Happy New Year!

I'm busy, busy, busy, and you know I love it.

1. Tax season has started so it's 54 - 60 hour work weeks at my full-time (real) job.
2. Smoky Mountain Authors is moving into the publication business which is harder than it looks! Since I'm the boss I'd better get to work.
3. I have completed my first book Madison's Law available in paperback and on Kindle from Amazon. I am currently working on 3 Minutes Out with plans on finishing this one very soon.
4. WNC Paranormal Research Society is reaching out to local communities and areas to complete investigations. We have also made many connections with other paranormal groups around the world.
5. I graduate in May with my AA degree.
6. I am taking a cruise with the family in June to the Caribbean for 8 whole days!
7. I start Nursing school in the fall if I am accepted.
8. Life comes to a complete stop until Nursing school is finished.

Best. Twitter. Ever.

I just had an interaction on Twitter that made my night. This is only one of two times a celebrity that I enjoy has responded to a tweet of mine. However, this time was slightly different. I did not tweet directly to him nor did I expect a response in any form. Since, I was more than a little sarcastic in the reply (to someone I don't know) I did expect a few hate mail responses, blocks, or unfollows.

Here is what happened with actual Twitter times and names:

Kellie Arany @ParalelieKellie 

Me: "I'll have a coke." Waitress: "Is Pepsi ok?" Me: "Is Monopoly money ok?"

1:15 PM - 09 Nov 12

(Here is where I shook my head and grumbled something to my friends about people stealing jokes as their own. Miss Kellie claims to be a "Ghost Hunter extraordinaire" but if she's willing to steal someone's rather famous joke who is to say she wouldn't fake evidence or steal it to make it hers? I couldn't resist. I replied under my paranormal research group account.)

Nichole Hill @WNCPRS

@ParalelieKellie John Caparulo actually. But nice try. :)

5:36 PM - 09 Nov 12

(Now I don't mind that someone has repeated a joke. I don't begrudge her trying to be funny on Twitter. That's why jokes are funny because you can repeat them. However, I have never told a joke as my own that I heard. I usually mention the name of the comedian or say something like "I heard that joke from..." after I tell it.)

Here is the response that I did not expect at all:

John Caparulo favorited

48m : @ParalelieKellie John Caparulo actually. But nice try. :)

(I had to respond to such a profound favorite. I mean, what are the chances that he would have saw that particular post. I verified that he was actually Mr. Caparulo first which Twitter has a nice little blue check mark that tells you it's true.)

Nichole Hill @WNCPRS

@JohnCaparulo just watching out for one of my fave comedians! Thanks for the star.

6:39 PM - 09 Nov 12

His reply:

John Caparulo @JohnCaparulo

@WNCPRS appreciate it!

6:40 PM - 09 Nov 12

(To which I favorited the appreciation.)

(DISCLAIMER: Please do not tweet the poor woman or send her any hate mail. I mean no harm to her character as I do not know her personally. She has already been reminded of what it means to be honest because people ARE watching whether one knows it or not.)

Don't be alarmed...this is a new post!

I know, it's hard to believe, but here I am updating the family blog! Well, kind of. I just wanted everyone to be aware of some other blogs/websites/facebook/twitter accounts I am also running in case you haven't liked, followed, or read them yet.

@nicholestweet (my personal twitter which is connected to my facebook)

Smoky Mountain Authors was founded by me and is dedicated to promoting and assisting independent authors like myself.
www.facebook.com/smokymtnauthors
www.smokeymtnauthors.com
@smkymtnauthors (Twitter)

NPP of WNC was founded by Bryan Owens but I am now running all events. We are a group of friends from work and around NC who decided to get together and shoot each other in a somewhat safe environment. We also have a facebook page but I forget what it is at the moment. I will update this post when I figure it out.
@NPPofWNC (Nonprofessional paintballers of Western North Carolina)

WNC Paranormal Research Society was founded by me to investigate claims about hauntings, ghosts, and other paranormal activities that are not easily explained. We also have a facebook page but again I forget what it is at the moment.
www.wncprs.blogspot.com
@WNCPRS (Western North Carolina Paranormal Research Society)

Charleston, SC

(Not sure why this was a Draft?!? But here it is...)

My girl friends Courtney Hall and Joanna Jennings forced me to head to Charleston with them. Actually, they really did not. I volunteered for a chance to be without kids and husband for 48 hours. It was so relaxing and wonderful! We saw and did many things and it was a great adventure. Charleston is only a few hours from home so we piled in the car around 8pm and took off. Driving through the night Courtney and I sang disney songs the whole trip at the top of our lungs while Joanna attempt to sleep in the back seat.

We arrived late in the evening and required a few hours of sleep before bounding off for adventure the next day. Once we got to our room we showered and slept...hard apparently since Joanna claimed we BOTH snored.

At around 8am we woke up and those two went and got breakfast while I showered again. We hopped in the car and took off. Excited to see the city and walk around. We took a walk down rainbow row for a few hours before deciding that we wanted to take a wagon ride. And by the way, as cool as cobble stone streets sound, they are not fun to walk on (you may break and ankle) nor are they fun to drive on either (shakes the crap out of your car). All the homes are close the upper 10 to 12 million dollar range in the historical section and they are beautiful. If I win the lottery I am buying this address below!


My future address



This is where a gigantic terrier came out of no where and scared the crap out of Joanna and I.

One of the Million Dollar homes front door



Cobblestone sucks

Historically Charleston is an amazing place where the first shots were fired for the war between the states. (That would be how those southerners refer to the Civil War, as there was nothing civil about it). We rode the wagon around the city and learned many things that I have forgotten already, I guess I have to go back and do it again. The problem with the wagon ride is if you have never seen a horse from that angle and the many things that horses do biologically, well, its an adventure as well.



View from the parking spot downtown

After that we decided it was time to eat. We ate a seafood joint called Hymen's. Why? I have no idea as I don't care for seafood. However my crab cake sandwich was AMAZING. Poor Joanna was disappointed in her meal though since it came late and it was old. We sat at a table that Metallica sat at before and also Michael Phelps (Gold medal olympic swimmer FYI).

Metallica

After we ate we decided that it was time to find the Yorktown for a tour. It was closed by the time we got there so that would have to wait. It was a little chilly out but we wanted to see the area before the sun went down so we headed to the beach. At the beach there were big warning signs saying to stay out of the water and there was a huge fine for even dipping your toes. We decided that it was probably a good idea to stay out of the water. We walked the beach for awhile and took some awesome sunset pictures and then went back to the hotel.

We wanted to do a ghost hunt at the most haunted place in Charleston, the old jail, but it was totally booked for the evening. Instead we headed back into town for some walking tours of our own. Bored, we did a little geocaching. Courtney and Joanna fell in love with my little hobby and we found three during the night. On our way back we were telling each other scary stories since we did not get to do the ghost hunt and Joanna and I got the pants scared off of us because of some dude who was out for a walk in the dark alley.

We made it back to the hotel alive and well when we discovered that Joanna had lost her debit card. It was a terrible feeling to have lost something that important. She was able to cancel her card and Courtney covered her the rest of the trip but I know the feeling and it had to have been horrible for her.

The next day it was time to go home but not before we wasted some time at the Yorktown and Fort Sumter. I got to walk an aircraft carrier and be reminded of all the things I miss about the Navy. I got to tell my friends a little about what I did when I was in too. We then took a ferry ride over to the fort. That was fun and an adventure once again. Its funny how people are so ignorant sometimes. One lady actually believed that the Airforce was the only military that flew planes. I almost flipped out but Courtney saved that womens life.

There was one beach that Courtney had wanted to see about 30 minutes more south so we headed that direction before heading home. I have no idea why three full grown women would want to play in the ocean water knowing full well we did not have a change of clothes with us but we totally did. We got soaked! Crawling back into my car and taking half of the Atlantic ocean and beach with us we drove home. We promptly made plans to return next year.


I'm a terrible blogger...

December? Really? That was the last time I posted ANYTHING?!?!

Well, crap. Updates: My mother in law passed away in April. It was a very difficult time for us and we are just now getting our lives back in order. We miss her terribly!

My kids are all a year older and Trista is in school this year (she cried this morning because she couldn't go to school with a fever).

We went to the circus again this year and every year they do an awesome job entertaining my kids and killing my wallet.

I have maintained my 4.0 throughout the many months of schooling and I did not get accepted into the nursing program however I have been accepted into the Honors program. More work for the same grade...I don't think so.

I still work at the same job with the tax preparers and I'm pretty sure they get dumber every year.

That's about it for now...At least all that I can think of...

OH WAIT!!

I wrote a book! Can you believe it? It's called Madison's Law and it is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. My writers website is www.smokeymtnauthors.com so feel free to go check us out. We do all sorts of things there like editing and writing. I know most of my peeps are readers so really, go check us out.

Love you all!!

Nichole

School, School, Vacations, More School

I have been busting my behind since August (you might be able to tell since I have not written anything on here in a long time) to attempt to get my 4.0 I have always wanted. I had no time for anything else but school. Eventually my best friends had had enough of me ignoring them and dragged me to Charleston, SC in October(the best vacation I ever took) and my family dragged me to Sea World a month later for Thanksgiving. Both of which I will be posting pictures very soon.

This week is finals and it looks as though that 4.0 is just within reach. To celebrate this achievement, whether it happens or not, I will be taking myself to dinner and possibly a movie (Happy Feet 2) with the kids and hubby. I have not spent any time with them since I started classes. With 54 hour work weeks (tax season) starting plus full time school in the mornings I will be out of the house at 7am and not home again until 11pm. I will not see them for the next four months. I am planning on spending as much time with them of this Christmas break as I can.

Keeping you posted four months at a time!

Soapsations

Hey all! There is a new link to your right be sure to "Like" it! Its my new facebook business Soapsations for the retail sale of designer all natural soap based products. Products range from small hand soaps to shampoo for dogs. Designs for soaps range from the very small to the extra large its all your choice!

Share Your Love...Not a Scam

Share Your Love for Redbox! Brickfish

The Circus Comes to Town

We attended the circus a few days ago. This is NOT your Barnum and Bailey circus. Everything was expensive! Every five minutes they were stopping the show to sell some other junk toy for two dollars. However, that said, my kids did have a good time. They liked the show and they LOVED the animals as usual. Below are some shots of the day. My favorite, Trista and Lani completely happy feeding the goats.

Algebra with a Polish Accent?

My first class of Algebra I found out that my professor is from Poland. It is rather interesting to try to understand the math and her accent at the same time. She sounds exactly like Gru from Despicable Me (Steve Carrell). She seems very nice and helpful as well so I should make it through this class with flying colors.

On a side note I passed my first test, not just passed, I zipped by it with a 122%. Did I mention that I LOVE extra credit?