Celebrating My 1 Year Blogaversary! WooHoo!

     Today is my 1 year anniversary of blogging.    365 days and 159 posts ago, I started an adventure;  one that I had no idea where it would lead.   Truth is, I had no concept of what blogging was.  I had only read 2 up to that point.  One was my niece's that she wrote while traveling in Australia, the other was by a friend from church that kept a journal when they went to Kazakhstan to adopt their beautiful daughter.   I had no idea that so many people actually blogged, just for the fun of it.

     I had just broken my right ankle and badly sprained the left.  I was laid up in the recliner and, frankly, was bored out of my mind.  You can only watch so much mindless TV and the words started to run together if I read for too long at one time.  My computer was my only salvation.   But, there again, you can only spend so much time on facebook.  What to do?    Finally, the thought occurred to research blogs.  I found Blogger, began to read a few that sounded interesting, and then read up on how to create my own.  Thus, was born, My View Through Kat Eyes.   And, the rest, as they say, is history.

     Learning by trial and error, I still had no earthly idea just how amazing this journey would be.  As I began to get the hang of things, people actually started reading what I wrote, much to my surprise.  I was hooked in no time.  With each post I gained confidence and began to open up more and more.   But the best part...I began to make new friends.  Friends from other parts of the country, even friends from other countries.  Wow!  I was blown away.  I could never have imagined meeting so many wonderful friends.   What a blessing!  Together we have shared our deepest sorrow, our joyous celebrations, most embarrassing moments, happy memories and a bond; a bond forged of our love of writing and shared experiences.  I may have stumbled into the blogging world by accident because of sheer boredom, but I have gained from it one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.   

     Therefore, it is with much excitement and jubilee that I celebrate my 1 year blogaversary!  I am thrilled that you are here to celebrate with me.  To thank you for your love and support, I want to give each of you a chance to win my anniversary gift to you.

     Recently, I have become an Independent Watkins Associate.  Watkins produces natural products for cooking, home care, health and personal care.  To celebrate both my blogaversary and my new business, I am offering one lucky reader this 8 piece Lavender Essentials Gift Set.   This set includes 2 lavender hand & body lotions, 1 lavender bath soak, 2 lavender hand creams, 2 lavender hand & cuticle salves and 1 raspberry weatherproofing lip balm.  It even comes in a reusable travel pouch.

     This is a terrific little set and a great way to try our Watkins products.  All you have to do to be entered in the drawing is leave a comment on today's post.  Anyone can comment, you do not have to be a blogger to leave a comment.   I hope you will all enter.   I wish I could open this to all my wonderful blogging friends, but, unfortunately I will have to limit it to United States residents only.   You have until midnight Saturday night to enter.  I will draw the winner on Sunday and notify you as soon as possible.  If you do not have a blog or are not friends with me on fb, please leave me an email address or other way to contact you in your comment.  Thank you all for supporting me this last year and I look forward to many more.  Good luck to each of you!

Love to all,

Kat

If you do not win you can still try Watkins products no matter where you live in the US.  Go to 

http://www.watkinsonline.com - register, order and put in ID# 396916

Products will be shipped directly to you and I will still get credit.   If you are local, you can just contact me.

Jane's Hidden Identity

     Jane carefully and quietly slips through the open window as she's done many times before.  But this time is not like all the others.   This time Jane is injured.  

     As blood trickles down her neck she knew the cut on her cheek would need medical attention.  How would she explain this gash when she had supposedly been shut up in her office for her quiet writing time.   She would have to think of something...and quick!  She had convinced everyone close to her that whenever inspiration hit, no matter whether day or night, she would need complete solitude as she shut herself in her office to work on her writing.  They knew how important her writing was to her so they all respected her wishes and anytime she put the "Writer at Work, Do Not Disturb" sign on her door they left her alone.  Little did they know that it was during this so called "quiet time"  that Jane was anything but quiet.

     Truth is, the quiet, mild-mannered persona that Jane portrayed to those who knew her was all an act.  In reality, she was an undercover agent for the CIA; a special tactics agent, called out in only the most top-secret assignments.  When the call came in she would retreat to her office where hidden in a secret closet, undetectable to the untrained eye, was every kind of modern, technological gadget known to man, as well as knives, guns and clothing needed for her job.  With the stealth of a cat she would slip out the window and be back before anyone realized she was gone.  But this time something went wrong.  Before she could subdue the intended prisoner, he had pulled a knife and managed to graze her cheek before she kicked it out of his hand.  The agency knew if they let their doctors sew her up she wouldn't be able to explain the stitches so the only option was to send her home and let her go to the ER.  But how was she going to explain the cut!

     Slipping back into her regular clothes and closing the secret closet Jane spotted the glass of wine sitting by her computer.  Suddenly,  she knew what she must do.  Breaking the glass and knocking a couple of papers on the floor, she ran out of the office and started screaming for Lex.  When he arrived, sounding weak and drowsy, Jane explained that she had passed out sitting at the computer and cut her cheek on the wine glass.  Believe it or not, he actually bought it!  And so did the staff at the ER, even after it took 27 stitches to close the wound.  Once again, she had managed to keep her secret identity just that...secret.

  

 

    

The end.

     This fictional story (Or is it, Jane?) was written in response to GBE2 Week #40 writing prompt.  Unfortunately, one of our writing friends, Jane, really did pass out in front of her computer and end up in the ER with 27 stitches in her cheek from a broken wine glass.  We are giving her a choice of some very creative stories she might want to use to explain her scar; much more interesting than her unbelievable version.  :D)

    

The Review

Written for GBE2 week #37 prompt - Review



     "I just don't understand," she mumbled to herself as she drove across town yet another late night.  "I should be a star reporter by now but instead here I am hopping from nightclub to concert hall night after night, alone.  When will I get a break?"

     Kari had graduated college with honors and worked her way up through small town newspapers until finally she landed a job at the most prestigious newspaper in town.   Unfortunately, the only job opening was for a music review column; not exactly her dream job.  Thinking this would get her foot in the door she eagerly accepted, knowing that it would only be temporary until the editor saw her talent and promoted her to news reporter.   After all, she was a serious journalist.  Famous last words.  Here it was a year later and she was still writing music reviews for wannabes and has-been musicians.

     Arriving at the address she had scribbled on a post-it note she found a parking spot and entered the smoky nightclub.   Sliding into a booth in the back of the room she pulled out her notepad and laid it on the table with her pencil.  It was already past 11:00 and the opening act was still going.  She had to admit she was a little anxious to hear tonight's subject.  He was a guitar player...supposed to be the next Jimi Hendrix or so she had been told.  Finally, he was introduced by the club owner as Kari stifled a yawn.   He began with his own rendition of Jimi's Purple Haze.

     Suddenly the room was empty...or was it.  She could smell his Jade East Cologne before he came into sight.  She hadn't thought of him in years.  It was as if it were 1969 all over again.  He came closer and closer; her heart pounding wildly.  Their eyes met as he laid his hand on hers and...

      Kari jumped, startled, as the realization of what had just happened set in.  The waitress was gently shaking her arm with a worried expression on her face.  "Miss?  Are you alright miss?    I'm afraid it's closing time, do you need me to call you a cab?"

     Mumbling an apology of sorts and assuring the waitress she was fine Kari made a hasty exit to hide her embarrassment.  Sitting in her car she played over in her mind the possible scenarios that could play out tomorrow.  How could she write a review of the guitar player when she had slept through his whole performance! 

     Morning came way too soon and Kari still didn't know what would happen.  Could she write a review on a musician she never heard, or worse, would she be the one under review.

Until next time...that's my view.

Kat