Ugh. Well, I tried. I can’t even make up an excuse for last night’s lack of posting, though I would have likely fallen asleep again. I took my Ambien at 10:30pm, made a grocery list, and as I was getting ready to go upstairs my husband said, “You didn’t write a blog post.” I was about 20 minutes into my sleeping-pill haze and I probably wouldn’t have stayed awake long enough to type the title.

Instead of turning my computer back on, I chose to go to bed.

That means I’ve now missed two days out of the the last 29. Dang it. To be that close to a finishing a challenge and not see it through kind of stinks. But, there is always next November…right? *laughs maniacally* *dons straitjacket* *begs to be taken to a padded room with no internet access*

Speaking of padded rooms, I think it’s time that I invested in a happy light. Ohio is gray, yo’. I’m all, “Where’s my Prozac?”

And, my husband is all, “You don’t take Prozac. Here, drink some of my homemade wine.”

But, as good as his moonshine is, it doesn’t make me happy when I look out the window. I would leave Ohio for someplace with bluer skies, if I could convince my husband to do so. In a heartbeat, really. Of course, that would mean tearing my kids out of school and leaving family, including our parents.  Though, if I said, “blue sky”, my 77 year old mom would be jumping into our car, like Luke Duke, to go with us.

I looked at lights for people with Seasonal Affective Disorder today, but they are so ugly. If any of you come across a box of sunshine that doesn’t look like a box of sunshine, please let me know. I feel like having a lamp that is so OBVIOUSLY for depression, would only depress me further. Make it silver-based with a lovely shade and then we’ll talk.

I think that, combined with the moonshine, might just do the trick.

In the meantime, I’m here to make YOU happy! Don’t forget to enter my Bounce and Dove giveaways! Who needs happy lights when there are gift cards involved?

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Editor’s Note: This is a sponsored post. I was paid by BlogHer to write this post and conduct discussions on Chime.in

Update 11/28 *The winner has been chosen and notified. Thanks for entering, everyone!*

Before I started blogging in 2007, I started writing a novel. I have had the story in my head for so long that the characters feel like extensions of my family. Well, except for that one really bad guy.

The manuscript that I started, forever ago, sat untouched until I recently picked it back up. I got inspired. I got motivated. I started working on it again.

I am the Social Media Manager for the largest community of women who blog, with 34 million visitors to our network each month. I host their Twitter stream that has over 36,000 followers and I do my own social media marketing on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, Stumbleupon and Linkedin.

The last thing I needed was another social network.

But, I was asked to try Chime.in and did. And, it’s pretty great.

Chime.in is not just a social network, it’s an “interest network”. As part of Ubermedia.com, Chime.in is a place where you can find a community of people with the same likes as you. Whether you’re into cars or fashion, home decorating or fitness, there is a network of people with whom to share your tips, tricks and passion.

And, Chime.in is where I found the Blog to Book community.

I’m not the only blogger trying to write a book. There are a lot of us in this boat and when the sea gets stormy and it gets hard to row, I have people who know exactly how I feel when I say that I stink at metaphors. They get it when I’m frustrated that I didn’t meet my word count goal or they understand what it’s like to outline chapters when kids are running around the room

Tips, tricks, passion…frustration. We share it all.

Within our community we can talk, add photos and even create polls to ask for opinions. It’s exactly what I needed to get started again.

And, guess what? You can get started reading and watching because Chime.in and BlogHer are letting me give away a Kindle Fire!

Comment here or join the discussion in the blog to book community on Chime.in to enter. Official rules are here. My part of the contest ends on Monday, November 21 at midnight ET. Comments or discussions on Chime.in timestamped after midnight ET on November 21 won’t be eligible for my part of the contest.

• Tuesday, November 1 – Monday November 7 — win here — GIVEAWAY CLOSED
• Tuesday, November 8 – Monday November 14 — win here — GIVEAWAY CLOSED
• Tuesday, November 15 – Monday November 21 — win with Momo Fali or Matt Logelin — GIVEAWAY CLOSED
• Tuesday, November 22 – Monday November 28 — win with Sassymonkey

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I’m a bit spent, so today’s post is nothing but a tease.

I have a fantastic giveaway starting tomorrow! Like, really fantastic!

And, it’s going to do my heart good to make one of my readers so happy. Like, really happy!

Come back tomorrow, when I can actually tell you what it is.

In the meantime, don’t forget my BlogHer and Bounce giveaway going on here. You could win a Bounce Dryer Bar and a $50 Visa gift card!

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There are two things that I really dislike; one is winter and the other is laundry. Put the two of them together and you have one grumpy mom.

Winter means more trips up and down the basement stairs. I can’t wash as many items at once because all of the clothes are heavy sweatshirts and jeans. Not to mention that I often have to run down to look for a glove, or a volleyball kneepad, or one half of a basketball uniform that has mysteriously gone missing. I once read a hint from Heloise that said to pin gloves together before you wash them. Yeah, like I have time for that!

But, by far, the thing I dislike the most about the combination of winter and laundry is the static that invades our clothing. Ohio winters are cold and dry and you can’t pull a towel out of the dryer without finding two socks stuck to it. Blankets try to fold themselves, shirts cling to your body like leeches and you can shock yourself when peeling apart two flannel pillowcases.

You know how I mentioned how things mysteriously go missing? Not long ago, I was out running errands when a baseball sock that had been missing for months started sliding out of my pant leg. There I was, in the middle of the store when I looked down to see a bright, yellow sock wrapped around my ankle. I yanked it out and stuffed it into my purse…half embarrassed, half thrilled that the thing had finally turned up.

You need a powerful fabric softener to combat static cling and when you forget to put the liquid in the washing machine or you realize the dryer sheet box is empty, it’s a real crisis. This happens to me a lot. Your only option is to slather yourself, and your children, with lotion as a buffer between your dry skin and the crackling clothes. This is not optimal. Trust me. Getting out of the door in the morning is challenging enough when everyone is wearing flip-flops, let alone socks, tied shoes, coats, hats and gloves.

Needless to say, day to day life is busy. I can’t pin gloves together, I don’t remember to add fabric softener and I can’t moisturize my children every day before they leave for school.

And, that is why I love the Bounce Dryer Bar.

The Bounce Dryer Bar is the only thing for which I have uttered “laundry” and “convenient” in the same sentence. You stick it in your dryer and it lasts for months. No liquid, no sheets, just one stick and you don’t have to think about how much static cling is in your clothing until winter turns into spring! It’s brilliant and it has made laundry days around here quite a bit easier. Clothing smells fresh, and doesn’t cling together, and I don’t have to run up and down the steps as often because I forgot the fabric softener.

Laundry isn’t something that will magically do itself and, while I will never say that I love it, I will say that the Bounce Dryer Bar makes me dislike it a whole lot less. I even liked their Facebook page!

You can win your own Bounce Dryer Bar and a $50 Visa gift card right here. Just leave me a comment or answer this question: What is your least favorite thing about laundry?

Rules: Sweepstakes ends 12/6/11. No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here.
Good Luck Everybody!

For more opportunities to win, visit the Bounce round-up page on BlogHer.com to read other bloggers’ reviews!

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