Alright folks, I have a confession. I joined the bandwagon. My kids are making fun of me (my 12-year-old even pulled up research to contradict the research I have read on the subject). I’m very curious how everyone else feels about this. I am now drinking a gallon of water a day!
Well, OK, I’m on day 2 of drinking a gallon a day.
Here’s why.
I have chronic pain, and my docs have always said I need to drink more water than the average bear.
I love coffee. I won’t give up coffee. I don’t care what people say. I will sing fun songs in my head to block you out if you try to tell me to stop. I only have 2 cups a day, so BACK OFF, COFFEE HATERS! (Just kidding. I love you regardless.) Anyway, I know coffee is bad for hydration, so I figure I’ll just compensate for it. So there.
No joke, I’ve been so exhausted over the last month or so I’m falling asleep at my desk. Like, all the time! I’ll be working or writing and all of a sudden, I’m waking up an hour later and my neck is killing me because I have fallen asleep sitting up with my noggin lulling down on my chest. I hit rock bottom a few days ago when I fell asleep while holding…wait for it…my full cup of coffee. Guess what I woke up to? You got it! A desk covered in coffee and a drowned keyboard. RIP, Apple Magic Keyboard. You will be dearly missed.
I’ve gained an absurd amount of weight this year and it’s time to stop being stupid! Who’s with me?
So far, it’s going well. Over the past 2 days, I have felt less hungry. I feel a difference in my pain levels as well. It’s as if the water I’ve chugged all day has lubed up my joints and spine. Go figure!
We’ll see the difference it makes in my weight as time goes on, but I’m crossing my fingers.
XOXO,
Liz
P.S., I’m curious: is anyone else drinking a gallon a day? What changes have you noticed?
Charlie is a great cheerleader!Thankfully, my water bottle is pretty enough to remind myself to look at it once in a while and check my water level!
Hello friends, I hope you are enjoying the beautiful season! I’ve been loving the weather here in Foster City. I am a sweater-weather girl, and it’s been perfect lately, minus a couple hot days here and there.
I know it has been a while since I last posted, but I have been BUSY! Who knew this would become the busiest season of my life? I’ve been going nonstop: working full time, editing, making BOOM Cards, and – of course – spring cleaning around the house (And the yard. And garage).
I know what you’re thinking. Me, cleaning? But there are some organization, decorating, AND cleaning projects around the house that I’ve wanted to get to since we moved in August and it’s been so nice to see the progress being made around here. Pictures are going up on the walls, the weeds are getting pulled up, and – whew – the garage has started getting organized! My house continues to feel a little more like home. All of these projects will help the boys and I feel even more settled here in Foster City. I’m looking forward to it!
Liz
P.S. I would still love to do another Facebook Live reading of my book! Who knows? Maybe I’ll even do a sneak peek of the new book. Stay tuned for more details.
Thanks to your support and help in getting the word out, I was able to give away over 200 free ebooks this week through Amazon.com! I am hoping this will help get the book out and circulating.
Let’s keep building the buzz, shall we? If you read the book and loved it, please write a review on Amazon, post about it on social media, and tell your friends! I am self-published, so I am counting on word of mouth to get my name and the book out there. Any small thing you do might make a big difference.
Many have asked when I will be doing another Facebook Live event, and I am pleased to announce that I am planning on doing another one, mostly because it was just so much fun last time! Stay tuned for more information. And if you have any special requests, bring it on!
-Liz
P.S.,
As a thank you for your support, here are the bloopers from my photoshoot!
Charlie photo-bombed me! He wanted in on the fun and simply could stand seeing me kneeling on the floor without turning it into playtime. Eventually, I couldn’t get a single shot without him in it, so we gave up and put him in the spotlight. He’s pretty photogenic for a walking, barking mop. Or, what do you think? Ewok? Muppet? Oddly enough, I liked the last shot so much I made it my FB pic! Happy accident.
Listen up, my friends. I need to get my novel out there to the masses! Mira’s Awakening is available FOR FREE on the Amazon store from now until Wednesday, February 3 because I need YOUR HELP.
Here’s my call to action: Get your copy (it costs you nothing)! Read it! (Love it!) Review it! Tell your friends, and that’s it! Just click below or go to Amazon.com and search for Mira’s Awakening.
Want to hear Liz read an excerpt from the book? Click below!
Meet the author (that’s me!), drink some (virtual) cocktails, hear some excerpts from the book, and join in on a Q&A. Want to submit a question ahead of time? Comment below!
I am so excited to have published my first novel and want to share it with everyone I can. This story is close to my heart and I really hope you love it half as much as I do!
I am pleased to announce that my debut novel, Mira’s Awakening, is now available for purchase at Amazon! The novel can be purchased as a paperback or as an ebook. Like, share, tell your friends!
What do you get when you drop a withdrawn widow into a small community with quirky college professors, gregarious actors, brilliant electrical engineers, a sassy book editor, and a hyperactive superhero-obsessed six-year-old?
Community.
Love.
Laughter.
Family.
Fun-loving yet introverted to a fault, Mira is a college professor and widowed single mother in a constant battle with debilitating grief and depression. To make matters worse, she has been the recipient of mysterious, threatening messages since her husband’s death.
Every day is a challenge for Mira as she struggles to find the energy to teach her students and to parent her hyperactive son who is as likely to have a “World War III-worthy tantrum” as he is to charm you with his social commentary about, for example, the grossness of picking ones’ boogers.
Naturally intelligent, handsome, and confident, Devan hadn’t a care in the world until he was faced with a devastating trauma last year. After spending nine months wandering through Europe in an unsuccessful attempt to escape his nightmares, Devan returns home to face his past and the brother (Nicolas) he abandoned.
Nicolas, a colleague and long-time admirer of Mira’s, reluctantly introduces her to Devan. An awkward lunch in a stuffy college office ensues. Mira’s quirky colors (and Devan’s “Thor-like” biceps) are put on display, and that’s all it takes to ensure none of their lives will ever be the same again. Much to the dismay of Nicolas, Devan and Mira find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other.
Just as Mira begins emerging from her shell, she receives a terrifying new message from her stalker. Now that her son’s life has been threatened, Mira runs the risk of withdrawing into her head once more unless she develops the strength to rely on her friends to help her through this crisis.
From the Author:
Dear Reader,
This isn’t a flowery story about “overcoming grief.” That’s not a thing, in my experience.
It’s a story about real people emerging from a raw state of utter despair and somehow finding ways to live with grief and (most importantly) love through it. It’s about finding reasons to get out of bed, finding reasons to smile, finding the right people to love on, and rediscovering joy.
The best part? This novel is just the beginning of the story. Just you wait…
Confession. I get excited about stuff. Fascinated, actually. And when I get excited about something, I tend to dive in head-first. First, I have to research the idea. Then, of course, I need to buy stuff. Because you always need to buy stuff. Then I need to spend hours experimenting. Then I need to perfect it. Once I perfect it, I can relax. Until I get excited about the next thing.
Why do I bring this up? Because I’ve been SOOO busy spending time doing… stuff!
In love yet?
Here’s the most important thing. Our little Charlie is awesome. We only want to roast the puppy over hot coals about 5 minutes out of the day now. The other 1,435 minutes of the day, he is the sweetest and most adorable puppy that ever lived. And yes, I looked up how many minutes there are in a day. Don’t judge me.
Charlie has learned to come, sit, “request” to go outside (it’s a seriously adorable chuff), drop whatever’s in his mouth (kinda), and heel (sorta). When encountered with a stranger, he has gone from having a level 10 conniption fit to something…slightly less. We’ll go with a solid 8 for now. Though, he finally got his shots and we can take him for his first real walk outside today (wee!). This will desensitize him to people and dogs so much faster, I am sure.
He really is a smart pooch. And, look at how cute he is! I know, I know, he needs a haircut! But the groomers would not take him until after his shots, so we had to wait. (Geez, that reminds me. I need to call them again!) And, before you tell me to do this myself, my answer is NO. I am not putting my shaky hands anywhere near that adorable face with scissors in my hands!
Charlie snuggling with the boy. Yes, he has eyeballs. Somewhere.
Puppy damage so far? Let’s see. I’ve lost 3 socks (none of them a matched pair, so let’s make that 6 socks), he chewed up the bottom of his carrier, he chewed my iPhone charger (yummy), he destroyed my adorable purple laptop carrier (grr), he ate up the instructions for a light fixture we have yet to install (so that’s gonna be interesting), and countless napkins, paper towels, pieces of tape, and random bits of paper he finds God-knows-where. And bark. He loves bark. He has chewed up the corner of the laminate flooring despite our efforts of spraying bitter anti-chew spray AND hot sauce on it. (Uh, he’s really sorry Mom…)
ANYHOO… Charlie has kept me busy. And tired, thanks to his tiny bladder waking me up twice a night. That’s OK, though, because mine does, too.
What else has kept me occupied? PROJECTS! I found some sweet new artsy things to spend money on! I knew you’d be as thrilled as me.
I flipped this pot upside down, poured the paint, then blow-dried it to encourage the colors to blend. I was hoping to have these done and ready for Christmas, but I couldn’t get to sealing them on time. Oh, well.
First, I learned how to acrylic pour. Oh, my gosh, this is seriously so much fun! The best part is, you just kind of slop the paint on whatever surface you want to paint, and then voila! OK, not really. There is more to it than that, but check out these final projects! Serious fun. Plus, you get to paint with a blow dryer, which is totally awesome. (If anyone is interested in watching this done, shoot me a message.)
This was an ugly cement stepping stone. I cleaned and primed it, then poured my little heart out.
While I was at it, I figured resin art was so closely related to acrylic pouring that I might as well research that, too. After pounding the bottom of my coin purse REALLY hard (resin is expensive!), I found some resin and cute molds and got started. Did you know that resin is sticky? It’s true! Just ask my fingers that may have accidentally gone gloveless for a few minutes during a project. That was a mistake I’ll never make again. Two days later I was still dealing with sticky fingers. You could also ask my hair how sticky resin is. How I ended up with resin in my hair is completely beyond me. No clue. Probably the same way I ended up with resin on my shirt. And my sock. Oh, well! I will suffer for my art!
I made several coasters going for a geode effect. They weren’t perfect, but this one is my favorite.
Anyway, resin is fun but so much more challenging and unpredictable than the acrylic pour! Most of my projects so far have come out a bit, “meh.” But check these out!
This one is my favorite resin project so far. It was messy, but not actually that challenging with a bit of patience.
What else? Oh, yeah! So, Covid has done a strangely positive thing for me. It’s been awesome for my pain levels! Before going on, let me say I mean no disrespect to the seriousness of our world’s crisis. I know most people are not fortunate enough to work from home and they are suffering. If this applies to you, you are in my prayers.
That being said, I have been fortunate to be able to work from home. I am grateful for this (not for the virus, for goodness sake, but for the opportunity to work from home). Because I no longer travel, my pain has decreased and I have been able to take on a lot more work hours. I know how lucky I am that this has worked out for me and I am grateful for the work every day.
OH! And finally, I discovered Boom Cards. Seriously, if you are a therapist or a teacher or a homeschooler and you aren’t using Boom Cards, you are totally missing out. This website is amazing! I spent hours making tons of online mini books and flashcards sets for my amazing clients. So, even though I am not with my clients in person, I can still create individualized materials for them. This is awesome because I am a perfectionistic control freak. Just kidding about the control thing, but not about the perfectionist part. Or the freak part.
So, anyway, I found a new addiction! Making Boom Cards is serious fun, but it has been quite a time-sucker. (Don’t regret it.) Want to see my decks? Here they are! https://wow.boomlearning.com/author/lisneyland
What about the novel, you ask? Glad you did! Given my amateur status, I have done research (I know, shocking, right?) and more research about the best way to self-publish. Bottom line, because I have officially given up on going with a publisher, I created more work for myself. I have been editing and re-editing. And editing some more.
I am working on creating a book cover using Canva, but thinking about hiring someone to help with this. Still vacillating.
Lastly, I have researched how to publish my book from beginning to end. I now know how to copyright my work, get an ISBN, format for Kindle, get printed versions of my book, advertise, and promote the book.
My goal is to have the book published by (drumroll, please) the end of January! So, away I go!
We did it! We made it through the first two weeks of puppy training, and I am happy to say that it was much easier than I expected. Never fear, dear reader, because these weeks have not been without the hilarity of new puppy epic fails and disasters. I mean, this is me we’re talking about here. As if I could ever make it through any journey unscathed! What fun would that be, right?
Our adventure began with a road trip. My son and I drove to a random parking lot in a random city to make the “exchange.” (I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry, we were safe and the money was exchanged electronically.) Still, when we met up with the breeder, I had to restrain myself from whispering, “Hey. You big Johnny? You got the stuff or what?”
So, so tempting! I’ve lived long enough to understand that most people don’t appreciate my sense of humor. And I really wanted the puppy! I would have been super sad if the breeder ran away from me, screaming. Self-control, Liz, self-control.
The drive home with our bundle of joy was super easy. Other than that Charlie peed in his blanket. The one that he was lying on. And then it was all over him.
Time for baby’s first bath!
He took to the bath like a champ. Phew.
Our plan for the first day was to set up a play pen so he could explore the living room without being underfoot constantly. I also wanted to limit accidents to a smaller space. We introduced him to his crate and toys. He was right at home within the first hour: playing, snuggling with family members and exploring his environment.
Epic fail #1: having no access to grass!
Charlie, in all his confusion, the first day in his new home. “Uh, what do you want me to do on this hard cement?”
I read all these books and articles that recommended potty training solely outside to avoid confusion. Charlie was way too young to go out to community areas. Our only real options were patches of dirt in the backyard or the pavement in the front yard. When on the pavement, he either stared up at me like he was waiting for me to entertain him, or snuffled about inhaling God-knows-what on the ground. When I brought him to the dirt…man, was he thrilled! Dead leaves to crunch! Flowers to pounce on and destroy! Boy, oh boy!
He clearly had no idea what to do.
Potty training was not working. By the end of day one, I was exhausted simply from removing foliage from his mouth! I had two choices: make my yard pristine and cross my fingers or submit to the use of potty pads. Choices, choices… Ha! Just kidding. There was only one choice. I made a trip to Petco post haste.
After being the quietest and most compliant of poochies all day long, one second in the crate at night turned him into a furry banshee straight from the bowels of hell. No joke. He whined, cried, and barked as if his little life depended on it. We didn’t even know he could bark! Poor baby. My youngest helped me put him in his crate that night and I will never forget the look of horror on his face when he heard the sounds of utter misery coming from the crate. I’m sure his face mirrored Charlie’s. All moms know this look. It says, “You are the harbinger of death! Cruella de Vil! You are the leader of a torture-inducing cult and I can’t believe I ever loved you!”
That was not working for me. After shooing my son away (clearly he would be no help), I lied down and began to do absolutely nothing. I followed the advice of trainers (and my awesome mom) and placed his crate up to the level of the bed so he could see, smell, and hear me.
After 5 minutes, he stopped. He slept. Sweet!
He woke 3 times in the night. I took him to the pee pad, then right back to the crate. He cried a few minutes each time, then straight to sleep. The crate stayed dry.
Anyhoo, the first day with our boy was a good indicator of the events of the next several days. Charlie proved to be very easy-going, playful, and a sweet little cuddle bug. He even handled all my work days like a boss. He just snuggled up next to my foot and slept. We made it up to him by having nice, long play times before and after though.
Anyhoo, the first day with our boy was a good indicator of the next several days. Charlie proved to be very easy-going, playful, and a little cuddle bug. He even had no problem on the days I worked constantly. He just snuggled up next to my foot and slept. We made it up to him by having nice, long play times before and after though.
Let’s talk about clicker training. Being a behavior analyst by trade, I knew I was going to use it as a tool. I bought 5 of those little clickers to leave scattered around the house. There is enough research to support it as an effective training tool (thanks, Pavlov) that any self-respecting behavior analyst would simply have to train their dog this way. I would be an embarrassment to my fellow nerds everywhere if I didn’t! I wouldn’t be able to show my face at another conference ever again! I would be laughed out of my precious association for behavior analysts!
My snuggle bug.
But seriously. It was absurdly effective! After 2 training sessions, he was responding to his name by making eye contact. On day 3 he had it totally mastered, so we introduced the sit command. He mastered that, so we increased the amount of sitting time we expected. He mastered that. We introduced “come here.” He mastered that as well. Such a smart dog!
We only have 2 real challenges. The first: Potty training. He is about 70% there, but clicker training has been difficult. It’s hard to catch him going! Luckily, he’s still a small dog, so the clean up is no biggie. The second challenge has been chewing. Man, he chews! We are following the instructions of the articles and books and redirecting him whenever possible. We yip if he bites us, ignore him and stop playing, etc. Still, these 2 behaviors will take more time than the other behaviors for obvious reasons.
Verdict? We are so happy with our baby. And last Saturday, we got turf installed in our backyard, so now he can go outside.
Our new little 8-week old Shih Poo baby arrives today and we are ready. What’s a girl to do to prepare for a new puppy? Can you say, “shopping spree?” I knew you could! Here’s what I bought.
* Toys * Food bowl * Water bowl * Crate * Dog carrier * Car seat * Dog bed * Gate * Playpen * Bones * Treats for training * Dental cleaner * Dog Food * Soft food * Vitamin supplements * Clickers for training * Brush * Shampoo * Puppy proofing for electric cords and power bars * Doggie doorbell * Blankets * Pet odor eliminator
I went a little crazy on Amazon. This is my first puppy, after all. I have had dogs before, but they were all full-grown by the time they were in my life, chock-full of eccentricities, and well-established bad habits.
Given my “real” job is as a behavior analyst, I am not starting this process as a total amateur. The basic science of applied behavior analysis is the same (reinforcement rocks!), regardless of whether you are working with humans or other kinds of animals. Still, I am used to working with human beings. Never trained anyone to poop outside or sleep in a crate before, so I’m excited to take on this new challenge.
To the oracle!
Pinterest gave me all kinds of suggestions about what to buy (maybe too much advice), it taught me the first commands to teach, how to potty train, how to crate train, etc., etc., etc.
We are ready to have sleepless nights and to pretty much get nothing done for a few weeks. We got this!
Charlie becomes a member of our family this afternoon. We will be driving out of town to retrieve him armed with blankets, a dog carrier, towels and cleaner (just in case of accidents), food, treats, toys to Gnaw on, and a heartbeat-enabled teddy. (Yes, that’s a thing.)
We will follow the advice of many experts. We will expose him to the house one room at a time to prevent him from becoming overwhelmed. We will also start training him immediately. When we get home, we’ll start clicker training, crate training, and potty training right away. Wish us luck!
It wasn’t without it’s bumps and bruises, but we’re here! We made it to Foster City and we are loving it.
I have sadly neglecting my blog during the move, but such is the life of a single mom with a horrible tendency of hyper focusing on one major project at a time! It was recently pointed out to me (after my second major pain flare in two weeks) that I need a bit more balance in my daily routine. Fair point. Time to blog.
I know you are dying to know how the house is coming along, because…what else could you possibly care about, right? It’s a process. A long one with some tears and sweat and pain and swearing. And paint. A lot of paint.
Ah, the joys of painting…
My intrepid friends and family have all been super stars and have helped us more than I can say. This is my shout out to Jen for her stellar door knob installation skills; Kirk for his light installation expertise; Sarah for her painting tape application stamina; John, Maggie, and Kristy for their painting prowess; Nathan for his excellent Pokemon catching skills; Zack for being a stellar right-hand-handyman; Pop for his heroic light switch installation; and finally, Mom, for just about everything. Because she’s a superstar.
The living room is the closest room to being done. I painted my side tables. The fireplace and the walls are also painted. Can I just take a moment to complain about how hard it is to paint bricks? Cuz…it’s really hard! Bricks soak up paint like they are the Mohave Desert.
Freshly painted fireplace
I purchased some new drapes and a lovely huge TV and I have no regrets.
I “wallpapered” my two outdated oak bookcases (another major project) and I love the way they turned out.
My “wallpapered” bookcase and newly painted wall
I still need to decide what is going to go on my mantle, and do…something to the buffet table that hosts my amazing teenage mutant ninja turtles. (My turtles are teenagers and they are fast and strong enough to be ninjas…but, sadly, no mutant powers to speak of. Not yet, anyway. I’ll keep you posted.)
Anyhoo, the other rooms are coming along, too, but still a work in progress. As for me, I’m the same. A major work in progress!
“But Liz,” you may ask, “what about the book?”
Sigh. I haven’t done much to move things with the book along since the start of my home moving saga. OK, I have actually done nothing. I have, however, received more rejections from agents I queried over the past several months. So that’s something, I suppose. It’s not a good something, but it’s something. Gotta say, my skin is getting thick through this process. At the same time, I have seriously considered the pros and cons of self-publishing.
Speaking of procrastination…we are getting a puppy!
We have adopted a shihpoo (part shitzu and part poodle) that is only one month old, so we are still waiting for him to be weaned. And…let the puns begin! The boys and I had a good, hearty giggle at the notion that our puppy’s breed will be part SHITzu and part POOdle. We are incredibly mature.
Of course, this means we have more work to do. Naturally. The back yard was a monstrous disaster and no place for a small dog. The porch was rotted and full of ominous-looking rusted nails and screws.
Deconstructing the porch
Out with the porch, in with…something else! We have successfully deconstructed the porch. My mother, AKA my landlord (that’s not weird at all) has agreed to help us out with installing something to replace it. Best landlord ever!
We’re getting excited about our little one, and glad we have some time to prepare for him. I’ve had dogs before, but never a brand new puppy! We’re in for an adventure, I have no doubt. Welcome to the new chapter of our lives.
Meet Charlie! We can’t wait to pick him up from the breeder.
