http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/While everyone else is reaching for their high blood pressure medication, I am using Blog Therapy to lower my stress level. Got a subject? I've got an opinion. <!--webbot bot="HitCounter" u-custom b-reset="TRUE" i-digits="0" i-image="2" PREVIEW="&lt;strong&gt;[Hit Counter]&lt;/strong&gt;" i-resetvalue="0" --> hourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/402787The other day at gymnastics, my darlin' 3-year-old daughter gave me another memory for the scrapbook. As the kids were all sitting on their mats waiting to warm up, she up and announces to the whole world, "My mommy knows my name!" All the mothers were so proud of me for her learning her name....http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/400090So here is the deal. About the time I conceived the twins, I wrote a story that involved boy/girl twins. I ended up with boy/girl twins. A few months ago, I wrote a story called "I Want My Ovaries Back". Today, I found out I have cysts on both ovaries that could conceivably lead to their removal....http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/397867I ran across the most perfect how to write a novel guidelines that I have ever seen. It is so good that I have printed it out and am presenting it to my writers group tonight as the new novel writing bible. It can't be any worse than their current course, which is to change the group's focus ever...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/396260Before I begin, realize that I am a small publisher and even considering expanding my publishing ant hill. So, yes, I realize the challenges that go along with the role. That said... Small publishers suck! And here is why: You are expected to write for less than minimum wage. If you are writing...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/395628Flash fiction for you amusement: "But, Tom, it's not that obvious. I mean, if we put hats on her…" Katie said, coddling Suri in a hooded towel. "And what if her hat flew off? No, surgery is the only way. We have an image to uphold." Tom paced the nursery; his black attire and disposition out of...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/395375Do not eat blue cake, even if it is someone's birthday. Not only does it turn your tongue blue, it turns other less mentionable things unnatural colors as well. And, apparently gives you a minimum of 12 hours of misery. I can only hope the flowers that were brought into the house are not the...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/388952So, I keep getting search hits on sex contracts, so I set out to find a sample sex contract. Believe it or not, I found a set of four: Consent of a Straight Male Consent of a Straight Female Consent of a Lesbian Consent of a Gay Male And they are all in one place! http://www.sex-contract.com/...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/387938I was in touch with Kate yesterday. She is still in dire need of good entries. Call for Submissions: Loving the Undead…An Anthology of Romance. Sort of. by From the Asylum Books and Press edited by Katherine Sanger You always wondered what it took to make a good zombie boyfriend. Or maybe you...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/387261Finally! Someone who agrees with me. A new book by Professor Klaus Bergdolt called Well Being: A Cultural History (to be published by Polity in translation in December) is a useful corrective to our current fixation on happiness. The German sociologist argues that the history of medicine "teaches...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Opinionated_Critic/386836In a recent court case, a judge ruled that sanitizing movies violates copyright laws. Apparently, there is a whole industry out there that takes perfectly good movies and removes the parts they feel are offensive, then they resell them to targeted markets. To learn more, visit Beta News. If there...