Bathrooms, wall to wall carpet and other mysteries of the universe

The universe has many mysteries.

One such mystery is why…oh why, did people ever decide wall to wall carpeting in the bathroom was a good idea?

I suppose this mystery isn’t completely unsolved to the masses of the world. You may be one of those individuals who put carpet in your bathroom. WHY???

I am bringing up this topic today because I am one of those people who own (I guess I should say rent? but that sounds strange!) a bathroom in which the entire floor is blanketed in carpet. I should note that I DID NOT put the carpet there. I’m pretty sure it’s been there for nearly 50 years. (Along with all the appliances in the house! The house is like a well preserved view of life and interior designing in the 1960s.) At one point I think the carpet was pink, matching the tiles on the wall and shower; slowly it has faded into a dull, liver and pink colored monstrosity.

You ask: Autumn, why not just rip the carpet out and tile the floor? Stop fussing!

My answer: I rent.

The people I rent from are ever so nice! They are literally the nicest of the nice. But they like the carpet in there. I cannot bring myself to ask why. It might change my opinion of them. I’M KIDDING! They like it because tiles are cold and hard and carpet is a softer, warmer option. All I can think is: True…but what if the toilet over flows? What if you spill your hair gel on it? And again…what if the toilet over flows???

Another reason I am bringing up this topic today is because over the weekend an incident occurred involving the said carpet.

It all started on Friday.

As I was getting ready to head out to work, I run into my bathroom and do a final “did I unplug the curling iron & straightener check.”

Whoops! I didn’t! Glad I checked. The cords are ripped from the wall and I am whirling around to turn off the light and leave.

But then…

Huh? Is it just me, or does it look like a section of the carpet is extra dark– more liver colored than the rest?

Perhaps it is just the lighting. I inch closer. Strange. Then I remember the time. Got to go! I will investigate later.

Later…

I return from work, walk into the bathroom and jump back.

Yeah…that’s not discoloration. Or the lighting.

It’s Lake Eyrie.

A sopping, puddle of what I imagine probably emerged from the toilet has taken over more than half of the bathroom.

The only thing one can do in this situation is scream in horror.

Toilet water. It may be clean looking, but we all know the word clean should never be used to describe toilet water. Oh! And how the carpet loves it. It is drinking it right up.

I have no idea how the water has escaped its ceramic prison, as no one used the toilet at all that day, but the fact of the matter is… it has.

I am an adult. And being an adult means you have to do things you don’t want to do. You have to pay for things you don’t want to pay for. I had to clean this mess up. After soaking up the water the best I could and pouring sterilization cleaners on the carpet I realized…how can it ever possibly get truly clean? Carpet has so many nooks and crannies, twists and turns.

Light bulb!

I could burn it. I could burn the blasted carpet and be rid of it FOREVER and the bathroom would be clean once again.

It is too bad burning it was out of the question. But I think I just might have the winning argument for ripping the carpet out and tiling. Cross your fingers!

I’ll end my story now, and put it in that lovely storage room of case files filled with the mysteries of the universe. With a big permanent marker I’ll write across the top, “This file contains information to solving the mystery as to why people carpet their bathrooms wall to wall…and evidence on how this practice SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!” Lengthy, but necessary.

A few paragraphs from Book II!

A few paragraphs from my second book! This has a small glimpse of one of my favorite characters: Miss Sadie Bee.

Mercedes shook her head. If she thought about Kale Desmin one more time today she may as well start a fan club for him, complete with jackets and autograph signings. He was such a mystery and one she wouldn’t mind solving…at least in her wildest dreams.

She looked back at Sadie Bee’s dark, probing eyes, wondering if she should confess everything to the cook. It was after all, just the two of them in the kitchen, as it usually was every morning. It was a tradition, almost; Mercedes and Miss Bee would come down earlier than the rest of the staff, drink coffee and talk about whatever random subject was running through Miss Bee’s mind. This morning had Miss Bee sharing how she was certain mice were intelligent creatures. She said, “They got to be sorta smart if theys can manage to get cheese outta a mouse trap and not set the darn thing off.” She glared at the scrawny tabby cat lounging in the corner in a patch of sunlight. “You useless, you knows that?” Shaking her head she took a sip of her black coffee. “Sometimes I sees this one mouse, he be the leader I think, he just look at me…like he’s challenging me. It ain’t natural, that’s for sures.”

Mercedes hesitated. How she wanted to let out her secret. It was like steam trapped in a tea kettle. Sadie Bee could be trusted, but the problem was the entire house (other than Pearl and Mrs. Tyson, of course) hated Kale. Mercedes would have to bring him up in a roundabout way. “I was just…thinking…about Ka–Mr. Desmin,” she let the name hang in the air.

Miss Bee’s face scrunched, the same way it had when she found mouse droppings in the cupboard. “Why would you be thinking on him?”

“No particular reason…” Mercedes started. She drummed her fingers on the table. “But I wonder what his fiancé was like; I wonder if he loved her; I wonder why he left her.” She looked off again, reimagining the pain in Kale’s golden eyes as he spoke of the girl.

Miss Bee grunted. “Child, that man didn’t love her. No man that loves a girl would just leave her stand’n there to be publicly humiliated.”

“But–I wonder about the facts…” -Pg. 27 (Book II)

Hope Everyone is having a great weekend!

It’s April 1st everyone

Hello Everyone!

Wondering about the April Fool’s jokes going around today? Anyone up to no good? 😉

If you need a good joke to play here’s one I did last year: 

What you need: Reese’s Peanut Butter Easter Egg Candy, chocolate chips (just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to get them melted), and cherry tomatoes.

People love chocolate. And typically chocolate covered things are flat out irresistible (unless you are like me and can’t have too much sugar!). So I thought, why not cover something nasty with chocolate? I went to the store and bought Reese’s Peanut Butter Easter Egg Candies and I also bought a little box of cherry tomatoes. I melted down some chocolate chips and dipped the cherry tomatoes in the chocolate and then put them in the freezer so the chocolate would harden. I unwrapped about six of the Reese’s eggs, this was the tough part, keeping the wrappers from ripping, and set the wrappers aside. I pulled the chocolate dipped tomatoes out of the freezer and carefully wrapped them up in the Reese’s Easter Egg candy wrappers. I put them in a candy dish along with some genuine Reese’s eggs…and waited. Yeah, watching someone take a bite out of one of those was a pretty good moment in my life. 😉

What’s the best prank you’ve played on someone? What is the best prank someone has played on you? 

It counts

Sometimes there are things we simply cannot fix or change.

I’m thinking of those moments when a friend, co-worker,  family member, acquaintance is hurting. The sparkle in their eyes has been replaced with tears, they don’t smile anymore…it’s like part of them has been stolen, which is partially true. And gosh, you just want to make them smile again, take away the pain and give them sunny skies.

There is a group of personality types out there I’d like to call the “fixers” and “helpers”. Fixers and helpers are driven to, as the name suggests, fix things…if we could, we would make the world have sunshine every single day.Fixers love to see people happy and make people happy; when someone isn’t happy or is hurting, fixers instantly want to fix it, they feel driven to help. Most, if not all of us, have a certain amount of this fixer/helper personality in us…it makes you human to care about another human.

But sometimes there are  things you cannot fix. Sometimes the hurt is so deep, too deep. Or the hurt and pain is something you cannot relate to at all… and you feel powerless. You want to help, but you can’t; you want to take the pain away, but you can’t. The person feels so far, so out of reach, and you don’t know what to do or say.

Today while I was at work printing paper after paper, this thought struck me: You may not be able to “fix” or take away someone’s pain…but you can be there. And just being there COUNTS. Just giving someone a hug COUNTS. Telling someone “Let me know what I can do to help” COUNTS. Even if you don’t see it, your presence counts to someone that is hurting.

People handle grief and disappointment differently…but we all appreciate when our friends and family are simply THERE for us–ready to talk to, ready to give a hug, ready to just sit in the same room with us.

Sometimes you may not feel like you are helping someone at all, you may feel like giving up…DON’T. You ARE making a difference…even if you don’t see it right now. BE AVAILABLE, GIVE PEOPLE HUGS (where words cannot go, touch often can!), AND DON’T GIVE UP…..IT COUNTS.

You are somebody

I ran across this quote and thought it was too good not to share:

“Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” -Kid President

You can change someone’s life, and it’s not that hard.

Isn’t it amazing after you get a sincere and very specific to you compliment, or after someone gets you flowers for no reason at all, or after someone asks you a question and really listens, you feel recharged…important…a little more confident. Sometimes you feel more daring– you take risks…because you believe you can succeed. And sometimes…you DO succeed…life takes you places you would have never dreamed you’d be. Your life changed because someone took the time to make you feel special, like the somebody you were all along.

Challenge: Compliment someone in a very specific way. Don’t just say they are awesome, tell them very specific reasons why they are awesome. Compliment the barista that always makes your coffee ridiculously perfectly and always remembers your order (which is so confusing you’d think it was some kind of math problem); compliment a family member (sometimes, they are the ones who need to hear it the most). Yeah, this “challenge” is something so small, but small things matter…and lots of small things make a difference.

If you’d like, share your story! Or share a story of when somebody made YOU feel like a SOMEBODY.

Wings, a poem

Wings

A poem by Autumn Komzik

Down, down far below

Was a place I longed to go.

Each day I strained my eyes to see,

A place I only dreamed to be.

A little town, a mountain peak,

Grassy pastures and a crystal creek.

My friends would often come and go

And tell of the wonders down below.

I longed to join them in that place,

But I was trapped in fate’s embrace.

Separated by a chasm far and deep–

I was perched on a cliff narrow and steep.

Make the jump–it was the only way;

It was the one price required to pay.

Below the rocks were sharp as knives

There was the chance one wouldn’t survive.

I looked over the edge and hugged the wall;

I chose to stay and never to fall.

I lived my life always to dream;

I never felt the crystal stream,

Or stood on the top of the mountain peak,

Or laid in pastures grassy and sweet;

I never walked on streets of cobblestone–

I lived up here…all alone.

A life wasted, almost gone by;

I never truly lived, because I was afraid to die.

Make the jump–it was the only way

Not to waste one more day.

Now more afraid not to jump at all

I step over the edge, and take the fall.

The air around me sings,

And I discover all along, I had wings.

-Autumn Komzik

Don’t be afraid of to fail, be afraid not to try.

Little Things, a poem

Little Things

A heart beat

A music note

A word said

And a word wrote.

A flower petal

A silver dime

A drop of rain

And a minute of time

A first kiss

A laugh with a friend

A snow flake

And watching a life begin.

A bread crumb

A grain of sand

A blade of grass

And holding your hand.

A pink sunset

A red sunrise

A stranger’s smile

And the look in your eyes.

A “I love you”

A “I love you too”

A “I’m sorry”

And a “I’m sorry too”

A mean look

A little lie

An angry word

And a silent cry.

A dinner missed

A word unspoken

A call unmade

A promise broken.

A tiny rumor

A match spark

A little virus

And a deal in the dark.

A cigarette

A punch and hit

A drunken drive

And an atom split.

Years are made of days

And days are made of minutes

Life is made of moments

And the choices in it.

Little things aren’t so small-

A word, a minute, a look, a choice–

These are our life’s sails

And when we are gone, these will be our life’s voice.

-By Autumn Komzik

Dear Fellow Bloggers,

I am still alive!!! I miss you and I miss blogging! I have been horrible at blogging lately, It’s just that I have been so, so busy (and I have no internet at my house!-huge factor). Even tonight I am heading on a trip to Colorado! I am hoping to get back into the swing of things once I return from vacation!

What I’ve been up to:

Thanksgiving and Christmas Festivities

Charleston, SC research (life in the 1920s in Charleston, SC) for my books

Two potential literary agents selected and a query letter written

Thorough editing of the first 5 pages

Writing the second book

Studying typography and other graphics for work (fun! Why did I major in History?)

Job searching

Reading Books

Cooking

Playing with dogs

Life

=)

I hope everything is going well for everyone out there! And the Christmas Season is full of happiness for you and lots of happy writing and living!

Updates

photo friday: Wind Blown

Today’s Photo Friday is a picture that “wowed” me. From growing up in Colorado, I was always fascinated by trees and plants that grew out of the side of rocks and even sideways sometimes off the side of a cliff. But I had never seen a tree like the one pictured, that refused to break during a horrible wind storm. The picture below is of a wind-blown juniper tree on the Island of El Hierro, the Canary Islands. Can you imagine what that wind must have been like? More importantly, can you imagine the strength of this tree’s roots? It is amazing how sometimes we don’t realize how strong/powerful nature can be.

This tree makes me think of those people who never seem to give up, no matter how hard their life’s storm is. They may be bent, but they are not broken. It also made me think of the simple truth of “nurturing things”. If you take care of something, give it nutrients- it will grow stronger and stronger and when the bad things/wind come it won’t break. Life works the same way most of the time. If we nurture our relationships by pouring in communication, time, love etc. they become stronger and stronger and you can survive fights, disagreements, rumors, tears, whatever. It is the same thing that goes for work, parenting, writing, faith, and physical health. Learn to be someone who is always trying to grow, who is always building whether it’s your relationship or a skill; the more you practice, the more you nurture, the better and stronger you become.

photo credit: google images

Who is someone you have met that is the strongest person you’ve ever known?

Sisterhood of the World of Bloggers Nomination.

Thank you to When Nothing Goes Write ( http://whennothinggoeswrite.com/)  for nominating me for this award…it brings back memories of me and my group of childhood friends who were OBCESSED with Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. We even made our own “sisterhood” with the special article of clothing being a shirt…it didn’t last very long and nothing exactly magical happened but always a good memory.

The Guide lines:

Thank and link the person who nominated you.
Add the award to your post and site.
Answer 10 questions provided to by the person nominating you.
Provide 10 questions of your own to be answered by those you nominate.
Nominate your bloggers for the award. (AND comment on their blogs to inform them.)

Questions for me to answer:

1. What is your favorite book and why?  (One question at a time is overrated.)

This is a tuff one because I love so many books. I will give you one of my top ten though. Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks. For me the best books have romance, realistic characters, gets you emotionally involved, and have suspense. Nicolas Sparks nails all categories in Safe Haven. I liked the movie but the book is MUCH better!

2. Arranged marriages.  Yes or no?

NO WAY!!

3. Explain in your own words what pension means?  I’m mostly just confused about this and looking for answers in all the wrong places.

Pension is when the company you have dedicated years of your life to, still pays you AFTER you retire!

4. Do you believe in jinxes?  Like jinx you owe me a coke jinxes…I guess superstition in general.

No not really, but I have had some suspiciously accurate fortune cookies.

5. Where do you stand in the whole nature versus nurture debate?

I don’t know too much about this, so hopefully this will make sense: I think there are absolute truths, truths that will never change no matter what society decides about them. We were all given a consciences and the ability to make choices. I think society does affect us hugely but ultimately you make your own choices. A line from the movie A Knight’s Tale , “you can change your stars”, sort of sums this up.

6. Do you believe in fate and why?

I think people and situations are put in our lives  for a reason and a purpose, but the choices we make/others make is a factor as well.

7. What is your favorite phrase or saying?

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa

8. Where exactly do you think Waldo is?

Probably chilling on a beach! Or he is in plain view, blending in with the hipsters!

9. What is the last song you listened to?

“Play It Again” by Luke Bryan. I heart this song!

10. How do you feel about breakfast for dinner?  (This is a personal favorite so I will be judging you based on your response.)

I totally support breakfast for dinner! Sometimes you simply NEED waffles and bacon at 6:30pm. And who can resist biscuits and gravy at any time of day?

Questions for my nominees:

1. What inspires you?

2. If you had to be in a reality tv show…which one would you pick?

3. Can guys and girls be BEST FRIENDS with no romantic feelings on either side?

4. If you could meet up with anyone for coffee…ANYONE at all, past-present-who would it be?

5. Talent or hard work…which wins?

6. Is there a song out there that could totally describe you/your life at the moment?

7. Burger king, McDonalds, or I would never eat at these two places?

8. Last book you read?

9. If you could have the powers of any of the super heroes…which would you pick?

10. What is a random keepsake you have…and what’s the story behind it?

I would like to nominate:

1. A Positive Italian      http://apostiveitalian.com

2. Rachel Carrera         http://rachelcarrera.wordpress.com

3. Motley Prints           http://motleyprints.wordpress.com