It’s the last day of November. Can you believe it? Sometimes I look back on the year and think it flew by. Other times, I think of certain events and it feels like they happened ages ago.

Still, it’s definitely feeling like winter to me. It’s 52 degrees outside. The heater is on and I’m bundled up in bed with my netbook. The Christmas tree is up, the lights are lit on the house, and the stockings are hung from the fireplace mantel. I haven’t bought a single present yet, but I’m looking forward to the wrapping when the time comes.

As the year ends, so does (do?) some of my favorite television shows. Sons of Anarchy only has one episode left before it goes on hiatus after a truly phenomenal sophomore season. Katie Sagal continues to blow me away in her role as Gemma Teller Morrow. Charlie Hunnam is bad boy-licious; he makes a girl want to do bad things. Ron Perlman is brilliant, as he is in everything he does. The storyline for this season broke all the characters (and therefore the club) into tiny pieces, then somehow managed to pull them all back together even stronger than they were before. It was a no holds barred ride that for many shows would have been final-season worthy. For SOA, it’s only the beginning. I can’t wait to see what happens next, and I hate that I have to wait until next year to find out.

Another of my beloved shows, Dexter, is two episodes away from the close of the season. I really enjoyed this year’s storyline. John Lithgow rocked the house as the Trinity Killer. Quinn’s animosity toward Dexter heated up. I wonder if he’ll catch on to Dexter’s Dark Passenger like Stokes did. I’ve adored Dexter Morgan from the first, but this year, he really won me. He grew as a character by leaps and bounds. He’s always had moments of dark humor, but they seemed much more evident this year. He came to some deep revelations about himself, which was fascinating to watch. I’m going to miss Dex. September is so far away…

At least The Tudors will be returning in the spring. It’s just too bad there has to be a gap in between.

How about you? Which shows are you sad to see go on hiatus? Which shows are you looking forward to picking back up again?

©2010 Murder She Writes. All Rights Reserved.

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I’m writing this post from Nashville, where I’ve been since I left home in the wee hours of the morning on Friday. I’m here for the RWA Board of Directors’ meeting. Tomorrow will be Day 3 and another 10 hour day. Yes, I’m a bit tired, but it’s been a great trip in a lot of ways. There is so much to learn… bylaws, tax codes, policies and procedures… wow.

The hotel is the Gaylord Opryland and it really defies description. It’s very Disneyesque, with an amusement park sort of unnatural perfection. The property covers 57 acres; there’s no way to stay here and not walk miles every day. Everything is spread out and interspersed with lush greenery, rivers, and ponds. It’s not uncommon to turn a corner and see a pretty fireplace framed by intimate seating areas. There are so many little spots to sit and just enjoy the scenery. I’m really looking forward to attending RWA Conference here in July and share the fun of this place with my friends.

Last night, I went to the Grand Ole Opry and saw Martina McBride, Jake Owen, Rodney Atkins, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, and many others. I’m so glad I went. I’m not a huge country music fan, but I couldn’t pass up the experience. I had such a good time!

Rodney Atkins sung a song called “Friends with Tractors“. I think that’s going to be my new catchphrase. As Rodney was singing, I was thinking that I, too, have friends with tractors. Not literal ones, of course (except for one…) but I have friends who “pull you out and fix the road” and help me stay sane on this crazy publishing trail. I can’t wait to hang out with them here in Opryland.

If you’re an RWA member, I hope you plan on attending conference in 2010. I think it’s going to be awesome!

©2010 Murder She Writes. All Rights Reserved.

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There’s candy all over my house. In bowls and bags, in the fridge and freezer, upstairs and downstairs. My kids carried their separate candy stashes around with them all day on Sunday, from room to room, inside and outside. I’m not sure why they do that. They really don’t eat the candy all day. Their Halloween stockpile takes weeks to get eaten and they often throw a lot of it out after a while because they get sick of it.

I suspect it’s a way to hang on to the excitement of the night. The fun for them is in the actual trick or treating, more so than the sugar high. Some neighborhoods go all out for the holidays, with neighbors competing against each other to see who can put up the most lights and decorations. In our neighborhood, Halloween is the big event of the year. The preparations begin weeks in advance. Giant spiders menace rooftops. Dead bodies hang from street lights. Graveyards take over manicured lawns.

There are fog machines, creepy movie music blaring from sound systems, and animatronic creatures. People pop out of full-sized caskets and copious amounts of candy is given out. One set of neighbors combine their two lawns to create an impressive “haunted house” featuring multiple rooms of horror, chainsaw-wielding maniacs, and other terrifying surprises. People drive over from all around the city to enjoy the thrill. There’s always a long line and plenty of screams.

Now, I’m a big scaredy cat. I never go inside the haunted house, despite the flow of people exiting with broad smiles and exclamations of “That was awesome!” But every year, I admire the dedication the families put into planning their attraction. It’s a labor of love, something they offer for free to anyone who wants to enjoy the show. Every year it gets bigger and more elaborate and most likely more expensive for them. It’s the heart behind the endeavor that I think is awesome. The celebrating of a personal joy and the gift that it is to the neighborhood and city.

I remind my kids of that every Halloween. That they should always nurture their inner child and give themselves license to indulge the odd whims that bring them happiness. Why not? You’re never too old to be a kid at heart.

I hope your Halloween was a great one and that you remembered to set your clocks back an hour. What will you do with the hour you gained?

©2010 Murder She Writes. All Rights Reserved.

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