Rantings from One Nut in the Peanut Gallery

Marketing Tip: Book Signings
Publicize yourself. Do not expect the bookstore to do it. See if they will put flyers in customer's bags. See if you can put up a poster in the window. Tell everyone you know. Offer a free book as a drawing for people who come. Get people to the store.

Rants from the Peanut Gallery

WARNING- if you are allergic to rantings or peanuts - this post is NOT for you!)

I have had a double ear infection on and off for a few weeks (all in unison - aaawwwwww!) and have spent my vertigo-ish days in bed (thanks to hubby!)

Being sick sure gets you caught up on the news - every hour of the day.

So here are my opinions (because everyone has one) and I have nothing else to blog about. Not to mention I am "grumpier than a wet hen" (cliche alert! though I tweaked it a bit).

Bailout

I have mixed feelings on the bailouts, especially the auto one. (The CEOS are testifying now - blah blah blah)

Part of me thinks these companies should just go under. After all, when I crank up my credit cards - no ones here to bail me out. No one's here to bailout out the independent bookstores going under. No one's here to help publishing companies keep their great editors and people working. I personally think these are more important and deserve it more. So why the auto companies? I mean their management messed up. Who are they kidding? These company's have been out-of-date and producing crappy cars for years.

But then again, I cant bare to watch more people lose their jobs. And at the holidays. I cant bear to see these hard working people suffer b/c of a few bozos mistakes.

So I say - whatever company needs a bailout. First, they MUST MUST come up with a very detailed plan to push us towards the future as a nation. No ifs, ands or buts about it. There is no option. These auto companies cannot create the gas guzzlers and crappy cars (that are expensive BTW). They have to create fuel-efficient cars, they need to make all their cars green, they should make them all run on something besides foreign oil.

I know men like the CEOs on the car management teams. I worked with them closely when I was an Executive at Bank of America. And don't think for a second, they will not drag their feet, talk us to death, threaten us with bankruptcy, and try to blow smoke up our "bum bums" (as my daughter would say.)

They are in it for the money. And they would NOT be negotiating if THEIR jobs were at risk.


Caylee/Jennifer Hudson/Anne Presley cases
Enough already. Just put these people behind bars. I believe in justice and I tootally believe everyone deserves a fair trial.

If you walk in the room and your kid has crumbs on his face, you can be pretty sure that he's the one that ate the cookies. You know what I mean.?

The victims didn't get a fair shot and now we are more concerned about their rights?

Please, give me a break.

Besides, crazy people need to be locked up.If these "alleged suspects" are put away, I assure I will still sleep fine at night. ZZZZZZZZZ


Mumbai
I send all my love and prayers out to these people. I for one have never lost anyone to a senseless tragedy so I can NOT even begin to imagine how anyone involved is feeling.

I do know I had family in Thailand at the time of the tsunami and know that the healing process will take a long time and may never truly happen.

But in the gloom and doom, I found a bright spot.

I watched an interview with the American mom who lost her 13 yr old and hubby who were killed while visting India on a meditation retreat. She talked about nothing but forgiveness. I admire her strength and can only hope if I am ever faced with something difficult, that I can have her grace.

In some way, I do agree with her. She said, "these men not know what they do." I think if you have been brainwashed to thinking killing thoughts, you will kill. I am not excusing any behavior, but we are all products of our environment.

I am just thankful that I have lived and do live in a loving one and not a hateful one. There will ALWAYS be these kinds of people. The "war on terror" will never be won in a sense. Just minimized.


Oh Britney!
I too (as my friend Lindsey) watched Britney's interview the other night. And I was struck with sadness. Unfortunately, people around her seem to be pretending like she is happy. And it is obvious, she is not.

I - as a mother can in some way understand her parents actions. When your kid is sick or hurting and you cant fix it, there is a certain anxiety and desperation that grows deep inside you. My daughter has a heart defect and I know what it is like to sit and wish so hard your little one will be OK. Sometimes you over-react and sometimes you latch on to any sign it is getting better. (for the record, my little girl is fine - luckily.)

Now, with my little girl, I can put a band-aid on a boo-boo, and it will immediately be better (esp if it has Doras or Barbies on it!). But at this level where Britney is, I think its sad that anyone may be pushing her, thinking it will solve her problems.

I felt so sorry for her. I can empathize with how lost you can feel when no-one (esp your family) hears you. That you are trying to hard to communicate, but its as if the volume on your voice is turned way down and the knob ripped off.

Not only is she not heard, but the girl's every move is bombarded with cameras. She can't move, she can't think, she can't breath, and she certainly cant' live freely in any moment. I can't imagine if I could not go to the bookstore and sit in a quiet corner with a latte. I can't imagine NOT having any of being truly alone. A moment when you go out on your own and for a split second - no one in the world knows exactly where you are but you. I love those rare moments. How trapped she must feel? I know how I feel when I make a mistake and my friends or hubby witness it. How ashamed or bad I feel. Imagine the whole freakin' world!

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying Britney can't do something different - I mean for goodness sake - move to another country like Johnny Depp if you want to get away. She has all the money in the world. Then again, she has kids too so she may feel even more trapped to stay here.

I just send her my positive well-wishes and hope she does not do anything drastic. Depression can be a scary thing. The whole situation is sad, no matter how you look at it.

Obama
No matter how you feel about democrats or Obama as a leader. He seems to be doing a good job so far. He seems to be on the ball and he seems to be genuine.

I watched (again TV when you are sick, nothing better!) Barbara Walters interview with he and his wife. I thought they were so real and so cute. He even stopped the misses when she was talking and told her she had lipstick on her teeth.

They also seem to be centered. Michelle Obama talked about how she told the White House staff NOT to make her kids beds. They could do it themselves. I admire that and it makes me feel good about their judgment in general. Shoot, I even make my kids' beds and I don't live in the White House! Then again, a 5 year old and 18 month old can only do some much labor without a fit :)

I truly believe things happen for a reason that force us to look at our own lives and stand at a crossroad. This is our crossroad. I think we chose the right direction with Obama. We need to continue to make the right decisions to move this country further. So I hope that Obama, whether you like him or not, can rule this country with not only an iron fist but a gentle one. One that protects our animals, forces companies to straighten up, gets our economy back on track, and gets rid of the mentality that there are some people in the world that do not deserve the same things, the same chances, the same life that we all deserve.

Ill end on a positive note, though I don't really think this post this is negative.

Happiness

Peace

Love

and as Nathan Bransford says: Puppies, puppies, puppies. :)

My brain hurts so I'll call it a day.

If you disagree, please don't post it here. I respect your opinions. I just assume if you read my blog, you are wanting mine. If you feel strongly, just send me a link to your blog and I'll be happy to read your thoughts. Just don't put any mean or aggressive blurbs on mine.

Besides, it'll hurt my feelings!