creativity

A Brief Moment in Time

| Melia Alexander

It’s been a year since I’d last held this little guy. Of course, at fifteen, he was much larger than in this photo. But to me, he’ll always be my baby.

Time passes so quickly, the hours turning to days, then weeks, then months, and years. Until one day, it’s all used up. And what we’re left with are those brief moments of time strung together into a fabric so rich (hopefully!) that even though they’re gone, we’re left with wonderful memories that linger with us the rest of our lives.1998 alex and shoesSo it is with this little guy. He came to us weighing less than a pound and immediately imprinted himself onto our lives. Yeah, Mr. A and I miss him terribly.

Rest in peace, Alexander James. May the sun always shine where you are.

Happy Take Me Back Thursday,
Melia

M&M’s … And Beyond!

| Melia Alexander

It’s Travel Bug Tuesday!

Vegas has all sorts of really cool shops from clothing to tourist-y kiosks to specialty stores like this one:

The moment I stepped in and smelled the chocolate, I knew there was no other place like it! See, Jessica Adams, the heroine in my debut novel, MERGER OF THE HEART, lurrvvs Peanut M&M’s. But she only eats them when she’s stressed. Which means, thanks to the hero, Daniel Spencer, she practically mainlines the stuff. At least, at the beginning of the story…. 😉

So while Jessica might’ve enjoyed the variety of surprises on each floor (everything from mugs and pens and mixing bowls and kitchen towels and shirts and jewelry  … ) What I know she would’ve loved best of all was the candy. M&M’s in a rainbow of colors and arranged in gorgeous displays that invite customers to mix and match and even fill up another bag or six….not that I’d done that, of course!

That’s what made this store so special. Even though I’d completed Jessica and Daniel’s story quite awhile ago, being there reminded me of the quirkiness that was my heroine. And I found myself smiling at their story once again.

Happy travels,
Melia

 

And the Cards Say…

| Melia Alexander

Welcome to Mash-Up Monday!

As a writer I tend to be pretty curious about the world around me, and am typically willing to try something at least once before forming an opinion. There are exceptions, of course, like skydiving. No need for me to jump out of a perfectly good airplane!

Anyhoo, I shopped at our local Saturday Market this past summer, each time passing by a Tarot reader’s tent. She always had a succession of clients. I figured she had to be good, right? So one morning I decided to pop in and check it out.

Connie had several decks of cards to choose from, and I loved the colors on the one I’d selected. Uber-vibrant and bold and fun! She was kind enough to let me take some pics – not that I remember what the cards all mean now, but I got the impression things were positive for me. Always good to know!

But here’s the thing that struck me: without curiosity, we limit ourselves, our experiences, and perhaps even our ability to grow. Put another way, if you’re always doing the same things over and over without adding anything new, how much more can you grow? Dunno about you, but I intend to be curious the rest of my life! Just not about the skydiving part. 🙂

Have you given in to curiosity and tried something new, something different from the norm? What’d you think?

Have an awesome week!

~Melia

Pretty in Blue

| Melia Alexander

Welcome to Fashionista Friday!

Well, okay, it’s technically Saturday, so I’d better get a move on….

Found this pretty dress while window shopping in Vegas.

DSC_1019If money were no object – a place I’d lurvvv to live in – this would be a fun dress to wear to dinner.

In Paris.

By private jet.

With champagne and appetizers served on board by a personal chef.

After dinner at Le Meurice, there’d be an evening of clubbing with more champagne where I’d run into my old pals, Johnny Depp, George Clooney (his wife is soooo charming!), and Christian Bale. At which point we’d all have to climb on board George’s private jet for a zip over to his Italian villa for a night cap. Maybe even spend the rest of the weekend lounging by his ginormous pool.

Aahhh, what a life!

Too bad the dress costs more than my mortgage….

Where would you go in an outfit like this?

Have a great weekend,
Melia

Being Silly

| Melia Alexander

Happy Take Me Back Thursday!

I do love looking at old photos. There’s so much to be said for the moment that’s captured and the kind of memories that are attached to it. Take this one, for instance:

Newport Visit_at the aquarium 7Niece 2 in one of her many playful moods. (Back then, anyway. These days she’s a brooding teen more often than not!) I swear we couldn’t get that girl out of the diver’s mask (is that even what it’s called?) that afternoon! And when we finally did, it involved some sort of bribe. (I forget now what it was. Ice cream?)

She giggled and giggled and GIGGLED, ducking in and out and in and out of the danged thing. And, yeah, it was too cute!

Do you sometimes look at photos so powerful they propel you back in time?

Happy almost-Friday,
~Melia

 

 

 

Champagne in Vegas

| Melia Alexander

Happy Tuesnesday! 🙂

Yep, I’m behind the blogging trail already, but I *swear* I had a good reason – edits. Big time edits! Which is a blessing, really, that helps to ensure that the final product’s the best it could be (which hopefully means it doesn’t suck!)….The best part? I survived it! Yay!

To celebrate, I’m having one of these tonight:

20141011_120539The pic was taken in Vegas, so I’m thinking it fits the Travel Bug Tuesday / Food and Wine Wednesday themes. Works for me. 🙂

Cheers!

~Melia

Dear Santa ~

| Melia Alexander

Ah, Mash-Up Monday…. How quickly you arriveth!

Our girls (Niece and Niece 2) are leaving for Guam in a few weeks to spend the holidays with their parents, which basically means we have a scrunched up Christmas schedule with them. Which also means we’re celebrating early this year. And which ultimately means getting their Christmas lists uber early.

Still, I had to laugh (to myself, of course! *snort*) when I saw Niece 2’s list:

20141109_191712Ah, to be fifteen again!

So. Any votes for getting her Nash Grier for Christmas? 😉

Have a fab week,
Melia

 

Ring Keepers

| Melia Alexander

Happy Fashionista Friday! (It’s about FREAKIN’ TIME, too….)

My closet is a wreck. I know you all don’t believe me, since I am, after all, one of the most organized writers around (*snort* Trust me on this. And I’m not brave enough to post pics. Not yet, anyway….)

I’m constantly on the look-out for something – anything – that’ll help me stay organized. So it was on a recent Vegas trip with some high school gal pals (*waves at Notre Dame High School Class of ____* Did you think I’d tell you? 🙂 ) when we walked into a shop that had this:

DSC_1048

So cute! And so perfect! And they were SHOES that I know Mr. A couldn’t claim were part of my collection wardrobe options. I thought of all the rings I could store on a pair of these, how well I’d be on my way towards organization a la Martha Stewart….Or my good friend, Jenny, who scours Pinterest for all these awesome homey-stuff ideas. (I secretly hate her. Ssshhh. JK, Jen!)

I reached for one of these just as I heard Mr. A talking in my head (wish he’d quit that). “But you only have three rings, sweetheart.”

He was right. Rats.

Ah, well. Guess I’d better change that. Ring shopping, anyone?

Have a great weekend!

~Melia

 

All That Hair

| Melia Alexander

Once upon a time I was Rapunzel.

Well, okay, maybe I didn’t have blonde hair and wasn’t locked in a castle or anything even *close* to that. Nor did I have some dude who needed to climb my hair to get access to me … although that does bring up interesting story ideas! 😉

But given the short state of my hair these days, I’m sometimes surprised to see some of my past pics. And, yeah, I *SWEAR* that’s a candid shot of me that Mr. A took when we visited New Orleans quite a few years back.

a002_2Given that my head’s underneath a hard hat (or ball cap) at The Male Observation Lab, it’s no wonder I chopped all that hair off!

Think I should grow it back?

Happy Take Me Back Thursday,
Melia