Monday Moron

Marilyn gave me some fantastic fodder for this segment. One more, and then I'll dig elsewhere, I promise.

"If a person on television held up a mirror facing a camera, could someone at home see his reflection in it?"

LOL. Just... LOL.

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Things That Work

And because I lack nearly any semblance of vanity, and openly admit to coloring my hair at least every 3 weeks because yes, I am gray and also fighting wrinkles...

L'Oreal Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair. This stuff is good. Really good. It fills/hides my "11s" between my eyebrows. Granted, if I have a very bad day and scowl a lot, they tend to reappear before bedtime, and it's not like I can ever quit using it (oh Lord, I'm addicted now, please L'Oreal do not discontinue this product...).

But still. It moisturizes enough to fill wrinkles, without creating hacne (you know, old hag+acne). And it's available at any drugstore, Target, or Walmart.

(Lasts a long time, and if you watch the Sunday paper coupons, you can often get $2-3 off. Totally worthy of the Piper Patter Seal of Affection.)

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

Diet or guilt trip?

Thanks to a nice, lingering visit at the library last weekend (and I'm still totally infatuated with our new mahvelous library, by the way), I've been reading a diet book, getting myself prepared to try it out. It's called the Fat Flush Plan, which sounds a little gross, but it's more about flushing toxins (and fat) from the liver, getting the liver into prime fat-burning shape, and reducing inflammation from food allergies and water retention. It's a pretty extreme diet, but the initial phase is only for 2 weeks, so I think I can do it. Basically, it removes sugar, caffeine (ouch), gluten, dairy (bigger ouch) alcohol, most salt, and bad fats from the diet, and adds in lots of Omega-3, ALA, GLA, cranberry and lemon juices. The dairy and gluten can return after that first phase, as can carbs with the right index--the ones that last longest in your body. The plan also puts lots of importance on sleep, moderate excercise, and recording everything in a journal.

So. I've been reading for 5 days (I'm now at the shopping list phase) and have been grocery shopping a couple of times. When I get to the checkout and see the stuff my family normally eats, I have this huge guilt (of course it's not news to me that tons of sugar is bad, but seeing now, after reading what happens in your body when you consume it, there's a whole other trip). And there's no chance the family is going to change their eating habits, so I'll still be buying this stuff for them the whole time I'm trying to feed my body right and get my liver all straightened out. I refuse to think about the temptation all their junk food is going to present.

Wish me luck.

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

What's that mean?

I ranted about romance-isms and what the heck one of those phrases actually means, on the Lyrical Press Blog.

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Tube Tuesday

This looks like one of those laugh-out-loud movies for me. Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler... hm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz5Ubqhru7g

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Things That Work

So. No alliteration, no other words that start with "f". New feature--when I don't have a Friday funny ready, I'll recommend something for the Piper Patter Seal of Affection (which is sorta like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, except I've never aimed to be a "good" housekeeper, just a passably-socially-acceptably-mediocre housekeeper who has other priorities).

And this week's nominee:

The Perfect Brownie pan (mine is from Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and it's only 9X9, for the same price as this bigger one directly from the company).

Whoa. I love brownies, but mostly hate trying to cut them outta the pan (never had quite as much trouble as the person in this infomercial, LOL). But hubby bought me this pan for Christmas and it's so Awesome!(with a capital A because it's that good). Easy to use, easy to clean, easy to get your yummy brownies out and eat them.

Highly recommend.

And PS, I went super-simple for my first batch, and just used the really cheap Duncan Hines brownie mix (YUM) the one my supermarket often puts on sale for a buck.

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

Color e-Reader, anyone?

If you'd like a Pandigital Color eReader of your very own, for freeeee, check out Coffee Time Romance & More--it's a fun, free contest. One of the easiest ways to get entries is by finding these:

on author websites. They identify the authors who are participating. Then you browse through their site to find this:

(note, this is not one--so don't email in with this URL as an entry, although...I do know where 2 of them are. *hint, hint*)

Individual authors and publishers are also giving away daily prizes on the Coffee Time forum--ebooks, print books, and baskets of books.

Lots of reader loot. Don't miss out. (I'm on the Forum on January 24)

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

April/Autumn/...Alpo?

I'm a walker. Something about fresh air, music in my headphones, and an hour of "me time" really makes my day.

Of course, going out walking alone can yield some surprises--not all of them welcome. I've had the occasion yucky guy cruise past me a few more times than was welcome. But the thing that shakes me up most is when I encounter a dog on the loose. (not strays, I'll get to them later, but dogs who are "protecting" their turf) I'm somewhat leery of dogs I don't know, which goes back to when I was 5 and terrorized by the little old neighbor lady's little old shaggy dog who daily turned into a Hound of Hell when I had to walk past her place on the way from the bus stop to my house. That dog never bit me--but my uncle's pet dog did, on the face, when I kissed him (hey, I was a spastic kid--I don't blame him now). So, if a dog comes up snarling, I break out in an instant sweat, my mouth goes dry...yeah, it's not pretty, especially if he really means business.

Fortunately, where I walk now, the pet owners are responsible.

However. I still encounter the occasional stray. Which is the reason for today's post. Last Saturday, I ran into a large black lab, who I thought had just come down his own driveway to me, so I spoke to him in the hopes of averting a snarl-coldsweat/bark-drymouth & racingheart confrontation. And he followed me. And followed me. I never did pet him. But he alternately tailed me and ran ahead, of course crossing the road and walking right in front of traffic (earning me lots of glares from drivers who assumed I was irresponsible and not leashing my dog). Which made me wonder--why do strays follow me? It's happened to me several times over the years, and some have even followed me home, only to be penned into my backyard until Animal Control could come pick them up. I've been asked days later around town why I let my dog run in the street when we walk. LOL. (and I laugh now, but it's quite embarrassing to me when it happens, because if I had a dog, it'd be leashed, I assure you, and it would never, ever be allowed to run loose and possibly terrorize small, timid girls). I can't possibly have that "smell" of a dog lover. I like them, but we don't have one. So the only thing I can guess is, I must smell like food--or someone who has food to give.

So now I've got yet another "A-lias". I'm April and Autumn, my nephew called me Arpl when he was small, my favorite 2-year-old calls me Apple...and now I'm a stray's Alpo.

Happy Wednesday!

Alpo Piper

Got romance?

Tube Tuesday

With Valentine's Day approaching, I'm waxing sappy-romantic again.

So here's an "oldie" but a goodie, from Good Will Hunting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJqWHDuOpc4&feature=related

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

Monday Moron

Still more fodder from readers asking Marilyn in Parade magazine.

"I notice that global warming increased after daylight saving time started in 1974. Well, duh! More daylight is going to make the world hotter, isn't it?"

(remember, this segment is intended to make you feel proud of what you've got upstairs, not knock your head against your desk)

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Waxing "psychological"

On the "heavy" side...

Life is full of causes and ensuing effects. Pretty much whatever we do, it affects somebody else. But in few instances do our actions affect others as they do in parenting. As parents, most of us become hyper-aware of everything we say and do, and worry over every. damn. thing. (which is natural--and probably good, in the end, for the kids) Notice I said "most of us".

We've watched American Chopper for a long time, although we seemed to have missed a year of it somewhere, in which Paul Sr. fired his son, Paul Jr. from the shop. It was fun to watch the two of them bicker back and forth (honestly, I watched for the drama as much as for the bikes). But at some point, the fighting took an ugly turn, and eventually became rivalry--Jr. now has his own shop, not far from Sr.'s, and they're in stiff competition. Watching an episode last night, I couldn't help but draw parallels to some situations of people I know. In the process of firing his older son and suing him to force him to sell his share of OCC, Paul Sr. has also alienated his younger son, Mike. Or so he thinks. What really shook me up, listening to Sr. talk, is how he really thinks all his sons are upset with him for is present-day tiffs. He doesn't have a clue that they both resent him for being a bad parent during their childhoods. For not being around, and I strongly suspect even if he was around, he was partying his butt off, because he rather has the look and attitude of a wild partier about him, not to mention a healthy dose of me-itis. Sr. seems to think, since he spent time with his offspring as adults, all of his misdemeanors from their childhood were forgotten.

He's so wrong, though. Those boys (like many "kids") have a better picture now of what they were robbed of during their youth. The capacity of a child to love unconditionally is incredible. But when you get to the core of it all--does a child really have a choice but to love his mom and dad, even if they are off running around and putting themselves first, even if they're pounding alcohol and illegal substances into their bodies and then being mean as hell when they do come around? It's a survival tactic for human children. They have to stick by their caregivers. But when they grow up... that vital "attachment" falls away. When they get old enough to understand just how they've been treated, and they can take care of themselves... the gloves come off. And sadly for the parent, they can change their lives, regret, apologize, apologize again, and guess what? Their kids don't have to forgive them. If they want to for themselves, they can. But they'll never, ever forget. Some things just can't be taken back.

Sr. thinks Mikey is upset with him over the recent feud with Jr. (He tried to arrange a lunch meeting with Mikey, who never showed up.) He has no clue that Mike is holding the entire past against him. I wonder if he'll ever really "get it"? Some people seem unable to put others first--even their kids. And some people just take a very long time to mature, and would love to "do over" their kids' childhood. It's impossible to know whether they'd really make better choices a 2nd time, though. And the bottom line is, their kids don't have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Or the time of day...

So that's my sobering take: Let your kids know you love them while they are kids, and maybe when they are adults they'll believe it. :)

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

Feelin' the love

Eventually these will end up on my website (like, in about 2 weeks when I'm once again a part-time out-of-the-home-employee).

But for now, they're keeping my winter bright! I've attracted lots of new readers from being one of the freebie books (Lone Star Trouble) on All Romance eBooks' 12 Days of Christmas giveaway.

• Hello!
  
  I just had to e-mail you; I recently read Lone Star Trouble. Talk about every one of my fantasies in one piece of work! Your style is right up my alley, and the subject matter couldn't have been more lovable to me. I just wanted to bottle Cleve up and take him home with me. (I suppose the hubby wouldn't be too thrilled about that, but hey, this is a Texan cowboy we're talking about here; he can just learn to deal with it!)
  
  In short, I loved it to death, and I can't wait to read more of your stuff.
  
  Merry Christmas!
  
  
• Hi, I have become a very recent fan due to finding you on allromanceebooks.com & amazon while recovering from a major surgery this month... LOVED Lone Star Trouble, so decided to find your website to review other books...

  Thank you, Happy Holidays...

• Hi, I just finished reading Waiting for Revenge, and I have to say I loved it. You did such a wonderful job on the characters and showing the real decisions that must be thought through in a situation like that. I know you are most likely busy, but I just wanted you to know I really enjoyed your book and look forward to reading more from you. Also I left a five star review with Lyrical Press. I feel that I should let others know when I have either truly enjoyed or thoroughly hated a book. I feel its important because I often don't like to buy a book without having read the good reviews. I hope many people choose to buy this book. Thank you for all the time and hard work you put into your book. Mrs. Piper, If you still have bookmarks available I would like one. I just finished reading Lone Star Trouble, thank you for the really enjoyable read. Now see, isn't that worth checking the email for? Thanks to everyone who writes in! I'll be sending out several packages of Autumn "swag" in a few days. :) Happy reading, Autumn Piper Got romance?

Face Lifts for the Masses

Discovered this quite by mistake, but with the right brand of hairspray it's got potential.

Redneck Botox: n, the process by which a woman sprays her forehead (deliberately or unwittingly and quite caused by a clogged spray nozzle) with heavy-duty hairspray, thereby freezing her forehead into Hasselhoff-like smoothness. Although temporary, this procedure comes with little risk (other than delayed flaking and perhaps sudden loss of vision for those with poor aim, plus instead of injecting bacteria into your body a la Botox, the alcohol content of hairspray makes it quite antimicrobial, which means it could also help you deflect flu virus from your hairline) and is inexpensive. See also AquaNet and Suave.

Now don't say I never gave you any good advice... :)

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

Tube Tuesday

Okay, so the commercial isn't wildly funny. But... can you name the narrator?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpKV6NLhK0M&feature=related

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Monday Moron

Another goodie from Ask Marilyn:

"I've heard that the Earth's magnetic poles are reversing. Will the strip on my credit card still work? Will my refrigerator repel magnets?"

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Up for honors

A Fireman for Christmas received a top rating at Sizzling Hot Books in December, so now it's up for Book of the Month! Please run over and vote--for somebody, at least. Marissa (the owner of the review site) is very nice, and she's trying hard to increase traffic to her site. If I win, I'll get a bunch of free advertising there, and be up for Book of the Year, too.

Have a great weekend!

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Once a follower

Does anyone out there know how to "unfollow" a blog on Blogger?

I've got a couple that come up on my dashboard, but the owners haven't posted in like a year and I'd really like to get away from them. However, I don't seem smart enough to figure out how to heave-ho myself from their follower lists.

Most annoying. Perhaps I'll find some new blogs to follow and then the new posts will eventually shove those oldies down where I can't see them anymore...

Suggestions welcome.

Autumn Piper

Got romance?

Double poster

Today's my monthly EIC post over on the Lyrical blog--submissions info and yearly milestones type stuff.

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Tube Tuesday

Heh. Sometimes you've just gotta roll with it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPlqhw8AoQI&feature=related

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Monday Moron

This segment is designed to make you feel fantastic about your own wits and common sense as you go about your Monday.

My favorite section in Parade magazine is Ask Marilyn, where readers write in and try to stump the genius Marilyn vos Savant with tough riddles and math problems, and she presents tough questions to readers. This week, she listed some "recently unanswered" questions.

"As I travel the highways, I notice signs that read 'Deer Crossing'. How do the deer know to cross at those signs."

Here's your sign.

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!