Sunday, July 27, 2014

Blackbirds, NutriBullet, & 15 Writers

These sum up my week: Blackbirds, NutriBullet®, and 15 writers.

I worked with Wendy, Jean, Gail, and Kent on stories and poems for Blackbirds. All of which were good experiences. I always learn a lot when I work with another writer.

I went whole hog -- so to speak -- in using my NutriBullet® 900 Pro to create breakfast and lunch smoothies out of spinach, bananas, blueberries, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, sunflower seeds, celery, raisins, apples, strawberries, lettuces, and any other green, non-starchy veggies in my house. Amazingly enough, the shakes have made my blood pressure and my blood sugar go down. I haven't felt hungry. And I think, overall, I've had more energy and less problems. We'll see how I feel about it after a month on it.

And I prepared the last presentation for the Summer Novel Writing Course for the writing group. Fifteen writers were in attendance Saturday to hear me go over the slides as well as win books, CDs, notebooks, and journals during the meeting. I gave away 13 books (most of them purchased over the past three months at the dollar store) but also gave as the grand prize two of my books and a writing book that had figured prominently in the past three presentations. They seemed to really enjoy the presentation and the drawings. Also, they sang Happy Birthday to me, and one of the members had made birthday cupcakes for all of us. A good friend at the meeting gave me a pen and a funny birthday card. Wendy stopped by (via Skype) and let me work on that. Thanks, Wendy! It's my hope to be able to use Skype to have writers give programs to the group. We still have some problems to work out.

And that was mostly my week, other than working on the family newsletter and having one really really really bad medical night that I have recovered from.

This week:
- Tomorrow Wendy and I will go over the final edit of "The Third Wish," her third short story for Blackbirds.
- Wednesday is my birthday as well as an afternoon reception for a friend who is retiring from the local library after 28 years.
- I will work with Kent or Jean, depending on who turns in their short story first, or maybe both or neither as it works out.
- I intend to finish the family newsletter and mail it this week.
- I want to finish my short story for Blackbirds and get it in shape to be edited by Wendy, Jean, or Gail, or all three, or a combination of two as it works out.
- And a few pages on Murder by the Mile would be nice.

That's what I'm planning for. What are you planning for? Whatever it is, I hope it's a good week.

6 comments:

Tammy Jones said...

Sounds really good, Stephen!

How does your bullet smooth a carrot? I have a Ninja but have been afraid to throw carrots, beets, etc in there.

SBB said...

Very smooth. It's amazing. Of course, I do cut the carrot up. My aunt recommended the NB to me, and she said she didn't put whole veggies in it. I have, and it works, but it's much noisier than when things are chopped into four or five pieces. And the recipes and the supporting site are truly amazing.

SBB said...

I'm told the NB 600 does have some problems in chopping whole veggies. It has a 600 watt motor, and the 900 has a 900 watt motor.

Tammy Jones said...

Mine should be able to handle it then. Do you add any liquid?

SBB said...

Yes, the recipes all call for some liquid, be it water, coconut water, almond milk, etc. I use water and almond milk.

Jean said...

Boo for the medical incident. Yay for the rest of the week. I didn't get anything out for your birthday, but please know, I am thinking of you and wishing you the happiest of days and a glorious coming year.

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