If I had 15 minutes...

So, one of those random idea generators suggested I write on this topic.

If I had 15 minutes to evacuate my home before it was to be destroyed by a hurricane, what 10 things would I grab (not including people or pets)

Umm, cannot grab people (most important to me). So there goes #1-4.

1) Cell Phone so I could communicate with the rest of the family
2) Glasses/Contacts because I am blind without them.
3) Pictures- As many of those as possible, I would probably have each family member carry an arm load of them.
4) Full Water bottles
5) Undergarments for the whole family and as many items of clothing as possible.
6) External hard drive and the computer tower, because that's where most of our pictures are stored.
7) Passports
8) Wedding ring
9)Purse
10)Snacks.

I'm not sure 15 minute would be enough time in a hurricane situation. I'd be looking for a safe place to ride out the storm. By the time I got done gathering all these items, the storm would be at my house and I would not make it out. So scratch that. I'd be running out the door as fast as I could, and leaving everything but my family behind.

Pet Peeve- Christmas Cards

In the recent weeks, I have gotten 3 different sets of Christmas cards from three different charities who want me to give them money. I have never donated to their causes, I'm assuming they got my name from someone I have donated to. I don't know.
Each set had at least 5 nice cards, the envelopes, and one set even came with its matching labels.

Thing is, I have no intention of giving them any money. Or should I? These are nice cards and I could use them this upcoming Christmas. So does using them obligate me to donate? Should I feel guilty about sending them out when I know I didn't give them any money?

My pet peeve is they are wasting money printing cards and mailing them to folks like me, who probably will use them and don't give them a dime. How many of these have they sent? I wonder how much money this charity spends sending unwanted gifts to people in an effort to raise money.

Maybe they should use the money in their charity, rather than wasting it on me. The simple fact they are wasting the money on cards gives me the idea their overhead is too high and I probably don't want to give them money to waste on stuff like this.

So do I use the cards? Do I put them in the garbage? What is the appropriate etiquette?

Day 1- NanoWrimo

Day 1. First day of the 50k novel challenge. I'm excited and frightened all at once.

You see, I'm my own worst critic. I will nitpick every flaw and eventually convince myself that what I've done is simply not good enough. This whole novel writing in one month thing is going to challenge me to the core.

I suppose to write without editing. Not going back and changing things, or analyzing what you wrote. Just write, that's the command. Just write.

An outline would be helpful, except I have no clue what I want to write about. Do I base it on my life and then turn it into fiction? Do I just go off the deep end and write about something all its own?

I really don't know. So tonight, after everyone is tucked in bed, I will sit down and start. I will pick my main character and start from there. I'm not expecting to write the next bestseller, or even a novel worthy of publishing.

But everyone, each one of my favorite writers, started out somewhere. Who knows, this may be my start.