Bri Clark's Blog, page 17

So just in case ya'll were wondering where I've been. I'm at Raven Craft's Romance Realm today discussing one long standing and one unusual way to reach readers.

And then....

I was at the Vincent Zandri Vox discussing author platform and SEO optimization.

Today in the church parking lot my van crapped the bed. By the time we got it home it had a rainbow trail free flowing and the engine was smoking more than an ashqueen.

I bought this van in cash I had saved for a while. It was from a dealership. A small one. Bought as is in February! A 2001 Ford Windstar it only had 93k and was one of the nicer cars I've owned in 3 years. Haggled a little paid cash and here I am 6 months later.

Do they owe me anything?Legally, they don't. Lemon Law says 90 days.
Honorably....

What can I do? A lot. I've took a video of my van. I'm going to show it to them and see if they feel bad or if they try to help. If I walk away unsatisfied. I'll make sure to tell everyone I know to avoid them.

Have you seen my FB friends or my twitter following?

But seriously I wouldn't want anyone else to have this experience. But I'm also not out to smear a name. So I'll give them a chance first.

Tell me what would you do?

Ravencraft's Romance Realm: What would you do with your own publicist?: Ravencrafts Romance Realm has it's own Literary Strategist and Consultant in Bri Clark. She owns the consulting firm Belle Consulting. ...

Yes dear readers. Those were the words my little girl bellowed in public.

Out of the mouths of babes.

It's not like I keep it a secret or anything. It's more like a reminder. I've carried the 14inch sliver butterfly knife with the dragon inlay on the hilt since I was a teenager. It was gifted to me by a male friend for safety.

Where I lived it was necessary. I've since found it's a great tool as well for everyday things as a mom.

Such as getting the tags off shoes or sunglasses. Or cutting those wrists bands off you get from an amusement park or pumpkin patch.

Well and there is always the wide eyes I get flipping it open without looking while my daughter holds her hand out all trusting for me to cut off the band.

Yes I am an attention lover.

But really it reminds me of how truly far I've come from the streets and couch hopping as a youth. I feel grateful for the stability my kids have. And how crazy I love my husband.

Nevertheless, if a threat does occur I'm completely capable and willing to use my little reminder. And it's truly the only thing I could reach into my bottomless pit of a purse and find without looking.

What about you? Carry anything sentimental?

I'm known to say " I'm good at poor. It's prosperity that got me." That statement could encompass my life. I gave a talk on at last Aprils Ignite Boise.

In fact I'm damn good at poor. I know it. It's steady. I mean the only thing you can get from nothing is up.

I remember one time at the end of a week we had 77 cents in our bank account. My husband wasn't hysterical but wasn't happy either. I on the other hand was fine. All the bills were current. We had plenty of food and he had work next week.

We have always been at the mercy of the building industry. Still are until he finishes that criminal justice degree. Another one of my mantras about our money situation was " chickens one day, feathers the next."

And that's the truth.

I can remember one month when we made $60,000. Of course we had $12,000 a month in bills too. And I was not happy. I had nothing to focus my drive, something to engaged my energy.

I am someone who must be anxiously engaged in a good cause.

So as I'm forced to bed because of sickness and it's cold and rainy indicating winter (our slow time) and fear whispers about the future.

I say I have crap to do hurry up antibiotics and heal me. And I'm going to let the hubster worry about the checking account since I'm on loratab.

So what about you...what engages you...holds your energy and focuses you senses through the bad time?

I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm many things. I'm always busy, a person who thrives in the chaos. But you can't go at warp 9 all the time.

Today I just want to sit in a quiet, dark room with a single lamp on my kindle fully charged and my phone on airplane mode.

Perhaps, it's because I'm sick, or I'm pmsing, or I'm just wrung out, but the point is I'll do it. And I'll enjoy it. You know why...cause I need it. My mind, my body, my spirit.

Then I'll be back to normal, perhaps even better and cruising at warp 9 for a few weeks before I'll need to recharge again.

What's your warp? Do you ever withdraw? How?

I'm many things. Some good, some bad, all sassy. One of my greatest faults is I don't know how go half way or to do a decent enough job. When it comes to friends, family, & commitments I'm loyal to a fault.

However, in my age (I'll be 30 this year) and experience (I've lived 60 years worth of life) I'm learning that "it's enough for now and it is well." to be distinctly different than a half way job or just enough.

Everyday, every week is different. For most of this week I've been doing domestic things and that is well. My kids need to eat, my husband needs a clean house, & I'm taking the time to be frugal.

I'm still working everyday. That the beauty of home office and Internet. Although I always have a desire to do more I find it's that desire that drives my success. Nevertheless, I'm even more determined to be happy with myself and my efforts. Guilt is useless in this instance and I won't let it hold me back.

What's your greatest desire or what do you find yourself feeling guilty about most often?

Today as I rubbed primer on my face and filled in the potholes with concealer my mind wasn't thinking of my todo list but what I would do at the end of the day.

For Family Home Evening ( a weekly family meeting where we spend time together) we are going to discuss Christmas.

Why in October? I'm a planner. But it's more than that. As much as I'd like to say it's purely the spiritual aspect that motivates me. Its not. It's the frugality. But it's the spiritual that will make me follow through.

Starting this year Christmas will be less about gifts and more about service, Christ and family.

Each member will only receive 3 gifts. As Jesus Christ did. One gift will be spiritually related, one to magnify a talent, and the last with no restrictions.

In order to achieve this I feel the need to explain that Santa Claus is not who I've led them to believe he is. He's more of the spirit of giving that got put of hand.

My hope is that once done a new loving spiritual tradition will emerge. But I'm deadset on at least trying even if my hopes are an epic fail.

What about you? What's your thoughts on Christmas, holidays and gifts?

I'm a southern belle to the core. I'm from TN and I adore my beloved south. But my joy in my new home, Boise ID is great.

You see I'm a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I chose to join with my husband and family in 2002. We didn't ask anyone else to join, didn't even shout it from the rooftops. It was a soul deep, quiet, and beautiful change we as a familial unit implemented.We believe in Jesus Christ, the Bible, The Book of Mormon and morals

However, over the years people began to find fault with us. Nothing we ourselves did but because we were different.

I'm LDS, I have coworkers, friends and family who are not. They are Agnostic, Wiccan, Pagan, Buddhist, LDS, Baptist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ etc and I love and accept them. I wrote each religion with a capitol letter because I respect them as well. This is a nonnegotiable concept for me.

They know what I believe and I know what they. With mutual respect we learn from another even though we have different ideas. For it is in our differences we are unique.

This has been a crazy week. Two bdays my girls are just days apart. And on both of their days I had work commitments. While they seemed happy with the family parties and everything came together...that ugly, nasty, useless guilt nagged me all week.

I was just so rushed during both parties that today when they had the friend party I wanted to nail it. But guess what today I also had a work commitment. However it was before and not after. So that helped.

The cakes were perfect, we kept the games easy, only one girl got hurt, & no blood was involved, the gifts were amazing, & we had one little girl who we met at the park who crashed the party but I had extra goody bags.

I have MANY jobs. But this is the most important, the one I fall short at the most, the one that is the eternal investment, and today I rocked it!

(and dad helped)