Like a bad penny, I am back.

First, let me tell you, Mayhem in the Midlands was AWESOME! I learned so much from the panels I attended. Some were funny (sorry, but with titles like "Vampires have feelings too: making fantasy characters work in a realistic world" how could they not be?) and some were just plain informative (like "Central Casting: Where do characters come from?"). I took probably fifteen or twenty pages of notes in the two days.

I met some *real* authors, too. Karen Hall and Lori G. Armstrong don't count since they're both in my writers group here. William Kent Krueger I met a few weeks ago. (Side note: He won major points with B for the simple fact that this famous author remembered him. B thinks -- as do I -- that Mr. Krueger is a great guy, so you should all buy his books just because of his niceness!) I did meet Margaret Maron, Nancy Pickard, Betty Webb, Lee Killough, Craig Johnson and a host of others. I also had a fascinating conversation with Libby Fischer Hellmann Sunday morning.

One of the highlights, though, has to be meeting Honora Finkelstein and Susan Smily. Never heard of them? That's OK. This writing team has four books out: The Chef Who Died Sauteing, The Lawyer Who Died Trying, and a cookbook to go with each. They write the same type of stuff I do. AND (now, this is the important part of my story!) said they would like to read my manuscript and forward it to their agent and publisher when it's ready! *Doing the happy dance here! I think I can hear Steph screaming for joy, too!*

All of this good news didn't put a damper on my weigh in this morning, where I gained back exactly what I had lost last week. Oh well! Easy come, easy go doesn't exactly fit here, but you get the idea.

Now I must go finish the manuscript!!

I've just registered for the WOMAN Challenge (http://www.4women.gov/woman/). Maybe that will get me moving more. WOMAN stands for Women and girls Out Moving Around the Nation.

Here's what it is:

This May, thousands of women across the country will embark on an eight-week walking challenge for better health. They will be part of the WOMAN Challenge-that is Women and girls Out Moving Across the Nation. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health is coordinating the WOMAN Challenge to encourage women to get 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week and to kick off the eighth annual National Women's Health Week (May 13-19, 2007).
What is the WOMAN Challenge?

This free eight week challenge encourages women and girls to walk 10,000 steps or get 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. The WOMAN Challenge begins on Mother's Day, May 13, and ends on July 8, 2007.

Maybe I can get a team set up and we can motivate each other. Or at least appeal to my competitive nature. Any takers? Steph? Heather?

I spent years thinking that I didn't have time to exercise. I didn't have time to eat right. I was wrong.

In the past two weeks (and, yes, I know it's just two weeks - six weeks makes a habit), I've found the time to exercise and eat better and still get to my hobbies. I've completed one sock for the kid (I'm starting the heel of the second one), I've worked on my second mystery novel, I've attended all the meetings and *junk* that I'm supposed to and started cutting out a quilt for my bed. (Or should I say the husband's bed since he's the one who really wants the quilt? Nah. What's his is mine and what's mine is mine, right? *smile*)

I will admit, though, that I didn't get my five geocaches done in January. Nor did I finish any bookmarks on the embroidery machine. That's OK. I have time. Besides, there's a reason I call them "goals" and not "resolutions"!

OK, another weigh-in day and I lost a pound. That puts me at just over the 10 pound mark, which is really cool. Now, with WW, though, I have only lost 7.6, because I lost 3 before joining (which is reflected on the blog, but not at WW).

I took my first-ever yoga class today. That was an experience.

The class was a yoga-pilates mix, and a real workout. I had walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes before that, so I was totally ready for the showers when the hour-long class was finished.

Exercise is usually NOT something I enjoy. I would much rather curl up on the couch with a good book, not walk for a few miles in place. And, as my super-skinny daughter likes to remind me, running could be hazardous to my eyes. (Gotta love teenagers!) Anyway, despite my aversion to exercise, though, I really enjoyed the class. The gym only offers yoga once a week, so I guess I'll be heading there each Wednesday morning for awhile.

Or until I can justify paying for a separate class, anyway!

Down another pound this week. That's a big thing for me, since it's been a tough week.

I found out yesterday that my kidney stone is still there. I guess it's "stuck" in the tube somewhere, which is pretty gross to think about. Yeah, really gross to think about, actually! Now they're talking about breaking the stone with a laser and then some surgery to remove it. Not really what I wanted to hear yesterday!

I'm drinking so much water that I think I could float away!

Finished a knitting project this week. I meant to make a hat for my sister, but the first one was a little "small." Instead of frogging it, I opted to finish that one and do one a little larger. So my sister and niece now have matching hats!

One of these days I'll remember to check my gauge before I'm half-way finished with a project. But, honestly, I don't have the patience for that part!

(Isn't my niece so cute??)

OK, I'm bored. So I think I'll write out some more of my 2007 goals.

Around the house, I plan to organize my office and organize the kitchen. I am going to paint the kitchen this year and create a weekly cleaning routine.

I have goals for my hobbies, too. I plan to do 5 geocaches each month; embroider 6 bookmarks each month; do more quilting; keep knitting and crocheting; keep making soaps and candles; write my pen pals within seven days of getting their letters; and learn to play my guitar.

Finally, I am going to keep going to church each week (singing in the choir and teaching Sunday school make that happen!); continue my daily devotions; and "meditate" more.

Well, that's it. No more goals.

Now to make them all happen!

I've already listed my health goals for 2007, so I thought I'd list my "work" and my "writing" goals for the year.

First, for those who don't know, I own my own business. I'm a web designer and my work goals deal with that. I want to sign a new client every two months and update my work site (www.jabpublish.com). OK, so that was free, cheap advertising, but what the heck!

For my writing goals, I plan to write some each and every day and to have one of my two novels ready to submit to publishers -- or at least send query letters -- by July 1.

Guess I better get writing!

Well, I did it. I joined WW today. (If you notice the ticker, it's changed! Their scale said I weighed more, so I decided to go by that. I hate the scale we have!) Of course, that means I have more to lose, but what the heck.

On the up side, I've drunk SO MUCH water today it isn't even funny! If nothing else, that's a great habit to have since the kidney stone episode.

What a great way to start the year: 3 pounds lighter!

Obviously, weight loss is one of my goals for 2007. Notice, I didn't say "resolutions." I don't make resolutions. Everyone breaks those. I do, though, make goals that I strive to keep and that's one of them this year.

I've been toying with the idea of joining Weight Watchers, but have a problem with that. First, it can be expensive. It looks like $40 a month, which I guess isn't *that* bad, but still.... And I'm not the one to usually spend money on myself like that.

Then there's the whole "getting to the meetings" part. I guess that wouldn't be so bad. I know if I'm spending $40 a month, I'll make sure I get there. Part of being frugal, you know. (No one likes to be cheap!)

I know darn well that I need motivation. Hubby says he'll walk with me, but I'm not sure that will happen and (knowing me like I do!) him NOT saying "let's go" will be the excuse I need to blow it off.

Other health goals I have this year include to exercise daily, to drink my 64 oz of water each day, complete six volksmarches in the year, and walk the "circuit" -- a 4 mile circle near our home -- at least once a week. Now, I know that I won't get to that last one right away. I need to be in better shape first!!!

Wish me luck!