Sasha White

It’s strange how sometimes in life things happen, or someone makes a random comment, and I automatically think “I should blog about that.” Does that make me a little pathetic?

I guess sometimes I feel more comfortable throwing things out there to you all than I do talking about it my own friends and family. Not sure why.

Anyway, during our staff christmas party a couple of weeks ago I was chatting with one of my co-workers friends. We’d just met, and were getting along. I can’t remember what the topic of conversation was, but she said something and I responded with a comment like, “When I was in Africa they told me that my mood swings were probably tied to the oceans tides.” -or something like that..I mentioned something about Africa, or it could’ve been writing..honestly I can’t remember, we talked about a few things – the point being that she looked at me sort of shocked, and her friend (my Co-worker) just waved the look away and said “Yeah, Sasha’s done everything.”

It sounds snarky when I type it, but it wasn’t snarky, it was funny. and it struck me, that yes, I think to others, especially some of the people I work with (who range from 15 year old dishwashers and host’s to three other women intheir mid-30’s) it might seem like I have done everything. I mean, this particular coworker is a 22 year old college student. She’s old enough to know that the things I have done can be considered pretty big, but young enough to think it’s everything.

I have done a lot.
I’ve traveled to a lot of far away places, living and working in some very remote places for months at a time in some of them (Nepal, Singapore, South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Greece, Mexico – not too mention the US and Canada)
I’ve trained and competed as a professional athlete.
I’ve gone the adventure route and jumped out of an airplane a few times and trekked a few mountains. Oh, and done some rapeling off some pretty high mountains and cliffs. Ocean kayaking, swum with wild dolphins in the ocean.
I’ve worked as a professional security specialist. I’m handy with small arms, and a few more unconventional weapons.
I’ve written a few books.

So, I can see why it does seem like I’ve done everything, but in my mind, this is alljust the beginning. I have so much more I want to do.

I want to be better at photography.
I want to write more books.
I want to lose wieght and keep it off!
I want to have / train my own dog.
I want to learn to snowboard without giving myself whiplash.
I want to write a screenplay.
I want to fall in love.

That’s it for now. But I know as I continue to learn and grow, my own list of what I want to do will continue to grow. And isn’t that the point to life? To always keep moving forward, to enjoy what your doing, and to anicuipate doing more things you’ll enjoy? To Live life and not just make your way through it?

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*Ramblings from the Front of the House*

One of my biggest pet peeves as a server is that some people don’t look at their servers. Notice I said some people. some people are greta, they make eye contact, they smile, they might even look at your name tag and make an effort to remember your name.

Others might look at you, but they don’t see you. Or maybe they just don’t care if your their server or not when your running past their table with a tray full of drinks in one hand a pizza in the other and they decide to wave their hand in front of you and say “Can I have another beer over here?”

Uhmm yeah, sure you can have another beer, after I serve MY customers, then track down your server and tell her you want one, because you do realize that I, the short round brunette, am not the same tall, blond who’s been serving you for the past half hour right?

Now, I admit, where I work, there are several brunettes, and we all wear an all black uniform, so maybe it could be understandable that you’re not really paying to much attention. But a 5′10 tall blonde I am not – not by any stretch of the imagination.

And it’s not just the walking by thing…cuz again, when it’s busy, maybe you need a refill and your server has been too busy to keep up, so you ask whoever is near by. Sure, I understand that. But that doesn’t explain why after being served your drinks, and meal, and dessert, by a 5′5 Asian dude, that you would walk up to the 6′2 whiter than white guy and ask for you check.

There’s also the argument that some people just assume that everyone is there to serve everyone, and we don’t have specific tables/customers too look after, but I don’t buy it. I think most people know that they have one main server meant to look after them. I just think some people don’t see their server as a real person.

To read what writer Sasha has to say today, visit me at GENREALITY.net.

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Hey Everyone,

Suzanne McMinn’s Chickens In The Road blog has been nominated in The Bloggies!! (She’s in The Best Kept Secret category)

This is huge! Suzanne was one of my very first writer friends when I began on this journey, and she’s always been there for me. This woman has a big heart, a fantastic imagination, and a wonderful spirit. When talking about her nomination for the bloggies she says they’re “like the Oscars of the blog world. (Compare to the Ritas in the romance world.) This is a contest in which huge blogs like Dooce, Pioneer Woman, CuteOverload, I Can Haz Cheeseburger, PerezHilton, etc, populate the nominations. (Thank God I’m not in a category where I’m directly up against any of them!) Mine is the only romance writer’s blog to EVER be a finalist in the Bloggies. I’m representin’!”

So, go vote for Suzanne in The Bloggies, not only because she’s representin’, but because her blog truly is awesome. I, personally, love going there, and visit every day. It always makes me smile.

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I uploaded a bunch of pictures of friends and co-workers at our christmas party. You see, over the holiday season, everyone wants to party, right? But someone has to serve the food and drinks at all those parties, so where I work, we have our christmas party in January. The pictures are form the dinner, before everyone went to the bar to really party. :)

If you want to see more..click HERE.

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I’m over at GENREALITY today. I was going to post about something a bit more writing oriented, but after reading the other posts, I wanted to go with a bit more lighthearted, so I talked about Feng Shui. I redid my office again, and there’s pictures. LOL

Tomorrow, I’ll be blogging at the Aphrodisia Authors blog…probably about something naughty. LOL Not sure yet.

It’s laso Thursday, and I should do a Slim Camp post, but I’m just not into it. So, I’m suspending them for a while. I’m still doing my own plan, and its working, but I’m finding it hard to talk about, and do, and I really need to do…so the talking about it has to go for now.

I highly suggest if you’re still interested in Healthy recipies, and inspiration that you check out Laurie’s, Think Thin Thursdays. each week. She’s doing much better staying on top of it than I was.

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Feeling a little wicked? Want to join in on goodly wickedness with other readers? Join Sylvia Day, http://www.shaylablack.com/, Mackenzie McKade, Cathryn Fox, Monica Burns, Karin Tabke, Melissa Schroeder and ME on the Wicked Writers.

Get the inside scoop on your favorite Wicked authors, where they are going to be appearing and what books they have coming up. There is always lots of fun, excerpts, book talk, and a nekkid man or two for your pleasure. Because they love their readers, they are celebrating their anniversary with a Weekend of Wickedness. Join them Jan 24-25 for lots of sneak peeks, antics, and most importantly, PRIZES. There will be giveaways over both days, and then the Big Box of Wickedness, filled with books from all the authors, fun items, bookmarks and much, much more! Go to Wicked Writer’s Yahoo Group today to make sure you don’t miss out!

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“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”
~Muhammad Ali

I’m still very scattered. Not able to keep my focus on any one project fpr very long. Not sure what’s up with that, but I’m going with it for now.

I’ve got galleys for MOST WANTED to get through, and I’m starting to wonder about my sci-fi project and what’s happening with it. Not sure yet, but I should be able to give you news, one way or the other, soon.

Also, had a great idea for something totally new, but I’m still trying to figure out an idea for an erotic story. I want to write one, yet the ideas for that just aren’t coming…and I’m not sure why. To be honest, I’m getting a bit pissed about it to. LOL

Anyway, off to the gym….maybe a workout will help clear my head. Did I mention I commited to doing a 5K run this summer? Yeah, I need to lose at least 60 pounds. But, I have a goal..and a commitment. It doesn’t matter that I hate running. That I’ve always hated running, even when I was inthe best shape of my life. All that matters is that I tend to be a goal oriented person, and knowing that there are a few of us doing this run this summer helps me stay on track.

Sometimes you just gotta go for it.

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It’s the first official day for the GENREALITY group blog and Alison Kent starts us off with a great post on respect. Be sure to hop over there and say Hi to Alison, and get us started on a good note!

I, myself, will be blogging there on Thursdays. I’ve pretty much kept my mouth shut on any “how to” or craft type posts here, as well as any real opinion posts on publishing in general. I’m open about what I’m doing or going through, but not as open as I could be. Mostly because I tend to think that my blog readers like to know more about me and what I’m up to than just the writing stuff. For the other reason why I hold back, be sure to check out my first post at GENREALITYon Thursday.

Of course I’ll still be blogging here all the time, but on my blog here things tend to be eclectic -photography, graphics, writing, dating, health, and whatever else pops into my head.

For example, I’m fully single again…as in…not even seeing anyone or interested in anyone. It’s been a while since I’ve not even had a someone to crush on. I love having a crush on someone. Having someone to fantasize about as I drift of to sleep, to daydream about, to turn into a hero in a book. Missing those things is the downside of not having a crush on anyone, or a lover to fantasize about. The up side is, my eyes seem to be more open to all the sexy men who come and go around me. I mean, who knew the Fed Ex guy was so cute?

Well, I knew. Sort of.

I noticed it before, but didn’t really pay attention, know what I mean? Yet, somehow, he ended up in my dreams last night. A dream that played out almost like a cliched porn movie. And y’know what? I didn’t mind it a bit.

What have you been fantasizing about lately.

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I’m still cleaning my condo. Yep. I have a HUGE box of books to get rid of. That cats are having a great time playing in the boxes, and tripping me up as I move about. I was going to bring the books to the library but one of the guys at work said his Mom is a romance fan so Im giving the box to him. His mom can have the romance-y ones, and he wants the thrillers.

(And a box of VHS movies..what to do with them? Salvation Army I guess? Any suggestions?)

I like that idea, because not only do I like the idea of spreading books around. I know that a lot of us aren’t really able to spend much money right now. I wish I could send them all out to people form here, as giveaways, but I’m so damn pissed off at the post office right now I wonder if I’ll ever do another giveaway.

I sent some prizes out before Christmas, and several of them never made it to the winners. One person did get an empty package though. How stupid is that? SOMe one took the book out of the package, and let the package go on. I can only assume that either there is a postal worker who like books, or if I’m being generous, that the package accidentally opened and the book got lost?

Nah. I can’t make myself believe that. Mostly because I either use the very sturdy bubble wrap envelopes, or I super tape everything closed. I mean, LOTS of tape. It might even be frustrating for the person to open, but hey, it should arrive safe.

Unless you have a postal worker who likes to read.

As for new books I’m working on. I’m not sure whats happening with my planned project. I sent it in to my editor a couple weeks ago, and am waiting to hear back. I’ll let you know when I know.

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I’m out trying to take as many photos of stuff as I can. LOL Why? Because I signed up for the Creative Direction Workshop..and I’m super hyped to get into it.

All of the women involved are amazingly talented graphic designers, and very easy to talk to, so I know I’ll learn a lot. I Only have photoshop elements, but it’s all thats needed for what I want to do…

If you want to learn how to do some of Your own Graphics… be sure to check it out. At $25, it’s VERY reasonable cost for what they’re offering.

Thisis one I did, just playing on my own.

This is one Frauke did for me… (clich on the image for a larger size)

I want to learn to make mine look more professional, and really $25 is not a lot of money to get me on my way to being more comfortable with trying it. The workshops will be taught by April Martinez (Fabulous cover artists) Ann Cain, (another amazing cover artist) and Frauke from Croc Designs. Not only has Frauke done my ads for me, but any graphics you see on this website, plus the website itself, was done by her. She’s talented, and I love having a talented teacher.
Check out Creative Direction if you want to learn about doing your own graphics.

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