FRIDAY STIR FRY - Went A Little CraCra

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Do you ever just lose it? Come on, admit it. You just go off on somebody, usually for no good reason. They look at you funny and you lose it. They say something that rubs you the wrong way and you lose it. They sneeze and you lose it.

Most people lose their cool and recover from it fairly quickly. They actually feel better and act better after blowing their top. Like pressure being released from a cooker, it serves a purpose. Cause if you let that steam build, it's gonna blow and not in a good way.

I have a theory that some of the people who shoot, stab, or run people over etc, may not have depressurized their cooker. It has built up to an explosive level. While the rest of us let the steam out once in a while, these people don't. For whatever reason, they have kept it in. And then the top blows sky high and people in the way get hurt.

Lumping those people in the broad category of mental health does a disservice to those who manage to live with that diagnosis and be a productive part of society. There is no doubt many of these unstable people have mental health issues but, we need to be careful of stereotyping.

So, the next time somebody tells you to cool it, tell them they better be happy you blow every once in a while. Then smile at them. ;-)

FRIDAY STIR FRY - What The Heck

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Do you ever wonder 'what the heck'? I'm pretty sure everybody does. Here is my list of 'what the heck' moments I've experienced lately.

• What the heck happened to my life? The older I get the more often I ask this question. The years go by so fast.
• What the heck happened to the good old days? When kids would play outside without fear. When summer evenings were spent under a shade tree snapping green beans. When friends dropped by your home instead of just sending you a message on Facebook? Again the older I get . . . 
• What the heck happened to people being civil to each other?
• What the heck is happening in the world lately? Too much hate and intolerance. 
• What the heck is happening to our political system?
• What the heck happened to kids being respectful of their elders?
• And when the heck did my hair get so grey, my belly get so fat, and my body ache so much? (see #1) 

I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Much like that monkey, I find myself rubbing my chin or neck or temples in total confusion almost every day.

How about you? What are your 'what the heck' moments?

FRIDAY STIR FRY - Leftovers

First, a picture of my cutie, putooty grandson who I got to visit with this past weekend. Enjoyed four days in Arkansas seeing my son's new home. This picture was taken at the Natural's ball park. They are a double A baseball team affiliated with the Royals. And my team, the Springfield Cardinals, were in town playing them. Of course, I had to go. If he looks hot, it's because it was over 90 degrees at 6 pm. That is the only thing we did outside of the house. Which was fine with me. The rest of the time was spent watching six House of Cards episodes and playing with the baby.

But, I also spent time beta reading a writer friend's new book. For those who don't know, beta reading is one of the first steps you should take after writing a novel. You give it to people you trust, to read and tell you what they think. I usually go a bit further and do some editing suggestions. Just because I like that part of it.

If you're ever asked to beta read here are a few rules:

1. Make sure the book is ready to read. The writer should have done all the editing they could on their own before they ask for your help. You definitely don't want to read a first draft.   
2. Be kind, but honest. Most writers really want to know what needs improvement. If they don't, then they shouldn't be asking for your input.
3. Try to point out things like POV mistakes, inconsistent characters, plot holes, or anything that just doesn't make sense to you as a reader. 
4. Don't make any changes yourself. Use Word comments to make your suggestions. You are not the author.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and staying cool. But, remember it will be winter before you know it, so don't complain about the heat too much.