Yes, it’s Election Day, can I get an amen? (AMEN.) I’m sure I’ll have something to say about all that when I get back to my computer but since I made a last minute commitment to being a nonpartisan poll monitor my Monday is crammed full of training and picking up polling place supplies in between all our school stuff.

I tell you what – I am busting out of my comfort zone all over the freaking place. Bless.

Is there one post on your site that is really special to you?  (credit for this one goes to CrushedCaramel )

I’d have to say that mom vs. writer is one of my favorites. Probably because it reminds me of when I finally decided to take back my life and carve out space to be me. A writer not writing is a hard place to live.

How Do You Deal With Negative People?  (Athling2001 gets credit for this one)

Are we talking on a good day or a bad one?

On a good day I separate myself from that energy as quickly as possible. I breathe my way through the anxiety then let it go because it wasn’t my negativity to begin with.

On a bad day I vent. Bee, BrightSide, sista-friend – they all medal in “listening to Laura lose her damn mind.”

What Is The First Thing You Think Of When You Wake In The Morning?

“Where’s Phoebe?”

Okay, not always, but here’s the thing. Our sweet little lab-mix rescue sleeps with us. Almost every night, when I finally pull myself away from my writing and head to bed, I kick Phoebe off my pillow and climb into bed. Sometimes she’ll wedge herself between me and BrightSide’s shoulder. Sometimes she’ll curl up and plop her head onto his side. Sometimes she’ll wander down and flop against my legs. It’s something different every night but it’s a guarantee she’ll be in a new location by morning, and there aren’t many things quite as awful as kicking a dog by mistake.

So it’s usually, “Where’s Phoebe?”

Would You Rather Be Able To Talk With The Animals Or Speak All Foreign Languages?

I’d love to be able to speak every language. As much as I love animals – and that’s a lot – there’s something irresistible about the idea of being able to communicate with anybody on the planet. Can you imagine the issues we could sidestep if we only understood each other better?

What small thing happened today (or in the past few days) that you were grateful for?   

Things are working out even better than I could have hoped for with Mia. You guys, I couldn’t explain why I felt such a pull toward this kitty. I still can’t. But T-man adores her. BrightSide is loving the little fluff ball, too. As for Bear…well, deep down Bear’s a dog person, but she still likes Mia. And our big fur babies? Gracie and Phoebe love Mia. Watching them figure out how to play with something so small brings me endless joy and more than a few belly laughs.

Sparks from a Combustible Mind hosts Share Your World. Check out her blog to find other participants this week.