Monday, December 27, 2010

Post-Christmas Troll Report

by Malena Lott

I have a word for the week between Christmas and New Year's: VACATION! And not just any vacation, but the kind where you get to pick up used wrapping paper and colorful boxes while visions of a landfill dance in your head. The kind where the kids fight over whose turn it is to use the iPad and beg Mama Bear for permission to download the .99 Fat Booth app, then use your own money against you by taking your photo and showing you what you'll look like as a blimp if you keep eating the chocolates Santa left in your kids' stocking. Yeah, *that* kind of vacation.

 Since I work from home, a stay-at-home vacation doesn't feel much different than a regular work week, other than I'm not making (not kidding) 44 trips to the school this week for drop-off, pick-up, basketball, dance, etcetera. Instead I'm using those precious moments to ready FIXER UPPER for her launch into the ebook world where I hope my book will pop many Kindle cherries. I'm thrilled so many folks got ereaders for Christmas. Let's just hope they *all* don't want to read Dickens' since that baby is free.

Coming soon to the Amazon.
It's not snowing in Oklahoma, either and since I've discovered zumba on YouTube I don't have to drive myself anywhere this week to exercise something other than my fingers on the keyboard and my mouth chewing odd-named food like "summer sausage" in the middle of the day. My husband is a film critic so I don't even have to leave the house to watch the movies in theaters - which we fondly refer to as Awards Screeners in my household.  I even got my young adult manuscript, series' synopses and marketing plan to my agent on Winter Solstice so I really am the sluggiest of slugs this week. I am getting out to visit girlfriends over high-priced coffee and a girls night out for our NBA game in the suite, but I'm more excited about dinner and drinks and girl talk than I am the game itself. (GO THUNDER!)

What about you, friends? I'd love to hear your favorite Christmas gift, awkwardest Christmas moment or special (or not-so-special) New Year's Eve plans. Shocker: I'll probably end the year catching up on films and more tongue exercising (did you know it's the strongest muscle in the body?) with popcorn & M&Ms and making out with my husband. 

xoxo, Malena
P.S. I'm not a film critic, but I did love the following: BLACK SWAN, WINTER'S BONE, TRUE GRIT, THE SOCIAL NETWORK and 127 HOURS. Also, I adored IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY.

P.P.S. Seeing what you look like in the Aging Booth app will not make you feel great about aging gracefully.

12 comments:

  1. Malena, what a cute cover--looking forward to that book! What fun that your hub is a film critic. I'm sure you see a lot of dogs, but you're right on the cutting edge!

    I am so not getting in any fat booth--will continue to munch on xmas cookies and chocolate covered cherries in peace! (We finished the cake last night.) I got a huge stack of books for Christmas (the real thing, not e-books), including THE LOVE GODDESS' COOKING SCHOOL so looking forward to all that. And otherwise, just waiting for the dang blizzard to clear up so we can head south....

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  2. Roberta, I do want snow but last year we had the horrible winter storm that had us snowed in for a couple days so I just want the sweet, fluffy kind.

    You'll love Melissa's book. It was one of my favorites of the year.

    Most of the award screeners are pretty good. I don't usually go to the press screenings he has outside the house - and some are for press only, anyway - but the ones we have at home have been winners.

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  3. Zumba on You Tube? I had no idea. Thanks for this fun, perky post-Xmas post.

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  4. Malena, Sounds like a lot of the same goings on here--only 2ft of snow last night, so we'll spend the day digging out, or waiting for the uber-popular neighbor who has a plow on his truck! Fun post! Good luck with your ebook, love the cover! Enjoy your holiday.

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  5. Thanks for an enjoyable post, Malena! I also did not know about Zumba on YouTube! Hmm...

    Have fun tongue exercising! ;-) Have to get in shape!

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  6. Gah - my gift to myself is going to be to NOT check out that aging app on FB. Scary! Sounds like you're having a deliciously relaxing break!

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  7. Oh, no...I'm with Sarah on avoiding that aging app!! As for holiday week activities, my son has gotten into ice hockey this year and wants to learn to skate better, so we're headed to the rink a few times this week and trying to burn off some of the sugar cookies we're been eating ;). Looking forward to Fixer Upper!!

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  8. Marilyn, have fun skating.

    Ladies, the aging app and fat app are definitely targeted to teens. They think it's HILARIOUS!

    Thanks for the nice wishes.

    Laura, I think I love the idea of snow more than the snow itself, but I hope you get to make some snow angels.

    I think zumba on YouTube (or elsewhere on the 'net) is a great solution for those times at home when dancing for twenty minutes can rejuvenate our day and take away some holiday eating guilt. :) Plus I like being able to pick the workout by the song. I did five MJ routines yesterday, which put me in the best mood!

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  9. The best gift that I got this Christmas was a Sony eReader! I hope that your book comes out in non-Amazon formats as well, Malena!

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  10. What a fun, fun post, Malena!! I had no idea Zumba was on YouTube. I think that is going to be my new obsession!!

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  11. I'm a stay at home mom, so vacation has been much the same as you, minus the great movies at home...ha ha. My kids are teens and a tween, and two can drive, so they are much more mobile, and out. My best gift was new charms for my Pandora bracelet, and then my birthday was the 26th, and I got a Kindle(well I got it early, but I got more GC for my bday, I have so many new books to read...whoohoo,when do the kids go back to school!!?

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  12. Looking for a place to sell your iPhone / iPad? Sell iPads for cash at SellArena.com - They will buy your used iPhones and iPads for cash.

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