A friend said I must’ve added a little too much to my snow dance because…my part of Arkansas is now under a state of emergency. It’s pretty bad. I am SO blessed to have power, though I’m afraid to say that out loud. Lots of people do not have power. Like 75k outages for a fairly small region. This morning as I was grumbling over the lack of cable and reminding myself how lucky I was to have electricity, the song “Power in the Blood,” the Selah version, kept running through my head.

Lord, how we need your power. Every day…every hour. Lord how we need your power…

Ha! Could not be more true! I get crabby without electricity! I live in a town that was initially set up to be a retirement community. And it was not exactly built like normal towns in a lot of ways. But one of those ways is that we don’t have natural gas anywhere. (Insert your own joke here… ) So some people have propane tanks, but because I think they make for an unattractive yard ornament, I do not. Most do not. So…a power outage in Retirementville is B-A-D. But so far, so good! My poor friend Randi Jo doesn’t have electricity, and she’s only a few streets away.

So I did not sleep good at all last night. I wrote for three hours in between Facebook and eating breaks worked allll day yesterday. And I decided to reward myself with an hour of American Idol. Then when AI was over, I just kinda sat there soaking up the cable in honor of all those who didn’t have it. And I got sucked into watching Fringe. Now, I had seen this show once before, but I really do everything I can to stay a one show girl due to my reading and emailing addiction literary pursuits. So I sat there and watched about thirty minutes of it. I’m a J.J. Abrams fan anyway (anyone else still mourn the loss of Alias?), so I sat there taking it all in. It was this story of how a computer virus was basically hypnotizing people then simultaneously frying their brains and their hard drives, which would totally tick me off. But I had to see like THREE bodies with brains oozing out of their ears like dried on waffle batter. It was so gross. And guess what I dreamed about? Oozy, seeping weird stuff. When I woke up I KNEW who to blame. Stupid show. THIS is why I watch Chuck. Sure there are lots of guns, but it’s all in good, dorky fun. I know that’s how I like my semi-automatics, don’t you?

If I got brained by an icicle, would I still have to go to work?

My fellow snow zealot Holly is assembling the troops and sledding today. I’m so bummed. I am gluing my butt to my office chair and writing. I WILL finish this book this week. But it’s not just that I love snow days because I don’t have to teach. Aside from power outages, I LOVE everything about snow. Last night I went out and stood in my yard. (And prayed I wouldn’t slip and fall and not be able to crawl back inside and the neighbors would find me the next morning, a shriveled carcass with no makeup and snot frozen to my face.) It was so cool to hear the sound of the snow and the crackle of the trees and ice. I love that!

My friend Leslie, also snowed in, is watching The Women and sending me emails of the funny lines.

Woman No. 1: What are two words that strike fear into the heart of women?
Woman No. 2: Pool party.

Did anyone think Simon Cowell was pathetically mean Tuesday night? That boy seriously needs some Midol. He was awful. And that’s on the Simon Cowell scale of awful, not comparing him to a normal decent person. He acts so bored with AI. And what do you think of Kara, the new judge? Is Paula out after this year?

Thanks for the “hot famous guy” suggestions. Keep them coming. Hollywood’s kinda boring of late, isn’t it? Not anyone that just stands out majorly. Can I admit I have never really gotten the Johnny Depp thing? I really liked him back in the Benny and Joon days. But now? I dunno. At least he’s not the party-like-a-rock-star type. So kudos for that.

Has anyone read anything good lately? I’m excited to read this:

It’s The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and it just won the Newberry! And look how quick they slapped that Newberry insignia on the book cover. Speedy! I’ve heard this book is EXCELLENT. I hope it doesn’t give me weird oozy nightmares like Fringe.

Did you hear about the woman who was all set to deliver her seven babies? And then comes delivery time, and surprise! There’s eight! And really, what’s one more at that point? You’re already having to buy your own school bus and add on a few wings to the house. But eight? I mean that is so passe. If you’re going to have a bunch of babies, it needs to be at least nine. How are you gonna get your own reality show if you can’t outnumber Jon and Kate? You’re not! Where are this mother’s priorities, for crying out loud?

In other random notes, if you are interested in a writing career, you gotta check out Chip MacGregor’s blog. The last two posts have had GREAT info on the risky business of finding the right agent. And if you’re wanting to be published, you really need one of these guys or girls on your side. Check it out HERE.

Okay, must go write and watch my recorded episode of Oprah on morbidly obese children. It’s fascinating! In a Fringe-brains-coming-out-your-nostrils sort of way.

Have a great day, stay warm, and hope the icy trees don’t fall in around me. That would kinda bite.

JEN

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