Bananas

You want to know what happens when you do NaBloPoMo and NaNoWriMo and write close to 50,000 words in just over two weeks? You become tired and simple and then one day, you find yourself lying in bed thinking, "You know what's good? Bananas. Bananas are perfect. I need to be more appreciative of bananas. Maybe I should start a banana fan club. Banana fans! That's so funny! I'm the funniest person in the world. You know what else is funny? The word 'chuckle.' People should use that word more and also they should chuckle more. Chuckling is a lost art. Oh my god...something is moving in the bed...oh wait it's my foot. Hello Mr. Foot. What are you doing down there? Do you like bananas? Did I make you chuckle?" The other problem I'm having is that my new rejuvenating eye cream cannot keep pace with the bags under my eyes. Sleep-deprivation and Eye Strain: The Untold Price Paid by Writers. That's going to be the journal article I write in my head when I'm not thinking about chuckling.

One of the ways to survive the NaWhatevers is to feature pieces you've written other places on your blog. We call this "cross-purposing" content or "covering one's blogging ass."

I actually wrote the following piece yesterday which will likely be obvious since it makes sense and does not reference banana fans. It's about my issue with the "gay gene" and it's featured on VillageQ today. Here is an excerpt:

I believe the issue is more complicated than the twists in our DNA and that we’ll eventually find that there are those who have a biological predisposition and those who do not.

Yes, I believe that–for some people–sexual orientation is a result of life experiences and environment.

Yes, I am saying that I believe it is a choice for some, maybe even for me.

So, head on over there to read the whole thing and join the discussion. Meanwhile, I'm going to drink awful tea and try to write 1,000 words on my novel.

Cake Boss

A few weeks ago, I caught my son watching Netflix without permission. I guess it's more accurate to say that his sister caught him and then ratted him out. Hell hath no fury like a little sister denied Netflix only to find out her brother is watching in his room.

I told him I didn't want to hear any of his excuses and took away his iTouch for a week.

When I returned it, he asked if he could watch Netflix and I said he could and he was so excited because he wanted to watch Cake Boss.

That's right - the show my kid had been sneaking was a show about fancy cakes.

Many of you know that we are planning to get married and our kids are at odds over what should be served at the reception - a cake or a cookie.

Miguel has taken his vision to the next level and imagined the cake he wants us to have. He brought down a written note for me the other day and I am posting it in its entirety with his permission:

I'll start out by letting you know that I really know everything there is to know about cakes. This is due to the fact that I watch a show called "Cake Boss" where they create amazing cakes. Well until today I forgot all about the cake for my parents' wedding. Well since I just had learned all about cakes the vision became clear. I want a 3 tiered cake made from chocolate sponge filled with vanilla buttercream. I want the tiers to be covered in red fondant and covered with white roses. Most people would have white cake with red roses but I would like to mix it up. I would like droplines painted gold on all tiers and to top it off I would like models of me and Zeca made out of modeling chocolate on the second tier while my parents are on the top holding hands. I would like to get this cake from Carlo's bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey.

He will be quite disappointed that Carlo's Bakery won't be bringing his vision to life but I hope we can find a decent wedding cake for the occasion to please our very own little cake boss. Bossiness has never looked so adorable.