One Lovely Blog Award

Thanks so very much to one of my amazing CPs, Amy Cavenaugh, for tagging me in this blog hop. Everyone should check out her blog, A Twisted Writer's Thoughts... she's an enigma (she said so herself).

This blog hop is fairly simple... give seven random facts about yourself. Since I recently participated in The Liebster Award, where you give eleven random facts, I shall try to come up with seven facts you can't find anywhere else on this blog... bear with me - it may get goofy.

Random facts:

1. As a child I had this puppy my dad found abandoned on the side of the road, some kind of yellow lab mix. I named her Angelica Alexandra Angie Annie  - NO IDEA what possessed me to give her all those names... I called her Angie for short.

2. I like to watch boxing. BOXING. Where guys or girls -hey I'm okay with women whuppin'  up on on another- beat the crap out of each other. It really pisses me off when they get all tired and try to hug up on each other so they can rest - I usually yell at them through the television. I'm not generally a violent person, although maybe subconsciously I am. Who knows? I don't follow boxing like a fan; but if I run across a match on cable and nothing else is on, I stop to see who spills blood first. It's sick. I know.

3. I've spoiled my cat, Ruffles. Any time anyone opens a container of yogurt she comes running. She must smell it. I used to eat a lot of yogurt and always let her lick my empty container when I was finished. Now she's a PITA (Pain In The Ass) whenever anyone eats yogurt.

4. I hate spiders. HATE. But I don't do the whole scream, jump up on the furniture, and act like a complete ninny thing. Well, there was that ONE time. I came out of the bathroom, hair in a towel, no glasses on (so I couldn't see squat-diddly-shit), and something black scurried across the floor toward me. That ONE time I jumped onto the bed, squealing like a little girl. My husband laughed so hard when I got my glasses on, only to discover it was a poor little mole who'd found  his way inside from the the cold. Not a spider at all. (Bonus fact: I'm not in the least afraid of rodents -any rodents... I think they're cute.)

5. My friend, Debbie, used to call me when snakes would get into her chicken coop. I'd come over and  either remove them or kill them, depending on the type of snake. We used to joke that people should call me 'Rena' Killer of Snakes'... which leads me to fact number six.

6. In my private life I use my middle name, Rena' (pronounced like 'Renee'). I started using it at sixteen, when we moved from Texas to North Carolina. After an entire childhood of being called Smelly Kelley, I was ready for a change.

7. I DID NOT SMELL BAD AS A CHILD - nor do I smell bad now... it took years for me to realize some kids are just mean. *straightens lapels* *deep breath* Yes... I was THAT kid... the one who got teased mercilessly forEVER. Someday, I'll write about it and it will be therapeutic, but not today.

So there are my seven random facts. Now it's my turn to tag some amazing authors to continue the blog hop. Please hop on over to

Lizzy Froehle's blog That Lizzy Girl
Katrina Sincek's blog Peanut Brittle Prophet
Chynna Blue's blog Chynna-Blue Ink

2013: To Do Lists

2012 is gone and, since today is January 4, we have another 361 days of 2013 ahead of us. Each of those days contains 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. What shall we do with all that time?

I could name sixteen things off the top of my head I didn't do in 2012 but should have. Too late now, the year is over. However, that's the wonderful thing about a brand new year... we get a whole new set of minutes to tick away until the end is upon us again.

There are a lot of time stealers I intend to watch for... fiddle-fartin' around on Twitter and reading about writing are two of them. Not that I don't LOVE Twitter and don't intend to be on Twitter this year, I do and I will. Although, the vast amount of time I spent there in 2012 will have to be whittled down in 2013 if I'm going to actually do the things I have in mind before the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2013.

What things would I like to get done?

1. Snag my dream agent
2. Finish my new WIP. I'm only a few thousand words in, but would really love to finish it by midyear.
3. Shed the fifteen pounds I've packed on over the last twelve months.
4. Plant and maintain a vegetable garden
5. Blog at least twice per week (even if they are short and sweet blogs)
6. Clean out a few of my hording spots (closets and the sad space I like to call an office).
7. Paint the rest of the house, which has been waiting for the last four years to be painted.

That's all I've come up with for now, but you know how it is, the 'to do' list is never ending.

What things are on YOUR 'TO DO' list for 2013? What things will you have to either give up or limit to ensure your 'to do' list gets the attention it deserves? Share in the comments below and inspire the rest of us!