For years I’ve listened to the writer’s chatter about Panera. This place comes up so often, a writer like me could get the impression that without Panera one’s career in publishing will lack some sparkle. Well, I love sparkle, so I felt left out.

The 2010 ACFW conference took place in Indianapolis. An added bonus to the awesome conference was my chance to see what a Panera actually was. And Yum! I went with my lovely critique partners, Kimberly Buckner, Jodie Bailey, and Donna Moore, for a final meal together before we left for our separate corners of the country.

I’m afraid I didn’t get the full benefit. You see my vanity was kicking me in the head that day. I’d chosen to forgo my glasses the night before. I’m not sure what I was thinking. I guess the glitz of the banquet and the fact that I was up for two awards…Okay, I was VAIN! The migraine that accompanied me for the entire trip home wiped up that little problem. There’s nothing pretty about me with a migraine!

Okay, back to my point. Today, not far from where I live, Panera opens its doors. Now I can be a REAL writer. Look for my tweets about writing at Panera. I’ve joined the club.

Here’s the rest of my 40 things I’ve learned in 40 years. To see the first ten, click here.

11. Revenge only causes more hurt.

12. There IS such a thing as too much technology.

13. Okay, I really don’t want to admit to this, but I love the guinea pig we’re watching for three years. Yes, I said three years.

14. Books are still better than movies.

15. It doesn’t matter how much gravel we put on our driveway, as soon as it rains, the rock runs for cover somewhere in the center of the earth.

16. Feeling loved is more important than having a spotless house. My kids aren’t going to remember if the windows had smudges.

17. Eating healthy makes me feel healthy. Okay, I know this, but I don’t always apply this one.

18. Along with number 17, exercise actually gives me more energy. Yep, I need to apply that one more too.

19. Sheep food is very dangerous to horses. See my guest blog on Nicole M. Miller’s site for details.

20. Being forty is better than any age so far.

21. I can convince myself of all sort of silliness through positive thinking. (see #20)

22. The enemy wouldn’t bother to attack if I weren’t headed for something amazing!

23. Investing in a child is never a mistake.

24. I will miss my grandmother every day of my life, especially on the particularly hard days and the particularly joyful days.

25. Learning to read opens up the world.

26. It’s okay that my taste in music is seriously eclectic.

27. When a child climbs into your lap with a book, there is nothing important enough to skip that moment.

28. Rejections move me forward and teach me more than any pat on the back. That’s not to mean I would turn my nose up at more contracts. Seriously…Anyone want to buy a manuscript?

29. Great Danes make awesome pets.

30. It’s not the people who don’t love you, it’s the people who DO that count.

31. Other writers are weird just like me.

32. I love spending time with other writers.

33. Prayerfully choose your top priorities and make decisions for your time based on these.

34. Spinach is actually very yummy when it doesn’t come out of a can.

35. Liver is not to be eaten.

36. Family has little to do with biology and more to do with the love and choices.

37. Women are their most beautiful at forty. Seriously…I read that somewhere.

38. Marriage is hard work, and worth every ounce of effort.

39. One sure way to cure a bout of sadness is to serve someone else.

40. And finally…I’ve learned that, although I’ve gained a bit of wisdom in the last forty years, I still know very little. Maybe by the time I reach eighty I’ll be wise.

Most weeks I float into Monday without too much resistance but this week is something else. I’m coming off a very nice three day weekend.

Do you ever have one of those weeks you just can’t get excited to face?

What is that they say about success? Hm, I can’t remember the quote, but I do remember that it’s about persistence more than anything. I’ve read many articles about writers who submitted their work to lists of agents and editors before someone finally believed in them. Of course those authors became best sellers or their stories wouldn’t have been written.

And then there are the writers who spend ten years perfecting their manuscripts. Wow! I can’t imagine how they kept working on one story for that long without writing in a final scene where all the characters explode.

I wonder if these writers ever woke up on a Monday and wanted to crawl back under the cozy sheets? I think they did, they just didn’t!

Thanks for listening to me ramble. I don’t know if you feel more motivated, but I’m getting there. I’m off to finish a proposal. What do you have for this week?

Added note: After writing this blog post, I went outside to see my boys off to school. When I came back into the kitchen, the cat was drinking my coffee. YUCK! Not a good start to the morning!

Image: Ohmega1982 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We’ve had another busy weekend. The big excitement around here is the installation of a ductless heating system. Yep, I think that last statement confirms that I’m getting older. My husband and our super-amazing electrician friend did the installation themselves. All we have to wait for now is the professional to make the final adjustments and we’ll be warm.

Our farmhouse is 112 years old and we’ve lived here for the last fourteen years. Even with many of the windows now replaced, it can get chilly. I won’t bore you with all the details about ducting and racoons, but the two don’t go well together.

Another blessing from the weekend was the weather. Wow. It was so warm and sunny yesterday. I think I’ll be able to live another week on that vitamin D boost.

The pears have all fallen and the bees are having their annual Thanksgiving feast under the tree. I’ve been doing a lot of research on bees lately. They’re helping with the theme of my latest manuscript. If you have any knowledge about beekeeping in the 1930s, please let me know.

The sun also brought the kiddos out to play. For the first time ever, Emma has poison oak. And in Emma fashion, she has it everywhere. Poor kid! We were suppose to have our portrait taken tonight. Well…that’s been rescheduled.

My husband and I have started working with the high school group at our church. What a blessing it is to spend time with these kids.

So that’s my weekend. What did you do?