New Directions

I started this blog wanting to write and to entertain others.

I still want to entertain and amuse others, but I've realized what I get out of this blog is so much more.

It's my place to explore my creativity.
To be ME.
To get out the tangle of words and feelings inside of me that need to be untangled.

So, for a while, this blog is for me...and me only.

But, I'm still sharing with those who care...or are just curious.

I feel like I'm having a conversation with myself right now, which is really weird.

Goose bumps

At first glance, it looks like today's post is about geese.

It's not.

What today's post is really about?

Don't run away, I'll tell you.

On this very day...

Exactly a year ago...

I started this blog.





To celebrate, I'll answer questions.
You leave them for me in the comment section,
and I'll work on answering them this week.




Oh, and by the way, this post also celebrates Camera Critters,
a fun weekend meme where you take photos of animals and post them online.

Join us.

Houston, we have some linkage.

One of the blogs I visit regularly is Good Mom/Bad Mom on the Houston Chronicle's site.
One of the writers for that site is Jenny, the Bloggess, who's personal blog I also follow.

Twice in the last month I've been featured (along with others) on their Sunday post called BS Sunday.
The BS stands for "blog share." I think.

I've had this post about the boys and this post about Annie linked to on different Sundays.

You just never know what Bloggers they're going to link to.
I've found hilarious posts, serious ones, and everything in between.
I've discovered lots of new blogs to read this way.

I've got tons of family living in the Houston area (including two sisters I miss terribly!),
and my dad was born there.
Random Rhea Facts.

Copycat Syndrome

I'm pretty sure I have copycat syndrome.
Apparently, all it takes is hearing about someone's phobia for me to take it on myself.

I was reading a post on Britt's blog, Quietly Chaotic, about her phobia of changing her shirt in the dark and how she starts to think there's someone in the dark about to strike her, and then she gets all tangled in her shirt while panicking.

Sounds horrible, I know, but all it took was me reading about this...

and now I have this phobia too.

Surely I'm not the only one who does this?
We've all seen a scary movie and had a horror scene imprinted in our brain.

I've had this happen a lot in the blogosphere.
I'll read something that will stick with me, good or bad.
You people can write some powerful stuff, and the best part is, it's true life.

I love learning about people through blogs. And I love learning more about myself in the process.

I play the meme game and fill out quirky or random facts about myself...and gain perspective on my life.



I go through old photos to scan and post, and end up discussing memories with my parents.

I've rediscovered my creative, goofy side that was dormant for a while.

So, while my copycat syndrome is an unfortunately result, it's a side affect I can handle when the positives far outweigh the negatives.

I've also discovered I really like interviewing people (and I have a big one coming up soon) as well as giveaways. I like to give and receive...

and I might be having a little surprise over here tomorrow.

Out of the Box - UPDATED

(Info about Monogram Chick giveaway at the bottom of this post!!!)

So, I need your advice.

Well, I already did it, so it's too late to advise me against it.
But I'm up for discussion.

I've posted about what people put on their cars...
and discussed what I might be willing to put on mine.

Well, I did it. I put the first sticker on my new-to-me car I've had for four months.

I got a car decal from the Monogram Chick.

And, I didn't get my initials.

Wanna see what I got?

Yep, the name of my blog.
On my car.
for all to see.

Do you think this is a good idea?
Or a bad idea?

Will all my neighbors Google it?
Will the ladies in carpool?
The stranger behind me in the Starbucks drive-thru?



Isn't it CUTE though?
Look at the pretty aqua color!!

She designed it JUST for me.
I love it!
It makes me happy to see it.


Tell me what you think of this BOLD move.
Genius?
Or Stupid?

It's possible no one will notice...

I just realized she's having a giveaway!! You have to check it out.

Men Only

I have some new men in my life. They make me laugh, they make me cry. They inspire me and confuse me. I need to share them with you.

There aren't a whole lot of males in the blogging world, or at least the area of the blogosphere I frequent. But, I've found a handful of men bloggers whose sites I enjoy reading. Daily.



The man who's been in my life the longest, is Jeff from A Word In Edgewise. He's hilarious, sincere, and such a loving father and husband. He has these great mystery photo contests (which I have won!) and you can get an award for the funniest answer (which I won also!). He's also a writer and has a cool new writing exercise on his blog you should check out.

Not long after discovering Jeff, I found a new man. Ron with Vent. He's hilarious as well with a more dramatic flair. I think the first time I commented on his site I offended him, but we moved past that and have become friends, I'd like to think. He's had a million occupations, so you never know what you're going to learn from him, and his site is a place for him to vent and find humor in it. Check him out.

I think David McMahon came next with his site Authorblog. He's a Melbourne-based journalist and internationally-published photographer. He was born and educated in India and has lived the last 20 years or so in Australia. His website is full of great photography and witty posts. He cracks me up with his Verse and Worse posts which are "random wit, errant rhyme. Not a literary Crime."

The next man in my life, Tent Camper, popped up because I read the love of his life's blog, Insane Mama. I'd never met a couple who both had blogs before, and I was instantly intrigued. I love how they comment back and forth on each others sites, and at one point they were both sharing the intensely emotional story of how they met, yet I was reading each one's different viewpoints on the others blog. It was fascinating! They're a unique, fun and sexy couple. So, check out Tent Camper at I Pee in the Wind for some great writing, great humor and great fun. He's also my top commenter right now. :o) A man with such good taste, how can you now check him out?

The next two men are the newest men in my life. Trooper Thorn from Dogs and Jeans sucked me in with his hilarious Olympics commentary. He was inventing new sports, observing the ins and outs of all the various outfits/uniforms the athletes wore and had me laughing to the point of tears with some of his posts. He also recently asked me to come up with a picture to illustrate "shame" after seeing one of my posts about animals that I gave one-word labels to. He's a man who's turning his life around and having a laugh along the way. Lots of laughs. Check him out!
And, Trooper, here are a couple I have come up with so far. I'm still looking through my animal photos for a good one:










Finally, last but not least, the newest man in my life is Black Hockey Jesus at Wind in Your Vagina. I had seen the name of his blog around, but never visited it because I was turned off by the name. It sounded pornographic. But, eventually someone turned me on to him, and now I'm intrigued. First of all, his name is so creative, you can't help but wonder how it came about. Black Hockey Jesus. He's a dad, a husband and a writer...I think. He writes crazy, yet insightful, thought-provoking stuff. I can't really pigeon-hole his writing except to say he has an edge. A scary, razor-sharp edge that will either cut you or dare you to dance along the edge.

So, these are my men. I'm willing to share. Enjoy them, if you dare.

A Blogging Identity Crisis

I'm having an identity crisis. I want to change my blog around, but I need imput from readers. I have been changing profile and header pictures like it's a game of musical chairs, and I think it would be best if I found something good and stuck with it.

The current name of my blog is Word Tangle with the quote "A swirl of words tangled with human emotions." Writing is my biggest passion, so I was going with that theme. However, now that I've been at this a few months, I have different ideas.

I think it would be good to focus on Texas as a theme as well as writing. I'm a native Texan. I've lived here all my life. I grew up on a ranch, I lived in Austin (the capital city) for years, and I love Texas. So, should I come up with a new blog title focusing on this? I think it would draw readers in...and my goal is to attract readers and have fun with this...all the while fulfilling my need to write and entertain people with stories.

Hmmmm...How about Texas Word Wrangler? (It makes me picture a lasso roping up a herd of words). I like it.

What about Texas Ink Slinger? Or Texas Storyteller? I just don't know. I need to ponder on it some more. Any good ideas? My creative juices have melted in this heat wave we've had lately.

Then there's the header (the picture at the top of the blog, for those of you who don't speak Blog). This field of flowers has been my header for a while now:

And, then, yesterday I went and changed it to this water scene:

My fingers are itching though, and I could just as easily have this barn as a new header by tomorrow....what do you think?
Or this iron state of Texas sign could be a good header....I've used it as a profile picture before.

I'd love a Texas themed header. Ideally, I'd like a row of boots...colorful, worn-in, faded old cowboy boots lined up in a row. I'd really like that, but haven't found a picture that meets my expectations for it yet.

Then there's the issue of my profile picture. These are some of the cowgirls I've been using.

This is the cartoon cowgirl. She's fun...but perhaps not what I'm looking for. It's a little too youthful.

This next cowgirl is sexy and vintage, definitely more mature...but not exactly right either.

This one's cute too...I'm using her currently but maybe, here's a real novel idea, I need to use a real photo of ME? You tell me...do you prefer cutesy profile pics that obviously aren't the person in real life or do you prefer to see the real person behind the blog? I could always dude myself up, curl my hair and put on a cowboy hat to do my own cowgirl photo...what do you think?

So, as you can see, I'm having a major identity crisis. I want to change my blog, and this is your change to give me some imput. I can't promise I'll like it or use it, but I'll listen for sure.

Help a writing Texas cowgirl out, y'all. Yeehaaaw!!