What is weak and detrimental to women in the workplace, is giving away your power. My boss does this and it is difficult to work for someone who cannot make a decision unless she has the backing of a group. Her meetings go over by hours because she won't stick to her own agenda, she starts going on a tangent about how over worked and exhausted she is and how all her health problems are on the flare. She wonders why her employees and her boss don't respect her when she doesn't behave in a professional manner. I am insulted when she starts a business conversation with, " I don't want to upset anyone, but we need to start this new project..." Urg!!! Nobody would have any reason to be upset!!! Lois P Frankel writes great books on this very subject.

I did it. I ordered my coding and billing books. Wish me luck!

The book that sparked my interest in NYC is called The Two Mrs. Grenvilles by Dominick Dunne. If you're not familiar with him, he was an investigative reporter who wrote for Vanity Fair, mostly about high society scandals. His books were fictional, thinly veiled accounts of these scandals. (If you know the real stories, it's great fun trying to figure out who his characters are.) Another great one of his set in New York is Too Much Money...and his photo memoir, The Way We Lived Then, is fascinating. In his early days of writing, he became a favorite friend of Hollywood biggies and worldwide royalty.

Books about New York get published because most major publishing houses are in NYC. The editors buy what they know and understand. Editors also think they're the coolest people on the planet and places outside NYC are something they find hopelessly boring. It's hard to sell a book about other places. I'm an author in the business for many years. (Also major TV networks are in NYC and they hype what they know, which is NYC.) Been to NYC many times on business. Personally I think it's close to Hell on Earth.

I am supposed to order my books to start a medical coding certification, but I keep putting it off. Scared once I complete the certification I won't find a job. It's a year away. No idea why I am so petrified right now.

I can't believe it's been 14 years since the 9/11 attacks. Where were you when it happened? I was in history class my sophomore year of high school when the news broke out. My otherwise asshole of a teacher (who threw books at students) was shaken and meek and we spent the entire period watching the news. I feel like we were in that class all day, so maybe classes were halted? I don't think we did any actual school work for the next week. I remember thinking my niece, who was born a few weeks prior, would have to live in fear for her whole life. I'm happy that's not the case now though.

My husband and I have no kids and live in a two bedroom apartment. One room is our room and the other is a guest room. I have started to spend my time in that room, my books are in there, I can sort of have some quiet time in there without having to hear my husband's games or shows blaring and me cramped on our couch which can be uncomfortable. In the guest room, my cats come in and sort of sleep there while I sew, read or write my stories. It's peaceful but my husband makes me feel guilty for even spending time in there. He wants us to spend time together but how can I watch our shows on a small computer screen while he has his attention on his games? How could I read when his shows are so loud. He can ignore me and spend time texting his friends but while I am in the middle of a good part of a short story I am writing, that is when he wants to ask me what am I doing. If you want to spend time with me, put some things away and we will. If not, let me alone!

I bought a new cookbook and I've made maybe for recipes out of it and I have to say they pretty much we're all failures! I'm a decent cook, I've been cooking since I was a teenager and most of the stuff I make is pretty darn good. So, I think this cookbook must be faulty. I actually tinkered with one of the field recipes and managed to turn it into something decent but only after adding some of my own ingredients and playing around with it. How do people Get cook books published that are so obviously full of recipes that are untested?

Childbirth hurts like hell much of the time. Yes, there are many people in the room at the birth and chances are you will know only the doctor. You may scream, swear, poop and tear. The memory of all of it doesn't go away when you see the sweet little baby, who is likely screaming its head off, looks smushed, and has blood and other coverings on it. You will be sore for weeks with an incision and stitches for it and any tears you may have. You will wear a pad the size of Manhattan till you stop bleeding, and that takes a long time. Then you wear smaller pads. Your family may or may not help you afterward. The baby may not sleep much so you are always on duty and exhausted. You'll need to feed the baby and your family. Ditch the happy childbirth books and hear the truth. Then decide if you still want 5 babies.

Went to goodwill today.. Snagged a Mountain Hardware hiking shirt for my boyfriend: $2.50; a cute Lucy top for me: $2.50; cute threadless camping tee: $2.50; licensed Disney sweaters, Jack Skellington and Bambi, $3 each; a thick Mexican wool blanket for $5 and 4 books for $2 total. Almost got some Patagonia pants and a mountain Hardware top for me but they were too short, $2.50 each though. Gotta love 50% off all tags Saturdays (which are every other Saturday in Phoenix, fwiw).