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by Brittany Geragotelis

Recently, an old high school classmate was kind enough to mention my blog on her blog about writing. It was a really great post, all about what it means to be a writer. She poses the question: if you love to write and you've done it in the past, but haven't finished a novel and have let your writing slide for a while, can you still consider yourself a writer?

Well, in my opinion, if you write, you're a writer. If it makes your heart ache and the need to tell a story sits in the back of your mind whenever you're away from your computer, you're a writer. If writing is your passion, you're a writer.

What was flattering about Melissa's post was that she says that it was my challenge on this blog for others to start writing their own books that gave her the extra push she needed to get back into writing. What a special thing to have someone say...I've always hoped that my writing would inspire people to do something: learn something new, think about things in a different way, follow their dreams, create something amazing. Reading Melissa's blog made me think that maybe my blog actually does impact others. Thanks, Melissa, and congrats on getting started!

5x5,
B.

Guess what I brought back from Disney with me?

by Brittany Geragotelis

So, I'm back from Disney—I know, BOOOOOOOO! Florida was in the high 80s and sunny; New York, 60 and rainy. Disney was full of fun and roller coasters; New York is work, work, work. On vacation, all my meals were cooked for me and I had gluten-free Mickey waffles every morning; New York means I'm back to cooking for myself, trying to eat healthy, working out every day and having protein bars for breakfast.

And most annoyingly, in Florida I was healthy; here in New York, I'm sick.

The day after we arrived back in town I developed a cold which went from slight sneezing to stuffy, sore throat and cough. Now, I'm full-blown sick and wishing I had a week to recover from it. I've gotta admit, it's even harder to be excited about being back in town when you're having problems breathing out of your nose and your stomach muscles hurt from coughing so much.

But there are some good things about being back home:

photo credit: FOX/Glee

*I'm catching up on all my TV shows! When Matt and I got back, we had a marathon night of TV that we'd missed while we were gone. House, Glee, Medium, The Office, Gossip Girl, America's Next Top Model, Hellcats, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Nikita. As much as I loved Disney, I also love my must-see TV!

*Seeing all my friends again! There are about fifteen people in my life that I see on a daily basis whom my life wouldn't be the same without. I know this isn't typical of a workplace, but some of my best friends are my co-workers. Co-workers (like Toni and Marisa) have been my long-term friends and then there are my newer friends (like Jess and Kathy) who I truly enjoy seeing on a daily basis. We also just got a new addition to our team at work, Morgan, and I was totally excited to come back to see her, too (I can already tell she's going to be in that circle of friends, too)! And then there are my happy hour buddies (Tammy, Kate, Jessica, etc) who I meet up with nightly and we gab, gossip and giggle together like only girlfriends do. As much as I loved having some alone time with my man, I did miss my BFF's.
*Getting back to my routine. My mom likes to joke that I would be the easiest person to stalk (take note all you stalkers out there), because I like to walk the same way to and from the subway every day. And I'm not just talking just walking down certain streets, but I like to cross to the other sidewalk at specific places and walk on certain sides of the streets....and I don't like to deviate from my routine. As much as I loved the adventurous nature of our trip to Disney, I find comfort in knowing where I'm going to be headed every day, what's on my to-do list and that at the end of the day, I'm going to be snuggled up with my honey watching whatever show's on that night and typing away on our respective computers.
*And back to this blog! I tried my hardest to post blogs while I was away, but most days Matt and I were both so exhausted, I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone write one of these. And though keeping up this blog takes work and time, I really do enjoy writing it. Especially when I know that you all like reading it—that's really what makes it all worth it!

So, I guess it's not all that bad to be back here in the bustling city....now if I could only get over this stinking cold!

5x5,
B.

My Top 5 Distractions...

by Brittany Geragotelis

As you all know, I turned in my latest manuscript to Agent X a week ago, yesterday, and for the most part, I've been feeling pretty calm about the whole thing. I haven't been thinking about it too much; you know, wondering whether she's read it yet, whether she likes it or hates it, whether she's trying to figure out the best way to reject me....Like I said, it's barely been on my mind. Really.

So, if you're waiting for an answer about something (doesn't have to be about a book you've just written), here are a few things that are sure to get your mind off of whatever it is and onto something equally (yet constructively) brain-consuming.

photo credit: 20th Century Fox

1. Get lost in a TV show—Sure, most shows have already had their season finale's, but with Netflix and Hulu, there's certainly no shortage of awesome shows on DVD. And even better? No commercials! Some of my faves right now: Ally McBeal, Medium, 30 Rock and Bones.

2. Start a blog—I fought against having a blog for a few years based on the idea that my life wasn't exciting enough to write about it every day. The truth is, with the exception of celebrities, no blogger's life is all THAT exciting. But most blogs aren't boasting excitement. Most are just a look into a persons life and the things they're passionate about. So, whether your mind's on love, motherhood, dating, movies or even the everyday things that annoy you, take to the web and start typing!

3. Take on a new project—And I don't mean start writing a new book when your last one's barely off the printers. I'm talking something completely different. Try scrapbooking, giving one of your walls at home a new coat of paint (pick a bright color that will make you smile whenever you see it!), train for a marathon. Yesterday, I spent the day trying to secure a certain young actress for our next magazine cover and I was so pumped about the possibility of interviewing this celeb, that I was totally distracted from thinking about myself and my writing. (FYI, the celeb isn't Miley...although I have interviewed her before!)

4. Plan a trip...or a party—I'm planning my first adult vaca to Disney World right now; picking the restaurants we're going to eat at, what parks we're gonna go to, what rides to go on first, etc. Not only is it giving me something fun to focus on, but in September there's going to be a HUGE payoff in the form of Mickey and Minnie. And if you don't have the cash or vacation time to go away, plan a movie night, pizza party or game night with your friends.

photo credit: Balzer + Bray

5. Read a good book—What better way to escape your troubles, fears, stress, and ultimately, the real world, than by diving into a good book. A few you should check out: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell and The Duff by Kody Keplinger. Go out and crack one open today!



What do you guys do to distract yourself? Any tips?

5x5,
B.