Prologue: Just So Everyone Begins with an Understanding

Setting:

I live with my family in a small town just north of Atlanta in the house that I was raised in. This town used to be a one-light town, but has grown and changed quite a bit. I've watched a good portion of the places I remember from childhood be destroyed or change significantly. It is still rural, but just barely. 

Cast O'Characters:

It's a dramedy, so there has to be cast, right? Here's the deal. Most of the time I will mention people by their first names only to protect (haha) the innocent (not like any of you are innocent). In some cases, I will mention people by descriptors (for instance, if there is an attractive man to walk through a scene, I may well call him "Sexy Guy with Coffee" [after all, your sex appeal goes up exponentially if you have a cup of coffee, or, in some cases if you bring me a cup of coffee]).

If at any time you recognize yourself, don't be shocked and start messaging me about how shocked you are that I mentioned you or how cute you are as you walk away from me.  You shouldn't be shocked. I'm a writer, and you are my friend. This sort of thing is inevitable.

Ok. On with my "regulars":

Amanda or My Bestie: 

She is my best friend and fellow single girl (guys, she's awesome btw). We have lots of ridiculous moments. She's also known me since high school, so she knows all my dirt.

Gina or My Faerie Child: 

My eldest child. College student, artist, and mad woman. She made me crazy and wise and...yeah, mostly crazy, and I love her to pieces. We share lots of geek moments, including deep squeeing over things like Doctor Who, Sherlock, and socks. 

Stuart or My Bear Child:

My dear only son. Senior in high school, warrior, and budding craftsman. He is my anchor, and my heart and soul (while Gina is my lungs and liver). We share things like a love for comic books and games.

Mom and Dad:

I live with my parents. It's...special. There are times I am so very thankful for them taking us in almost sixteen years ago. There are other times when I question the sanity of accepting their offer for assistance.

Paul:

My brother who lives in Texas and is generally an awesome human being. He's also a World-Class Smart Ass, and really funny guy. I'm not sure how he missed becoming a stand-up comedian. 

There are others who will be mentioned:

Melissa or My Friend and Co-Author:

Melissa and I are working on a novel together. It is going to be awesome. We hope to have a table at Dragon*Con one day, and maybe, just maybe, get to have a chance to flirt with Nathan Fillion, Joss Whedon, and Wil Wheaton all at once because we are just that awesome. We'll even sign a copy of our book if you drop by and are cute. 

Elaine and Rob: 

They are in love and engaged, and for some reason they love me and mine to pieces. I'm glad for this. They are good people.

Willena:

We met in grad school and still managed to stay friends. Now we are co-workers and go to an Atlanta area large church. Sometimes I'm not exactly sure how we deal with each other because we are both terribly opinionated.

Kathy:

We also met in grad school and share a love for a local band. Kathy is very sweet, and I often wonder why she puts up with me because I am not. We work in the same suite.

Frank:

He's young, he's attractive, and believes he is the 21st century incarnation of Don Draper/James Bond.  This is a deadly combination when you are an English professor (aren't all male English professors supposed to be all of those things?). We also work in the same suite.

Ashley:

The one person on the suite who can remind Frank that while he is young and attractive, he really is no Don Draper or James Bond. She's also an excellent cook, for the record (am I your favorite now, Ashley?).

IK, King of the Trolls:

Yes. I really know the King of the Trolls. Yes. He's really a Troll and he's really a King. Why do you doubt me? My daughter is a faery, and my son is bear. 

Other people will join cast as necessary. Once again, don't be surprised if you show up in a post. 

Plot:

So, what am I going to write about? Things I find interesting that I encounter or think or events that happen along the way. If you are here to read about the "juicy" parts of this dramedy, move on. My life is really interesting and occasionally curious, but you will not learn about certain aspects. If you are lurking around the edges of this blog hoping to gather information about me or your own family members, move on. Really. Some things are just not going to be talked about here.

My dramedy is a mixture of what I think is funny (haha and weird) and just general things from my life that I deem interesting. 

Rules for Reading and Engaging with This Blog:

• This blog is one view of life as this blogger experiences it. If you don't like what you read, move on. There are a million more "day in the life of" blogs (including my brother's blog, A Day in the Life...). Surely, one of them will not offend or bore you. The Internet is your oyster.

• Comments are encouraged and expected. Understand that I am monitoring your comments, and that I have to approve them before they go up. This is not me being a control freak, but rather protecting my property and making sure that this party is safe for everyone. If you have any thought of sending spam or flaming me or my friends or fellow commenters, just know you shall not pass. 

• Share this blog with friends. I'm not making money off this blog. I'm not going to end up on a talk show. There is no cute mascot fronting an advertising campaign for my blog. Readership depends on you, my friends. Post links, reference me on Facebook (yes, I'm shameless) or Twitter. The thing that makes a blog (any blog, even the cheap knock off blogs) work is for there to be a writer (me) and readers (plural. you. ALL of you.). Even if you share this blog just because you want to make fun of it, I'm ok with that. At least you are reading, and I'm not just shooting this thing out into empty space.
  
• I most likely won't post every day. I teach. I'm a mom. I fight crime (ok. Technically, that's not true. I did, once, fight crime, but that was a different, fictional life.). I knit (incidentally, I sell my knitting too. More on that later). I also write a mini-blog called Lamentations of the Instructor, which a handful of people follow and think is funny. It is a three day a week blog, and is growing along nicely, thank you. Finally, I'm working on a novel with a friend. My life is busy. Some of that busyness will get shared with you if you are kind and patient.
  
  
• Finally, have fun with this. I plan to have fun. I'd hate to attempt this fun all on my lonesome. Enjoy. After all it's a dramedy.