Sometimes it feels like being an author while holding down a full-time Day Job makes my life all work and no play. It’s a good thing I love writing–almost as much as I love having written!
But I do tend to goof off a good bit. Facebook and Pinterest are two of my favorite time sucks. My very favorite, however, is reading. I could read 24/7. I read the way most people I know watch television.
What’s your favorite way to goof off?
Yes, this really is such a thing.
And since my sweet potato dish is requested at all non-summer family events, I thought I would share the recipe here. I originally published most of it in November of 2014.
But here you go.
MJ’s Sweet Potato Side Dish
6 long, skinny sweet potatoes, scrubbed, then sliced.
I like to use a rippled mandolin.
1 large sweet onion, chopped.
mix the onion and sweet potato together with Wegmans Basting Oil (or other seasoned cooking oil) in a large oven-proof pan (I like my lasagna pan for this).
Bake at 425F for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
One of the great things about this recipe is that it can be made ahead of time and reheated in the microwave, which makes it perfect for my family’s gathering.
Captain Fantastic-I saw the trailer this summer and wanted to see the motion picture. It was scheduled to play at a local film fest, so TV Stevie and I went. Except the fest was running dreadfully off schedule. We waited an hour and the auditorium doors still hadn’t opened from the previous movie, so we left. I eventually took it out of the library.
I am fascinated by people who live off the grid. I thought this movie would be…more. Loved parts of it. Was appalled at other parts. And the ending disappointed. Two librarians told me it was a good movie, but the ending lacked…more. And they were right.
Cafe Society-I let TV Stevie talk me into watching this one, even tho’ morally we should be boycotting Woody Allen.
I usually like Jesse Eisenberg. Out of 96 minutes of motion picture, I remember one scene. One. Shortly after the main character arrives in Hollywood, he tries to hire a hooker. Jesse Eisenberg plays Woody Allen playing Alvy Singer in Annie Hall (who my husband tells me is Woody Allen) and Candy the Hooker is none other than Anna Camp, best known (to me) as the preacher’s slutty wife in True Blood. (Yes, I know, she was in the Perfect Pitch movies, too, but I know her best from True Blood.)
Hell or High Water–Another flick I let TV Stevie talk me into watching.
Yes, it stars Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges, but even that could not redeem this movie. I thought I would hate the movie because the DVD package read as if it was a gratuitous violence film. An action film, filled with special effects and lacking in plot.
It was not. It had a perfectly respectable plot. Jeff Bridges plays a Texas Ranger (romance hero fodder). The four main characters were fairly well-drawn.
Yet I couldn’t help but think if the same movie had been written about four women in the same situation it would not be as critically acclaimed or garnering the press this one is getting. I mean, look at how much the Ghostbusters female re-boot is being slammed. This movie is ‘important’ only because the characters are guys.
I put Thelma and Louise on my “must watch again” move list.
The local newspaper recently ran an article about an old apartment building that is scheduled to be demolished. Apparently F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in the building when he was a child–around the turn of the last century.
He’s not the only author to darken those halls.
Imagine my surprise when I looked at photos of building the article referred to as 501 Catherine Street and discovered it was the same building in while I lived when I first went out on my own: 735 East Willow Street.
Let me give you a tour.
I lived on the third floor, in apartment 9. In the above photo, the two windows on the third floor of the brown brick section were my bedroom.
In this photo, two of the three windows on the front of the building (the painted-red section) were my living room.
(The third window belonged to a vacant, burned-out apartment my roomies and I once tried to explore.)
There were many wonderful things about this apartment:
The ancient Norge gas stove that worked like a charm (oh, how I wish I still had that stove!)
The cat loved sitting on the counter. And yes, that is a Pink Floyd “Dark Side of the Moon” poster hanging behind the stove. It’s possible F. Scott’s mom cooked his meals on that stove.
The wide pine-plank floors that gleamed like honey when the sun poured through the windows.
The rooftop access–we essentially had a private third floor terrace.
We would leash the cat out there so she could get fresh air. We could also keep an eye on our cars. (Mine was the dark blue Firebird next to the yellow VW Beetle.)
Other photos:
Yes, that’s the Tolkein Mural hanging on the sloped ceiling over the sofa. And yes, I sat on that sofa with my mom’s portable typewriter and pounded out dreadful attempts at novels.
I’m not sure it’s visible in this photo, but even when I lived in the building, it was falling apart. The landlord had someone come in and bolt the facade of the building to the wood floor with steel bands. We tried to cover the bands with a black and white area rug.
Import stores were my favorite place to shop.
My great-grandmother’s blue willow dishes dressing up the table for a dinner party. And yes, I still have that round blue Panasonic transistor radio (hanging over the calendar).
On the right side of this photo, you can see my grandmother’s Aunt Jemima cookie jar.
Two photos I don’t seem to have are of the stairs going up to the roof and the Milton Glaser Bob Dylan poster hanging on the bedroom door.
I sometimes dream I’m living in that apartment again.
It’s a shame something wasn’t done to save the building a long, long time ago.
What a fun idea! Thanks, MJ for having me here today, sharing the contents of my purse.
This is my current purse— a basic, brown tote from RW & Co.
I tend to switch my purse every 3 or 4 months, depending on my mood, outfit, whether I’m travelling, etc. I favor tote bags because they carry lots of stuff!
I’m pretty good at reducing clutter on a regular basis, shredding receipts, throwing away wrappers, etc. I keep the essentials, things I need.
What’s inside:
Things often found in my bag but not today:
My newest release, A Time For Love In Paris is now available!
In 1975, Elise Sutherland, a young woman from Scotland, travels to Paris, France, to study art at the illustrious Fine Arts School of Paris. Stumbling upon a mysterious old book in the infamous Shakespeare & Company bookstore, her world opens up an undiscovered realm. Elise finds herself in late nineteenth century Paris, becoming the muse of master painter and sculptor, Michel Flaubert. Together, they share their passion for art, architecture and each other.
But their love is threatened by people, time and events in history. Will they find their happily ever after?
Kim Hotzon
Born in beautiful British Columbia, Kim developed a passion for writing at an early age. Her interest in people led her all over the globe, including a two year stay in Japan and a humanitarian trip to Rwanda.
She loves to write contemporary romance stories that feature strong women who deal with compelling issues. Kim enjoys adding unexpected twists, usually involving a dangerous and dramatic backdrop. Her first novel, Hands Full of Ashes, was inspired by her trip to Africa. Her second full-length novel, A Time for Love in Paris, was inspired, naturally, by her trip to Paris. Kim also wrote a short, contemporary romance story for the anthology, Sizzle In The Snow: A Soul Mate Christmas Collection, which became a top seller on Amazon Canada.
She currently resides in the sunny Okanagan of British Columbia with her husband and two children. When not writing, she can be found on the local ski hills in winter, or racing in dragon boats in the summer.
You can get in touch with Kim by visiting her website http://www.kimhotzon.com/ or follow her at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimhotzon
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6491250.Kim_Hotzon
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/pub/kim-hotzon/61/9a8/675
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimhotzon/