushi is a funny thing like that. Some people freak over the idea of eating raw fish. Some people love it. Others will only eat certain kinds.

How do you feel about sushi?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #209

Today I have to write a tough scene. It's a tough scene because it could look cliche, but the character who is orchestrating the scene is actually a sociopath. And because sociopaths don't have real feelings, they can't empathize, they only emulate. So, the cliche should work because this guy would only know to act out something that he's already seen.

Have I spun you in circles? Okay. Here's a good example of what I mean. Remember Scott Peterson, who killed his wife, Laci? When Diane Sawyer interviewed him and he cried and plead to get Laci back, Diane asked him what Laci meant to him. He replied, "She completes me."

Sound familiar? Well, of course, he heard it from Jerry Maguire. Because Scott Peterson was a sociopath and wasn't capable of his own real feelings, he would never understand what it truly meant to love someone. Therefore, he could only project what he thought he should say.

In light of the tough project, I'm going for a walk. Walking helps me to see a scene. By the time I come back down the hill, I'm usually ready to write it. Sooo...I'm going for a jaunt so I can spend some time inside my sociopath's head.

What do you do when you've got a tough project to work on?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #208

I have a PC on loan while my computer gets fixed. (So do not fear, there will be no lack of Questions.) Which is fantastic, because I need to get back to my revision. My keyboard disaster sidetracked me Friday through Sunday, and today I'm digging back in and getting on it!

What event has sidetracked you lately? And how do you plan to get back on track?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #207

My thighs are burning. My butt hurts and I'm a little wobbly. Who knew a bouncy house would be such a workout? After just five minutes, your heart races, your legs become jelly and you're out of breath like you just sprinted four miles.

How do little kids bounce all day long?

Yesterday's bouncy house led to much discussion around workouts. I hike in the hills around my house. N runs. Other friends do yoga. And then M mentioned The Bar Method.

"The what?" I asked.

"The Bar Method. You use a ballet bar to stretch and do all kinds of pilate like moves," she replied.

"Uh, I can't even touch my toes. I could never do that," I said.

"If I can do it, you can do it. There are only a couple girls in the class who can actually get their feet over their heads."

I imagined a room full of ultra limber toothpick skinny women twisted up like pretzels.

"Um, yeah, I could never do that."

"No really, you should come with me."

I don't know if it was the bouncy house burn, the margaritas or my cotton candy buzz, but I think I kind of agreed to go to some class where someone will force me to tuck in my butt cheeks, lunge and twist at the same time.

What kinds of workouts do you do? And are they as crazy as that?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #206

I'm so excited! My friend K, the ultimate party planner, is having her ultimate kiddie birthday party today. Cotton candy machine, popcorn maker, margarita machine (Did I say "kiddie"?) and a bouncy castle!

Yes, she's a grown, married woman. But her birthday wish was for her and all her BFFs to enjoy a day of stressless, ridiculous, bouncy, kidlike fun. And I'm all for it!

So as I get ready to head out, I'm wondering, what would your ultimate birthday party entail?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #205

The shift keys on my laptop are not working. It started a couple days ago. They were working intermittently, but now they are dead. So, to start a sentence, I press caps lock. They hardest part is symbols. Like signing in, I had to cut and paste the @ symbol. And the # symbol in title of today's question.

That means no quotation marks, which when you're working on a novel, is laughable. So, I'm heading to the Geek Squad, again, where they will determine whether the problem is software, which I'm praying for, or hardware. If it's hardware, they'll send the computer out to be fixed, which will take approximately 10 days.

10 days without a computer. Can you imagine 10 days without Questions? 10 days without writing? Working? Blogging? Reading the news? Checking the weather?

How does the idea of not having your computer for 10 days affect you?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #204

I'm revising my work in progress. Again. So for the past few days, after staring at the screen and searching for perfect punchy verbs and cutting and adding, my brain is scrambled by the time I stop.

So, I've been shaking it all off by watching really bad TV at night. I mean really bad. The Real Housewives of New Jersey bad.

I'm a Jersey Girl. It's not like I haven't seen these ultra rich, new school Italian women before. Yet, I'm completely fascinated by their mama drama lives.

Maybe I'm bored with my own life. Perhaps. But let's not psychoanalyze me. What about you? What bad TV do you inhale like it's oxygen?

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #203

How would you fill in these blanks?

If I could _________________, I ___________________ .

For example:

If I could strike it rich, I would be relieved.
If I could get rid of my stomach ache, I'd eat breakfast.
If I could see into the future, I'm not sure I'd look.

I could go on, but the list is too long.

xoxo,
Suzanne

Question of the Day #202

My favorite color is red. It was my Granny's favorite color. In fact, she only wore red and black. Red is bright and powerful and eye catching. And according to The Color Code, it means I'm a bit of a control freak.

I won't argue with that.

What's your favorite color and why?

xoxo,
Suzanne