On Sharing

My husband’s computer has died. Motherboard problem, so we are declaring it dead dead. At least he was using Mozy to backup important files. Like those for school. And since he has more school work to do… and research for a laptop to replace his desktop, I haven’t been able to use my computer much today. Hopefully my computer lasts at least a few more months!

Proud to be an Introvert

Shrinking Violets posted about Dispelling Ten Myths About Introverts. I encourage all to go read it. Introverts have misconceptions about themselves as often as extroverts do.

The one that irks me the most is that as an introvert I am anti-social. Not true!

2. We are not anti-social.

Quite the contrary! We have many close, dear friends, but we also recognize that being with people just for its own sake does nothing for us and, in fact, drains our batteries right quick. We love to connect with people, but not just mingle with hoards of people for its own sake.

I love going to big social events, I just get overstimulated and fatigued if I stay too long. It doesn’t energize me, it drains me. Too many social events in a short period of time can do the same thing. I like that I have been more socially active this year, but still need to balance it with ME time, which does NOT involve interacting with others.

Getting a Life

My calendar for the next few months is actually pretty full compared to usual. My poetry group started up again, and I joined a local writers group. My husband is taking me on weekly dates. I’m getting more involved with the school and PTA. Also spending more time with family.

I’ve also had some last minute events, such as me and B going to the circus with his grandma and cousins last week.

Upcoming events to look forward to:

• First meeting with writers group on Feb 2
• local Literacy Fair on Feb 5, along with writing contest
• LTUE: science fiction and fantasy symposium on Feb 19
• Boyz II Men concert on March 4
• Vegas with my sisters in March

I also entered Fey Moon into ABNA. Wish me luck! I’ll try to neglect my blog less in the future.

Aspects of Wellness

This year I didn’t want to set concrete goals and deadlines. There is a big branch in life up ahead, and so much will depend on which path I take. With that in mind, I wanted to focus instead on aspects of wellness. Ways I can improve my life without relying on what else is going on around me.

The site I took this idea from has seven aspects of wellness: Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, Environmental, Social, Occupational, and Spiritual. I have eight. Creativity is such a major part of my identity that I want to focus on it separate from Occupational or Intellectual.

When I first discovered these last year, I took time and visualized, then wrote down, an overall statement for ideal wellness for each aspect. With this new year, I wanted to set my goals/resolutions around those. I’ve gone into more detail in my journaling, but here are my basic goals for each:

Emotional

• Positive journaling
• Monthly date nights
• Daily music time – piano, Rock Band, dance

Intellectual

• Read one non-fiction book each month.

Physical

• Drink more water and less soda.

Environmental

• Go for a walk once a week, to get sunlight and fresh air.

Social

• Join a local writing group.
• Las Vegas trip with sisters

Occupational

• Look into continuing education, such as Library Science or Editing.

Spiritual

• Take time each week to relax, be quiet and alone. Retune with spirit, soul, nature.
• Know myself so I may know my future.

Creative

• Write one hour every day – doesn’t have to be in one session
• Finish at least one novel before starting anything new.
• Main focus: finish The Minotaur Staff (NaNoWriMo 2010)

Raw Truth

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Peace and Gratitude

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the U.S.A. I have so many things to be thankful for. Today is my birthday. My son didn’t have school, and slept badly last night, but is currently taking a rare nap. I already opened the presents my mom brought up (what better way to entertain a 5 year old than open presents??). I had a lovely outing with my mom on Monday. I was thankful to have the one-on-one time. My husband won’t be home for another hour. He will be cooking dinner for me tonight. My father-in-law is doing well post-surgery. It is a good day. I think I will have a piece of cake then do some writing.

Happy holidays everyone!

‘Nother NaNo News Note

It’s safe to say that I won’t be winning NaNoWriMo this year. So I’m not going to kill myself (or my hands/wrists) trying. New goal: finish by end of year. I still plan on working on it the next two days, as well as next Monday.

Looking at the 17k+ words I’ve written this month, I’m amazed at how far I’ve come. That’s with not writing weekends, getting sick, hubby getting sick, the death of our cat, my son getting punched in the eye, my father-in-law having a minor heart attack and going into surgery over Thanksgiving week, and a pre-birthday outing with my mom today.

Being positive, I’m enjoying this story and it’s not one I would have written otherwise. I may have written about Tilara, but I would not have combined her character with Race to 100 Deaths if not for Lynn’s suggestion. No regrets.

Yay for NaNo! How are you all doing?

Some high-jacking, rambling, fun

 

And yes, Dr. Horrible won!

 

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

671. If you saw The Queen of the Damned did you want to be a vampire/Goth afterwards? Haven't seen it. But now that I've looked it up, I'm interested in seeing it.

672. If you saw SLC Punk did you want to be punk afterwards? Haven't, and probably not.

673. What is your favorite zombie movie? ooh, tough question. I love the Resident Evil movies, my favorite of which is Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Zombies on a Plane was hilarious. 28 Days Later and sequel 28 Weeks Later are great ones focused less on the chasing and eating and more on the personal/society horrors of a zombie apocalypse.

674. Best kids birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater. sleep over. never heard of a ceramics party.

675. What were your parties like when you were a kid? due to so many kids, we only had birthday parties every four years: ages 4, 8, 12, and 16. Mom always made the cake herself. We got to choose a theme, and it was a big deal. The other birthdays were celebrated as a family.

 

676. Best teen (about 15-16) birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater, house party, catered in a hall, restaurant, family trip, concert. concert would have been awesome

 

677. What are/were your 15-16 year old parties like? I had a murder mystery party with a small group of friends.

678. Best 18th birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater, house party, catered in a hall, restaurant, family trip, concert, club, pool hall, college party. restaurant with a few close friends

679. If you are 18 what was your party like? I didn't have a party.

680. Best 21st birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater, house party, catered in a hall, restaurant, family trip, concert, club, pool hall, college party, bar, Atlantic city/Las Vegas trip. I was five months pregnant at the time. I was happy going to a nice sit-down restaurant.

681. If you saw The Craft were you interested in wicca/paganism/magic afterwards? haven't seen it

682. What are your top 3 priorities? relationships, making sure I have time for myself, and the written word

683. If you saw fight club did you want to get into a fistfight afterwards? dumb question

684. What is your favorite smell? the smell walking by The Body Shop. I don't know what it is, but it's rejuvenating.

685. Give everything below a humor rating (1 = laugh your ass off, 2 = lol, 3 = smile, 4 = lame, 5 = not funny, 6 = offensive): going to do this a little different than asked for, and group them into three categories: offensive, not funny, and potential for humor (can be anywhere from 1-4 depending on the joke/situation)

People falling: not funny
Rape jokes: offensive
Sarcastic comments: potential
Blonde jokes: potential
Dirty jokes: not funny
God/religion jokes: potential
Long-ass jokes: potential
Death jokes: potential
Pain/sickness jokes: not funny
Animals doing cute stuff: potential
Bodily functions: potential
Knock jokes: potential
Ethnic jokes: offensive
Puns: potential
Ironic situations: potential

685. If you saw Cruel Intentions did you want to have lots of meaningless sex afterwards? getting tired of these questions... especially as I've never seen these movies.

 
686. Do you get at least three hugs per day? yes. my husband, my son, and I are all physically affectionate.

 

687. What should someone never say to you/call you if they want to remain on your good side? Don't ever call me "Doll."

688. If you saw Trainspotting did you want to do drugs afterwards? not applicable

689. Do movies have a great influence on you? At last! the basic question these were leading up to. They have an emotional influence, but not a lifestyle one.

690. Do you have a favorite reality TV show? The Colony. What an interesting social experiment. We discovered the show when we saw it available to purchase on Xbox Live, and have been watching it on Discovery Channel's website ever Thursday. The Colony replicates a post-apocalyptic world. How would ten people survive? They have to scavenge for their own food, find ways to get and sanitize water, create electricity, and ensure their survival.

 

691. Are there certain roles that people are pressured to play in society or can they basically do whatever they want? In these days, you can basically do what you want. But some paths have more challenges, and all choices have consequences.

692. How does the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake compare to the original movie? I didn't see the original. I thought the remake was well done.

693. Have you ever held a magnifying glass over an insect to burn it? No.

694. Have you ever pulled the wings off a fly, butterfly or any other insect? No. I don't torture insects. And I only kill them if they are inside the house.

695. What would you think of a guy (if you're into guys) or a girl (if you're into girls) who wanted to take you to the park to feed the birds and look at the turtles and fish in the water on a date? I think that would be cool. I like parks.

 

696. Do you use public pools? Yes. Been a long time since I've been swimming though.

697. Do you use public bathrooms? yes. out of necessity.

698. Do you use public showers? only after using the public pool. swimsuit still on.

699. How old will you be in 17 years? 43. Wow.

 
700. Would it affect you at all if you knew that a very large meteor was headed towards earth that would impact in 17 years? I would hope that I'm already making the most of my life. Is this a kill everyone meteor, or a create a post-apocalyptic world, or merely cause much devastation? If it's not guaranteed death, I'd start doing better on my food storage.

Hello Autumn

+ school starts next week

- will have to wait for the bus

- allergy season

+/- lots of awesome games coming out (too many to get all at release)

+ days and nights getting cooler

+ pretty fall colors

- lots of wind

- lots of tv interruptions by election updates

+ fall tv season begins, with lots of interesting new and returning series

 

Haven't heard from B's bus driver yet. Last year they didn't call until the day before school started, so not too worried. B will be going four days a week instead of two, which is exciting. He has the same teacher as last year, so that should be really good for him. He already knows his numbers 1-9. I've told him that school starts soon and that he'll get to ride the bus. He jumped up and down in excitement.

 

At the end of October, P will be getting a younger sister and I should be getting a couple months off while their mom takes time off work. Yay! That will also mark the beginning of serious potty training take 2.

 

My birthday is also in autumn. I need to update my wish list.

 

What do you like and dislike about the season?

Judging, Genetics, and such

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

381. Do you sometimes do risky things? Yes.

 
382. Could just about anyone hold your interest in a conversation for at least ten minutes? Could I listen to someone that long? sure. Would I actually be interested? not necessarily.

383. Are you self-conscious? About my looks, not much. About my performance, absolutely. This is why I cannot accompany on the piano.

384. What would be your ideal destination for a Saturday afternoon? On a nice day, the zoo. On a hot or cold day, a nice afternoon at home.

385. Does anyone have a video tape of you doing something embarrassing? Not that I know of. If anyone else does... give me a call and we'll work something out. ;-)

386. What is Kevin Smith’s best movie? Do minor acting roles such as the diner clerk in TMNT count? Or the forensic assistant in Daredevil? Cause I am not a fan of his directed movies or main roles. I have seen Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and did not enjoy it at all (unlike my husband, who was still talking about the movie when we went to bed). I admit to not having seen his other movies, but if the humor is the same then I shall gladly pass.

387. Where do you like to go on Friday or Saturday nights? going out to see a movie is always nice.

388. Do you like your friends to act the same way all the time or do you accept their moods and changes? I am very accepting. :-)

389. Do you often feel like other people are judging you? Sometimes. But I think most of it stems from me judging myself.

390. What do you think other people judge you to be like? I don't know. (Yes, a cop out.) Do you judge others? What are your impressions of me?

391. Are you quick to judge others? We all judge without thinking, imprint on own experience on others, create first impressions. I may be quick to judge at times, but I take my time in creating a "final verdict". I am always open to be swayed from my judgment.

392. When you have a fight with someone do you want to talk about it right away or calm down first and then talk? Calm down first. No one wants to hear the initial argument that boils in my head.

393. Some say love is a river (according to the old song). What do you say love is? Love is a complex equation. It may take proofing to understand, but somehow all the unrelated pieces work together to create wonderful results.

394. What is the worst fault a person can have? complete selfishness, a disregard for fellow man.

395. Do you have it? no. if I did, maybe I would understand all the crime, war, abuse.

396. Which do you think has more impact on a person’s character, genetics or environment? aah, the age old question of nature vs nurture. Genetics is the clay, the base of a person. Environment helps to hone and shape what is already there.

397. Who was your first best friend? Alexis, back in kindergarten.

 

398. If you are not best friends anymore, what came between you? She moved after first grade, but we wrote letters for many years, seeing each other occasionally. It wasn't until I moved to a different part of the state in 5th grade that we finally lost touch completely. We hadn't been real close anymore, and I lost her address.

399. Who have you read a biography about? Mary Queen of Scots.

400. What would your own autobiography be called? I hate this question! I suppose I could go with my first blog's title: "Discovering Me". Or the planned title of my poetry book, "My Letter to the World". Maybe I would use one of my other poem titles: "More than what you see" or "See This Woman." Not that my life is interesting enough for an autobiography.

QA: Oceans of Experience

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

301. List 5 things you have not experienced that you would like to experience before you die.

A. experience the incredible
B. walk on a beach
C. see my byline on a book
D. a tour of a castle

E. climb a pyramid (Egyptian or Mesoamerican)

302. Will you try to accomplish any of these things within the next year? I will work toward 'C'. 'B', 'D', and 'E' require money which I do not have, and 'A' is something harder to plan on.

303. What do you feel controlled by? Money. Shortcomings.

304. If Jesus appeared to you and told you that the moon was made of green cheese would you believe him? No. Even Jesus can make a joke, right?

305. What is one thing you are sure of? My family loves me.

306. At what part of the day do you feel the most alert? Usually late afternoon.

307. Have you ever played in a band? No

308. Have you ever stared into the ocean thinking 'early creatures crawled outta that'? No.

309. If not, what do you think of when you are staring into the ocean? I've only had the opportunity to stare into the ocean a couple of times, and my thoughts weren't on early life, but rather how wonderful it was living in that moment. Wondering if I would see a dolphin, wishing I could touch the water, and watching the light play on the water.

Incredible

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

In a previous entry I skipped a question and promised to return to it.

 

289. What's the most incredible experience you ever had?

 

Webster's dictionary has the following definition for incredible:

1: too extraordinary and improbable to be believed

2: Amazing, Extraordinary

 

I've written about some incredible phenomena, but haven't experienced any of them myself. And I don't think watching documentaries, YouTube, and reading books about the incredible actually counts as experiencing it. I'm sure I've used the word to describe something but didn't mean it in the true sense of the word. It's hard to remember times I've really felt that awe of "wow, is this really happening?" (at least in the amazing, not the horrifying, kind of way). I want to feel that more. I want to see a UFO, defy gravity, have a panther for a pet.

 

One incredible experience does come to mind. I think it stands out in my memory because the rest of that day was anything but. My first date was for a school dance. I asked out a guy I'd had a crush on for a while. For the day date, we grouped up with my cousin and her date. We went to the canyon, had a picnic, and hiked up to Bridal Veil Falls. It was March, and the falls were still frozen. We climbed right next to the waterfall, and it truly was incredible. The outer shell was ice, but you could see the water flowing beneath. Absolutely beautiful.

 

Sadly, the date went downhill from there. At the top of the mountain my date carved another girls name into the rock; at dinner, he made fun of my eldest brother; then at the dance he taped a paper to his shirt for some of the photos (don't ask) and hardly wanted to dance at all. Needless to say, neither did I at that point. I seem to remember leaving early. Not the best first date, but at least I did have that one incredible experience to take out of it.

300 (minus 1): words and honesty

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

 

283. Are you very precise about what words you use to describe your feelings and thoughts? Sometimes. I should strive to be more precise. I know I have a lot of room for growth as a writer.

284. What do you feel the most guilty about? I'm too guilty to say. Though close to the top is the times I've snapped and swore at my son…

285. Do you meditate? I like the concept, but haven't had the patience. *makes a note to try it sometime*

286. Can dreams be visions, or do you feel they are always random images? Sometimes they can be visions, though not always in a literal way. There are certainly moments in life of déjà vu and reliving a dream, but dreams can also give insight into our subconscious.

287. Do you try to write/say what you are feeling in a true and simple way? Judging by my rambling, I'd say not as often as I should. I even admit to sliding around the 'true' part. No blatant lies, but definitely portraying things in a certain light or only admitting certain things. Don't we all do that?

288. The thief _______ that everyone steals.
What verb would you fill in the blank with? "believes". A matter of projection and justification.

289. What's the most incredible experience you ever had? I am going to ponder this and dedicate an entire post on the matter at some future time.

290. Are you ever afraid to write/say/think how you feel? Yes. Thus my convoluted answer to 287.

291. Do you write/say/think it anyway or become intimidated and try to avoid it? It won't stop me from thinking it, but I have avoided sharing my true feelings. Intimated at being offensive, or hurting someone's feelings, to name a few reasons.

292. What is one thing you can't do? whistle

293. Do you like movies starring Charleton Heston? In general, yes. Not because he's in them though. I don't like or dislike movies based on actors. I will watch a movie because a certain actor is in it, and may be more open to liking it, but won't judge my opinion on that alone. And Charleton Heston isn't one of my favorite actors, so that doesn't apply anyway.

294. Are you gentle? Yes. At least I try to be. My clumsiness can get in the way sometimes.

295. When do you feel the most raw and vulnerable? After doing something stupid. I beat myself up, and I'm so much more sensitive to all my flaws and anything said to me. Actually, there is a time I've been more raw and vulnerable. Rejection – the personal kind, as in "friend no longer keeps in touch" or "I've been forgotten" or "boyfriend breaks up with me" (the latter thankfully not something I have to deal with. Yay for being out of the dating stage.).

296. Are you trying to find yourself? Always. I think that's a big reason for blogging – self discovery.

297. Where are you looking? Everywhere. In my poetry and writing, my friends, quizzes, personality profiles, psychology, nature, religion. My sister has written an article on Psychology and Personality Testing.

 

298. Are you sometimes afraid of being honest because you are afraid of hurting people's feelings? Absolutely.

299. What would make you a stronger person? Feeling less insecure, more assertive. Knowing how to deal with people.

300. What book would you like to read sometime soon? "Lady of Light and Shadows" by C. L. Wilson. It's the sequel to "Lord of the Fading Lands", a paranormal romance I read recently. Loved the book. As soon as I get my next Barnes and Noble gift card in the mail I'll be buying book two. Thank you to Manuscript Mavens for hosting the drawing that won me the first one. :-)

Politics, Jacuzzis, and Life

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

 

122. How do you feel about women in politics? I have no strong feelings for or against. There are definitely women that make good politicians, and others that don't. Same as men.

123. Would you rather have an indoor Jacuzzi or an outdoor pool? I'd make more use of an indoor Jacuzzi.

124. What things are you interested in that you study or read about on your own? mythology, wonders of the world (Stonehenge, Easter Island, Chaco Canyon, Bermuda Triangle, etc.)

125. Would you consider yourself to be intelligent? no. my IQ is good, but my common sense is … lacking. I definitely have my blonde moments.

126. Would you consider yourself to be wise? no. I don't think things through enough.

127. Have you ever given or received a lap dance? yes. not a professional one though

128. Have you ever spoken to a homeless person? not that I can recall

129. Would you ever creep into the subway tunnels to go exploring? before I was married, I'm sure the answer would have been yes. I was much more spontaneous and exploring when I didn't have a son and husband to worry about me.

130. If you could add 70 years to your life but only by making some random person die 70 years sooner would you? 70 years is a long time. I don't want to live an extra seventy years (assuming we are adding it to the average seventy year life span).

131. Can you finish any of the following lyrics?
A: Nothing to kill or die for... clueless
B: Late comings with the late comin' stretcher... ??
C: I could make a film and make you my star... what are these songs??

I guess that makes my answer "no."

132. Were you ever with someone while they died? only a character in a book

 
133. Would you rather be a world political leader or a rock star? rock star. much easier decisions.

134. Have you ever given someone a love letter that you wrote? yes

135. Have you ever sent someone a surprise though the mail? yes

136. Are you looking forward to any concerts right now? I'm looking forward to the Celtic Woman concert coming here next month, but doubt I will be going. :-(

 

137. Of all animated movies, which is the best one you've ever seen? I've seen so many good animated movies. I don't think I could label one as the best. TMNT was great, but so was Shrek, Titan A.E., Quest for Camelot, Spirit… I have lots of favorites. Ooh, I was wrong. There is a best. Just reminded by a look on my shelf: Over the Hedge. That movie is awesome! Great humor, great music, and such a true look at human life. One of the few movies I haven't tired of after B watched it frequently.

 

138. What are the best bands or songs to listen to while driving? NA, don't drive

Party Planning

B's fourth birthday is on Saturday. I've been doing last minute planning. Nervous in the fact that more people will be there than I was expecting. And this is my son's first actual birthday party (tradition I'm taking from my own family - party every four years). Also the first party I've been the main planner on. I should have consulted more with my hubby. We live and we learn. Keeping my fingers crossed that the party goes well. The main thing is that B has fun.

Girls Night!

Tonight I'm getting together with my mom and sisters (I think all five of them will actually be there) to play games, eat pizza, maybe watch a movie.  Some of the girls will be spending the night, but I know hubby wants me home. B is staying the night at my in-laws. Should be lots of fun!

Crazy 8s meme

Tagged by Beki. Answers in no particular order.

 

8 things I am passionate about:

1. my husband
2. my son
3. writing
4. books
5. music
6. gaming
7. Writing.com
8. Firefly/Serenity

 

8 things I want to do before I die:

1. publish a novel
2. publish a book of poetry
3. go on a cruise
4. visit the United Kingdom
5. visit all 50 states in the USA
6. walk on a beach
7. take ballroom dance lessons
8. get in shape

 

8 things I say often:

1. settle down
2. grr, stupid computer
3. ouch
4. I'm cold
5. here you go
6. I forgot to (fill in the blank)
7. don't bite me
8. mmm, donut (sadly, more at seeing them advertised than actually having the good fortune to eat one)

 

8 books I've read recently:

1. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
2. Rebel Fay by Barb & J.C. Hendee
3. Scar Night by Alan Campbell (currently reading)
4. 100 hair-raising little horror stories (hubby reading to me)
5. 101 Powerful Promises from Latter-day Prophets
6. the Bible
7. not physically bound, but my own novel Emergence of the Fey
8. The Specialists: Down to the Wire by Shannon Greenland

 

8 songs I could listen to over and over:

1. "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You", Mask of Zorro theme song
2. "Both Sides Now", Hayley Westenra
3. "Apologize", One Republic
4. "I Think I'm Paranoid", Garbage
5. "Miss Independent", Kelly Clarkson
6. "Amazed", by LoneStar
7. "Everything I Do", by Bryan Adams
8. "Candle on the Water", from the movie Pete's Dragon
9. (bonus here) "Still Alive", ending theme to game Portal

 

8 things that attract me to my best friends: (at least it's not asking for 8 best friends...)

1. appreciate a good book
2. love fantasy
3. good listeners/easy to talk to
4. willing to watch romantic comedies with me
5. patient
6. see the good in me
7. laid back
8. talented

 

8 people I think should do Crazy 8s:

1. I'm going to second Beki's opinion and tag Liz
2. and, because he hasn't done it yet, seconding Nikki and tagging Dan
3. Erica
4. Sentimente
5. Pandrea
6. Trish
7. Tim
8. Anyone else who wants to join in!

 

We got our Xbox360 back today! Yay! Glad we picked up Culdcept Saga on Saturday. :-)

quick note

Today I went to a sf&f writing symposium. I enjoyed it very much. Details tomorrow. :-)

Visitors and Flowers

My Mom came up today. We all went out to lunch at the Training Table, then the two of us played Lost Cities while B played with Yahtzee dice and ran around us. It was good visiting with her. It's not often anymore that I'm not babysitting and she's not working.

 

Thank you Nikki for the link to the flower quiz.

 

You Are A Lily

You are a nurturer and all around natural therapist. People see you as their rock. And they are able to depend on you. You are a soothing influence. You can make people feel better with a few words. Your caring has more of an impact than even you realize.

What Flower Are You?

Looking for Health Recommendations

I've been going to America's Best for my contacts and glasses for many years now. Recently my plan expired again and I am not renewing it. They may have good prices, but I have not been happy with their service. Long wait times, lost paperwork, misinformed over the phone about whether I need an appointment, etc. Almost every time I went in there was some sort of problem. Does anyone know a good eye doctor in the Salt Lake Valley?

 

I'm also looking for recommendations of heartburn medicine. I've had Tums Extra Strength since my pregnancy four years ago. Other than that time period I very rarely had heartburn. But this past year something in my body must have changed (certainly not my diet or activity) and I have it on average once a week. It's miserable. And Tums is no longer doing the trick, or takes a long time to kick in.  Any suggestions would be helpful.