Robin Lee Hatcher's Write Thinking

WHAT I'VE DONE ... SO FAR meme

This meme comes from Angela Hunt. Directions: Put an asterisk next to the things you have done in your life, and then feel free to pass it on in your blog! Also feel free to add a couple at the end, if you like. (I didn't add anything but you can if you choose to.)

*1. Started your own blog
*2. Slept under the stars
*3. Played in a band
*4. Visited Hawaii
*5. Watched a meteor shower
*6. Given more than you can afford to charity
*7. Been to Disneyworld
*8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
*10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
*14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
*17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
*18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
*20. Slept on an overnight train
*21. Had a pillow fight
*22. Hitch hiked
*23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
*24. Built a snow fort
*25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
*29. Seen a total eclipse
*30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
*31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
*35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
*37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
*41. Sung karaoke
*42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
*43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
*45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
*46. Been transported in an ambulance
*47. Had your portrait painted - drawn I think that counts!
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
*51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
*52. Kissed in the rain
*53. Played in the mud
*54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
*57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
*60. Served at a soup kitchen
*61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
*62. Gone whale watching
*63. Got flowers for no reason
*64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
*67. Bounced a check
*68. Flown in a helicopter
*69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (book!)
*70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
*72. Pieced a quilt
*73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
*75. Been fired/laid off from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
*78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
*79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
*80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
*82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
*84. Had your picture in the newspaper
*85. Read the entire Bible
*86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
*88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
*91. Met someone famous
*92. Joined a book club
*93. Lost a loved one
*94. Had a baby
*95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
*97. Been involved in a law suit
*98. Owned a cell phone
*99. Been stung by a bee
*100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
*101. Learned to play an instrument
102. Kissed the Blarney Stone
103. Ridden a camel

Seven Random Things

Happy Labor Day! Hope you are doing something fun. Me? I'm laboring on Labor Day, working on revisions for my May 2009 release.

I got tagged last week by Timothy King for a meme. I don't know that I've done 7 Random Things, so I guess I'll go for it. Here’s how this one works:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog; some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on each of their blogs.

However, I'm rotten about tagging others for these things, so I will just ignore #3 and #4 and invite anyone who wishes to join in this meme.

Here goes:

1) In my youth, I took seven years of ballet, but that hasn't altered the fact that I'm a klutz. I walk into walls and trip over my own feet all the time.

2) I passed my passion for horses along to Granddaughter #1. My mom used to tell me that my first word was "horse" before "Mama." (Exaggeration, I'm sure.)

3) I got my daylight driver's license at the age of 14, along with just about every other kid who took Driver's Ed in Idaho back in the day. (What were the lawmakers thinking? Answer: We were mostly an agricultural state back then and young kids drove tractors and other farm equipment.)

4) No surprise to anyone who knows me, but I'm a pragmatic optimist (interesting combo, eh?). While I know how the world works, I still first expect that people will do what is right, act with integrity, be good to others, be honest, etc. And I'm always surprised when someone doesn't do the right thing. Although I get surprised and disappointed more than I'd like, I would rather look at the world through my rose-colored glasses than be a pessimist.

5) I fell head over heels for the Papillon breed of dogs while watching the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving Day 2003. Within a month, I'd found a breeder and had my order in for a puppy. By March 2004, Poppet had become the focal point of the Hatcher household.

6) I took both piano and flute lessons as a child and tween. Can't say I mastered either, but I can still play the piano a little and always mean to play it more and get better. Sorry to confess that I only do it in spurts.

7) In my twenties, I was on two bowling leagues and carried a fairly respectable average. Wonder if I could roll a strike anymore? I doubt it.

There you go. Seven very random things about me.

-rlh-

what font are you?

Found this fun quiz on Angela Hunt's blog and had to give it a try. And guess what? Comic Sans is one of my favorite fonts. I love to use it in emails, only it has no italic version which tends to frustrate me. I'll have to ask my good buddies if I'm that zany, but I think this description is probably fairly true, even that I'm best in small doses. {grin}

You Are Comic Sans

You are a nothing but a big goofball. You're quite playful and fun! You're widely known for your zany personality and your vivacious attitude. To say that you stand out in a crowd would be a definite understatement. Remember that you are overwhelming at times and that people appreciate you best in small doses.

What Font Are You?

one word answers

I got this meme from Camy's Loft and thought it would make a fun post.

ONE WORD ONLY!

Camy said: "Not as easy as you might think. Now copy, forward, or post this and change the answers to yours and pass it on. It’s really hard to only use one word answers."

1. Where is your cell phone? desk

2. Your significant other? God

3. Your hair? blond

4. Your mother? 94

5. Your father? deceased

6. Your favorite thing? Poppet

7. Your dream last night? weird

8. Your favorite drink? lemonade

9. Your dream/goal? faithfulness

10. The room you’re in? office

11. Your ex? okay

12. Your fear? claustrophobia

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here

14. Where were you last night? home

15. What you’re not? skinny

16. Muffins? blueberry

17. One of your wish list items? books

18. Where you grew up? Boise

19. The last thing you did? wrote

20. What are you wearing? loungewear

21. Your TV? FoxNews

22. Your pets? Poppet

23. Your computer? Mac!!

24. Your life? good

25. Your mood? content

26. Missing someone? BFFs

27. Your car? Tribeca

28. Something you’re not wearing? dress

29. Favorite store? Dillards

30. Your summer? Busy

31. Like(love) someone? Family

32. Your favorite color? Teal

33. Last time you laughed? Yesterday

34. Last time you cried? movie

35. Who will re-post this? somebody

*****************************************

Okay, I cheated a little by running FoxNews together in one word, but when I type it into my browser, that's how it is spelled. {{grin}}

Favorite store was a hard one, too. If shopping for clothes, Dillards. If shopping for books, Barnes & Noble (which was three words — unless typed into my browser).

Did any of my answers surprise or enlighten you?

-rlh-

What color Christmas tree?

Yeah, this one is pretty much me.

You Should Have a Blue Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays represent a time of calm, understanding, and peace. You avoid family fights, and you don't get too stressed out - even when things are crazy! You like to make Christmas about making everyone's life a little bit better. You don't get caught up in greed or commercialism. You're too sincere for that. Your blue tree would look great with: Lots of silver tinsel You should spend Christmas Eve watching: It's a Wonderful Life What you should bake for Santa: Chocolate chip cookies

What Color Christmas Tree Should You Have?

know thy Bible

I found this quiz over on Notes in the Key of Life and couldn't resist. Some of the answers in the Q&A are just plain silly (i.e. In Jesus' parable, who stopped to help a man in need? Donald Trump, Donald Duck, Don Knotts, a Samaritan. Well, duh!), so for most people I suspect they would only have to choose between two answers at most rather than four. The question about what was created on the fourth day made me a little uncertain, but I got it right. Yea!

You know the Bible 100%!

 

Wow!  You are awesome!  You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader!  The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all!  You are fantastic!    

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

I'm a "talent"

In the mid-90s, in articles in The Atlantic and Time Magazine, Nicholas Lemann introduced the idea of three paths to success in American society -- that of Talents, Lifers, and Mandarins. He later went on to write a book, The Big Test, about the SAT as the Mandarin path to success.

Which path are you on?  That's what this test aims to find out.

I'm a Talent!

"You're a risk-taker, and you follow your passions. You're determined to take on the world and succeed on your own terms.  Whether in the arts, science, engineering, business, or politics, you fearlessly express your own vision of the world.  You're not afraid of a fight, and you're not afraid to bet your future on your own abilities.  If you find a job boring or stifling, you're already preparing your resume.  You believe in doing what you love, and you're not willing to settle for an ordinary life."

My scores ...
Talent: 62%
Lifer: 41%
Mandarin: 44%

Take the Talent, Lifer, or Mandarin quiz and then leave word in the comments about your results.

-rlh-

what accent?

Hat tip to It's Real Life for this quiz.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland   "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent."  You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas.  You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
The Inland North
Boston
North Central
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Now, I should make it clear that I have lived my entire life in Idaho, so I sure am surprised by where this quiz thinks I might be from! Oh well. At least they think I sound good on TV and radio.

-rlh-

film writing?

Hat tip to Cindy at Notes in the Key of Life for steering me toward this quiz.

You Should Be a Film Writer

You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind. You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life. Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling. And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

The first line isn't quite accurate. I don't so much see scenes like a movie in my mind. I feel them in my gut. Characterization and dialogue are two of my strengths, and the joy of storytelling is why I write. I was a storyteller/entertainer from early childhood. And it would please me to see one of my novels up on the big screen.

-rlh-

it's true!

Hat tip to Barbara at Church of the Masses for leading me to this quiz. And I am a '60's kid!

what decade does your personality live in?

quiz brought to you by lady interference, ltd

I'm a lion

I ran across this Narnia quiz — Are You a Lion or a Witch? — on Beliefnet.com. I scored 102 out of 120, which according to the rating scale, makes me Aslan.

As someone who loves the Narnia series and knows who Aslan represents, I actually feel a little uncomfortable with the results of this quiz. I think I'm probably more Lucy than Lion. I would have even been content to wind up as Mr. Tumnus. Of course, my heart desires to become more and more Christlike, but I have a hard time believing I've come close enough just yet. Hey, I know that I'm not always unselfish and thinking of others before myself! But thankfully, I'm not so bad I turned out to be the witch.

Anyway, go take the quiz if you've got a few minutes and let me know your results.

---

According to the site, here is how to interpret the scores:

0 - 20    
You live for yourself and have little inclination to help others. Your main goals in life are fulfilling your own desires, and pursuing power and material things. You are the White Witch, who enslaves Narnia and forbids its inhabitants to celebrate Christmas.

21 - 50    
Your instincts are good overall, but you are easily tempted to focus on yourself at the expense of others. You can be impulsive and not think through the consequences of pursuing what you want. You are Edmund, who mocked Lucy when she first told of visiting Narnia, who later fell prey to the temptations of Turkish Delight, before realizing his mistakes and becoming Edmund the Just.

51 - 75    
You do a lot of good for other people, but often are stymied by fear of repercussions or what others will think. You pursue your own needs and goals but also make time for others. You are Mr. Tumnus, the faun who intends to kidnap Lucy for the Witch but realizes he shouldn't.

76 - 100    
You have a strong sense of responsibility toward others and a deep respect for other people, even strangers, though you are not always sure what the best course of action is. You are Lucy, the brave child who who is wise beyond her years and kind to all she meets.

101 - 120    
Always thinking of others before yourself, you are self-sacrificing, selfless, and your motives are pure. You are Aslan, the mighty and kind lion who uses his power for good and sacrifices himself for others.

-rlh-

hidden talents quiz

Time for something less serious...

Your Hidden Talent

You have the power to persuade and influence others. You're the type of person who can turn a whole room around. The potential for great leadership is there, as long as you don't abuse it. Always remember, you have a lot more power over people than you might think!

What's Your Hidden Talent?

BTW, this is one easy "quiz."

a friday feast on sunday

I've been so involved with my writing — and enjoying it! — that I've neglected regular blog entries. So, just so you'll know I'm still among the living, I'll make use of a Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
What comes to mind when you hear the word bizarre?

That some of the clothes I wore in the 60's and 70's actually came back into style again.

Soup
Using just a few words, describe your childhood.

Loving. Large, extended family around the table at holiday meals. Laughter. Predominately female (dad, uncles, and grandfathers deceased). Fun vacations with Grandma, Mom, and Rick (my brother).

Salad
Name one thing you do each day that you feel improves your appearance.

Ride my exercise cycle/work out at the fitness center. (At least five days a week, usually six.)

Main Course
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how would you rate your self-confidence?

Hmm. 8, most of the time. In some things, it plummets to about a 4.

Dessert
Where did you last find a bargain?

I'm a horrid bargain hunter. I hate to shop. So if I find a bargain it is by accident. Last time? At the mall.

-rlh-

my name means...

Okay, I couldn't resist this one:

What Does My Name Mean?

ROBINLEEHATCHER
R	is for	Romantic
O	is for	Outrageous
B	is for	Boisterous
I	is for	Impassioned
N	is for	Natural
L	is for	Legendary
E	is for	Entertaining
E	is for	Exquisite
H	is for	Handy
A	is for	Abstract
T	is for	Tricky
C	is for	Casual
H	is for	Healthy
E	is for	Ebullient
R	is for	Romantic

What Does Your Name Mean?

bookish questions for a friday

I began the morning writing my daily post about my journey to becoming a career novelist over on Fact and Fiction. Now I think I'll answer the book-related meme that I found on Notes in the Key of Life.

You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be? I'm not sure I understand the question. Does it mean, if I was a book that needed to be hidden so it wouldn't be burned, what would I be? If that's what the question means, then I would have to be the Bible. God help the world if His word was lost to it.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Michael Hosea in Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love. Oh, to be so unconditionally loved like that.

The last book you bought is:  Mocha with Max by Max Lucado.

The last book you read:  Not counting the books I judged for a contest (since those were assigned rather than what I would have picked up on my own), the last book I completed was Come Thirsty by Max Lucado. The last novel I finished was Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs.

What are you currently reading? The novel I'm currently reading is The Kite Runner. One of the non-fiction book I'm currently reading is Heaven. (See sidebar for their covers.)

Five books you would take to a deserted island:  The Bible; Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers; Heaven by Randy Alcorn; Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell; and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. (If I sat and thought about this, I would probably change those last three several times because I have many more favorites than five books - both fiction and non-fiction - that have impacted me deeply; the first two would not change, however.)


Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?  I'll mimic Cindy at Notes in the Key of Life and simply post here to my blog. Readers can answer it in the comment section and/or on their own blogs if they choose.

Have a great Friday!

-rlh-

confidence builder for a writer

Thanks to Cindy at Notes in the Key of Life, I took the "Commonly Confused Words Test" and got an "English Genius" score.

You scored 100% Beginner, 93% Intermediate, 100% Advanced, and 83% Expert! 

You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

Whew! Sure am glad how that turned out.

robin

where have you been?

Hat tip to Cindy who hat tipped to Amy for the following:

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bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now... 

Here are my answers:

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C /

Go HERE to have a form generate the HTML for you.

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The fun thing is, I've been meaning to figure out how many states I need to visit to have made it to all 50. This simplified things for me. (Only 8 to go!)

-rlh-

on days when I have nothing to say....

... it's great to take a quiz. Thanks to Cindy over at Notes in the Key of Life. This one answers the question: Which Fantasy/SciFi Character Are You?

I'm Galadriel.

Possessing a rare combination of wisdom and humility, while serenely dominating your environment you selflessly use your powers to care for others.

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

You can take the quiz yourself.

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And on the writing front I can report progress. If this hadn't been my usual errand day, I think I could have actually reached my word goal. I like what I've got so far, and that's always something.

I know writers who go away to a B&B or a hotel, hunker down, and write 50,000 words or more in a week or two. I'm tempted to try it myself. Maybe someday...

-rlh-

oh, boy! another quiz

I told you I was going to go browse blogs. I found another quiz at Church of the Masses.

Take the quiz:
"What Historic Woman Are You?"

Eleanor of Acquitaine
One of the first great queens of England, Eleanor was her own woman. She married the French prince at 14, but after six years of marriage and no son, she divorced him and secretly married the younger (and wealthier) heir to the English throne. Her sons were some of the greatest monarchs in English history! You must be tenacious, audacious, and brave if you're like Eleanor. Read more about her

Okay, I think I can handle being the first great queen of England. I'll have to ask my friends if I'm tenacious, audacious, and brave.

-rlh-

gracious, not another one

You weren't expecting this blog to be overly intellectual, were you?

YOU ARE ROSEMARY

What herb are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I always wanted to be great for something. I just never figured it would be dandruff.

I'm a sucker for...

...quizzes. So I followed the link provided by Cindy at Notes in the Key of Life and took the test. And the results (no surprise here) are:

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?