Living with a children's author isn't as easy as it looks!

“Ever tried and failed? No matter. Try again and fail better.”

~Samuel Beckett~

Of course, Mom wants me to say I try and fail all the time. But that’s not true. I don’t really try at all. I’m usually phoning it in. So when I fail, that’s the reason.

And when I fail better, it’s random luck.

Mom on the other hand tries. Lately, she’s been working on old and new stories and submitting them to Rate Your Story

Could be better (1), but could be worse (10).

and to her critique group named LindaVijiJenConnieandOtherJen. When they write to her about her work, they always say what’s not clear, what to cut, what to tighten, what to add, and what to change. Then Mom is able to fail better. But only until she succeeds.

Meanwhile she has small successes along the way like seeing her new stories get more focused on their themes. And she gets to see her old stories go off in new directions.

My progress goes in many different directions. I’ve recently changed my street nap technique when the street burned my butt. #fail

I moved to the sidewalk. Mom said, “This isn’t much better.” and “Still embarrassing.” and “Why can’t you be normal?”

When she takes me out to eat, I’ve stopped hiding under her chair, tripping the waitress, and sitting in the water bowl. #fail

Now I just beg for food because sharing is caring. And Mom shares!


At the park, I still hide under the bench, but sometimes, I come partway out to catch some sunshine and say hi to some park people.

Mom said, “What are you afraid of?” and “Want to play?” and “I feel like I’m being watched.”

 

 

 

Comments on: "Inspirational Quote of the Week" (52)

  1. “Why can’t you be normal?” – that’s a terrible thing to say! She can’t mean it. When they say normal it generally means boring. Remain quirky, Cupcake!

  2. we live with mr. beckets quote… and guess what? it is the one what always works… no word or encouraging can cheer us up more than mr. beckets words… and always if we fail better we feel like winners … YAY!

    • That IS the perfect quote at your house, P. Being a winner is relative. For certain people spending a day doing DIY without a hospital visit is winning for sure.

      Love and licks,
      C

  3. Hi Cutie Cupcake! Love you in your beautiful skirt and crown – Princess Cupcake rules! I think sidewalk naps WOULD be a lot more safe and comfy than street naps. We don’t want your butt burned any more than YOU do! I’m glad your Mom is getting good feedback from her critique groups – tweaks and re-writes are part of the writing game that’s for sure. We wish her tons of luck though.

    Hugs, Teddy

    • Thanks, T. I enjoyed my sidewalk nap almost as much as my usual street naps. I even took a grass nap one day. That street was BLAZING hot these past few days. Lucky, I figured out a plan B. That said, Mom says she is tired of standing there like a jackass in the heat. #freemom

      Love and licks,
      C

  4. love the quote –

  5. Failing better – we’re in! Like when we time our walk right when everyone else is out there & we have to wait for our favorite game of catch, then Chili lunges & misses the ball and Sadie just sits there. So much for our morning exercise! Hope the writing & revising goes well today!

    • Ha! Ha! Ha! Sounds like the story of my life, PT. Catch for sure is one game that eludes me. It’s more like Mom taking target practice on my face. #ouch

      Love and licks,
      C

  6. So cute! I lay in the shade also…it’s too hot to do anything else. Boomer

  7. C., your life is cool. You do stuff I think is so daring. I would never lie on a sidewalk or a road and I’d be hiding under the bench from any kooks. Most peeps are kooks as far as I’m concerned.

    S.

    • Agreed, S. Kooks are everywhere. They come in all shapes and sizes. Wait. What? Mom says there’s a certain kook that’s MY exact shape and size in MY OWN HOUSE. I wonder where he’s hiding….

      Love and licks,
      C

  8. chesterspaniel said:

    Who wants to be “normal” when there’s all kinds of crazy you could be instead??? I hope you got lots of good yum yum treats and some of those scrambled eggs too for all your photo sessions. Joey dog would say, “two treats per photo session.” Those are the rules from the Yum Yum Coalition Guide to Doggie Employment. Good luck with all of your trying!

    • Joey had the right idea. I’ve been working for ONE treat / session. Time for a raise! I could turn “all kinds of crazy” in a NY minute.

      Love and licks,
      C

  9. I recognize those eggs and I still want to eat them. Quirky is a very good thing… I live it and like it. Small successes are actually BIG… they keep us going! NoBODY wants a burned butt!

  10. That napping in the sun looks good to me and that breakfast even better. No failing there! ❤️🐶

  11. Oh Cupcake, I would love to sit on a park bench and discover your beady eye watching me!!! And hurray for mom’s # 4 rating: onwards and upwards! Xoxoxo Johanna and Charley

    • Woot! Thanks, J and C. Mom thinks my sneaky eye is creepy. I am only watching out for her. …and making sure she doesn’t leave me.

      Love and licks,
      C

  12. Three Pups and a Couple of Kitties said:

    Cupcake, you are so precious! Today is a very busy day and a smile/chuckle was needed. Thank you to you and mom for providing that smile/chuckle. Both of you keep up the good work!

    • Smiles, chuckles, and preciousness are my specialty, A. That’s what we’re here for. Thanks for dropping by to soak some in.

      Love and licks,
      C

  13. Hi C! I hide under the bench at the park, too, sometimes. Now that I am getting my brave on, I think I won’t do that so much anymore. Xena
    I love to lay in the sun, too, Cupcake, but Mom would have a conniption if I laid in the street. What are sidewalks? Lucy

    • GAH! No sidewalks is a scary situation. Street naps are scary in a totally different way – more for Mom than for me. She watches for the cars and works at persuading me to move out of the way. She is also in charge of apologizing to the drivers and assuring them that I am alright (just a little nutty).

      Love and licks,
      C

  14. jThere are no fails, Cupcake. Remember what Thomas Edison said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Tell her to keep working at her stories.

    • Thanks, M. Thomas Edison is a genius. Not the kind of genius Mom calls me when I get tangled around the light pole outside or stuck behind the big chair in the living room, but a REAL genius.

      Love and licks,
      C

  15. Cupcake, your adventures are what keeps me smiling. I love your descriptions of them. Your mms remarks about your feats of daring and doing, faithfully reported by you, are even more icing on the cake that send me here for dessert time after time. Tell Mom concatulations of 4! Better’n five; and 3 or less coming right up!

    • Awww… Thanks, KI. and mama. We do enjoy bringing smiles. I love thinking of myself doing feats of daring. Daring is not usually my specialty. I’m more the scaring type than the daring type.

      Love and licks,
      C

  16. Sidewalk naps? They just don’t have the same danger level as the street naps. Also, I hope your butt is feeling OK!

  17. hello cupcake its dennis the vizsla dog hay this all sownds perfektly ok to me espeshly the part abowt tripping the waytress!!! tripping hyoomans wile they ar kerrying fud is a time onnord way of mayking them drop the fud so that us dogs kan git it!!! ha ha ok bye

    • You are a genius, D. Floor foods are my favorite kinds of foods. That waitress was like a juggler, though. Not a crumb hit the ground! Rude. OK. Bye.

      Love and licks,
      C

  18. MOL…I think you’re very normal, Cupcake, you look like me…MOL 😀 When you fail it’s a sign that you have try…try and try…try and try…you succeed at last🎶🎵🎶 🙊YAY for your mom, a 4 is more than half purrfect. Now let’s dance to that, Purrincess 🙂 Pawkisses for a Happy Week ahead 🙂 ❤

    • Thanks, Little B. We do look kinda of the same out there. I’m glad to have my tutu collection, so I am READY to dance at all times!

      Love and licks,
      C

  19. M. K. Clinton said:

    Believe me Cupcake, normal is highly overrated! Stay weird with us. LOL!

  20. OH! I meant to say that tutu suits you to a T! (My cat mind tried to think of a pun…nothin’ doin’). Love there color. I think teal for your next one?

  21. I think lying in the grass might be a little better on those hot days. 🙂

    • That doesn’t usually occur to me, but sometimes Mom forces me into the grass. It IS a lot cooler…. Don’t tell her I said so.

      Love and licks,
      C

  22. I think mom’s right to worry about the sidewalk in this heat. It’s stifling, and I’m sorry you burned your butt. 😦 We think to put booties on dog’s feet, but nothing for the butt.

    • That’s true, J. I have lots of dresses, but they wouldn’t protect my butt. I’d need some human pants! Wouldn’t that be sumethin’?

      Love and licks,
      C

  23. We stopped by to see your sweet face, Cupcake and to bring Pawkisses for a Happy Weekend 🙂 ❤

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