Smiling all the Way From A to Z -- P

Today's smiles are brought to you by the letter P; it stands for...

PUPPIES

I'm a dog ... er ... rather a person born in the year of the dog. Therefore, it's pretty much not a coincidence that I am madly in love with dogs. I smile sooooo big every time I see man's best friend. There's no form of language that can express how smitten I am with these furry, four-legged animals.

Growing up, my family had 4 dogs over the space of many years.

Dog #1: Sandy (don't remember the breed)--we got her from the neighbors' newborn puppy litter.

Dog #2: Sandy must have had a male dog friend visit her, because one day she had some pups. I was there for the birth, pretty crazy. We kept one of them--Cocoa (don't remember the breed). He disappeared, still have no idea what became of him.

Dog #3: Raggles (Poodle, Coker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel mix)--My brother picked him up from a family giving away puppies at a grocery store. If I remember correctly, he didn't ask my parents for permission. Oops. Raggles spent about 12 years with us before we had to put him down due to declining health.

Dog #4: Teddy (Maltese Toy Poodle) My mom brought him home after falling in love with him at the pet shop. Raggles and him got along well--best friends. I had many names for Teddy: Tedders, Theodore Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, Spud (he put on some weight once and looked like a potato), and Spudders. The cute guy responded and came to all the names. He was with us for maybe 8 years but he fell prey to kidney failure. So sad.

Teddy and Raggles came running if they heard us grab frozen ice, frozen peas and carrots, and noodles. Still to this day when I'm at my parents' house and drop some ice on the floor, I expect to hear them scamper up the stairs to the kitchen to fight for the cubes.

One day, I will have a female Miniature Beagle named Elliot. Yes, I already have her name picked out. I just need my own house with a fenced in backyard and a doggy door and I'm set.

Are you a dog person? Cat person? Gerbil person? Tell me about your favorite pet? What Chinese zodiac animal are you (if you want to find out click here)? And starting with the letter P, what makes you smile?

Writing Jewels

PS: Refer to the blurb on the very top of my blogs sidebar to know why I am posting about what makes me smile. Go forward and smile!

Writer's Woes

As a writer, I've gone through the roller coaster of ups and downs. And many times, for that matter. I know all of you writers can completely understand and empathize. Lately, I've been feeling the lows of author-hood. There are so many hats I've got to wear, so many things to do, and lack of confidence in my words that it could fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. And by golly, my patience is waning.

Who knows how I'll feel tomorrow... Right?

I'm gonna be honest here: Writing isn't fun and games all the time. So often, I feel down in the dumps like all the hard work will never pay off. But then I write a great scene, and my confidence comes back. I smile and feel like the "King" of words again. Forgive the play on words.

I guess the point I'm getting at is I'm exhausted with all I've got to do--work, writing, social networking, socializing, sleeping, eating, etc...

But. And this is a huge-tastic BUT! (No play on words intended here)

The thing is I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!

There has been many times I've dropped on my butt and said, "This is it. I'm caving. I'm done." 

Did I? Obviously, nope. See this is how people get published, go the distance, run the race all the way, eat all of the pie, etc...

My point here is DON'T GIVE UP! You're almost there--one word, sentence, paragraph, page, chapter, book away from finishing. When you feel like it's too hard, scratch your head, get a drink of water, and turn on your computer again. Type some words and get back into the game--the fun and games of writing. 

If Julia King (me) can do it----> anyone can!

What are your tips to overcome the woes of writing? Or friends, you can just vent out your frustrations to me. I'll listen.   

Writing. Jewels.