The Independence Reporter's Fax Machine is Haunted

It has come to my attention that our Daily Reporter Newspaper here in Independence, Kansas is haunted. OR at least its fax machine is anyway. Their fax machine has called my phone twice in the past three days. Once on Sunday after hours and once tonight after hours.

So why oh why is their fax machine calling me? Is it to torture me and my dream of becoming a well-known columnist for their newspaper? Or maybe it's simply to haunt my phone because there's nothing better to do in this one horse little ole' town? Please stop calling unless you intend to offer me a job with your paper. :-) Thank you so very much!



Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.



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Strike 2 for the Mcdonalds in Independence, KS

If you ever decide to visit the Mcdonalds in the small town of Independence, KS, be very leery of ordering from their dollar menu. Twice now, we've been duped by the cashier who always thinks they are right and we are wrong.

My son who ordered two McChicken sandwiches and was given McDoubles, instead. In addition, we were short a McDouble, in which the cashier had so boldly and specifically stated that she had already personally accounted for all of our sandwiches being in the bag, only after I started to count them myself.

I really should have known better, given our prior experience with them. Their customer service really has gone downhill. And, needless to say, we will not be visiting the McDonalds in Independence, KS for quite some time.
Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.



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Hey What the Heck! Someone Moved to Independence, Kansas!

Just yesterday there was a moving truck delivering a family's life on the lawn of some apartment buildings not far from where I live. It's the first family I've seen moving in to Independence, Kansas in a very long time, so I was a little surprised and forgiving that the truck was taking up most of the road.

Usually, families are moving out of town to a better place, better job, without warning. No Moving Announcements, no letting their friends and family or neighbors (okay so maybe we're not all friendly) know that they've gone until it's either too late or someone through the grapevine has spread the word faster than driving through one of those blink and you miss it towns.Well, can't say that I blame them. We are after all just a quiet little town where sometimes celebrities secretly roam. 

Who is the Media to Judge What Lindsay Lohan Loves in Fashion?

Sometimes I really just don't get the media. And if there is ever a day they snap photos of me and hate what I'm wearing, you can darn well bet I'm going to say something about it.

I was just viewing yahoo and what should come up in the headlines? According to the media, how disastrous Lindsay Lohen looks in her outfit. I love the hippy dress and would wear it in a heartbeat. I mean really, I know the girl has problems, but give her a break when it comes to what she feels comfortable in!

If the media thinks celebrities like Lindsay aren't dressing their best, they should start snapping photos of people in Wal-mart (wait, someone already did that one) or at Independence, Kansas's local karaoke acts! This town would be famous in no time at all!


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.



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Doing What You Have To Do

I'm going to be very honest when I say that there are times when I have no motivation whatsoever, and yesterday just happened to be one of those days. Today I'm hoping it won't happen again because I'm headed out into the real world in the sales jobs industry, a path I'm really surprise I chose due to my shyness. Yet, here I am, sharing with the world, or at least Independence, KS, my favorite store, and their merchandise, all while trying to meet the company's daily goal! And what's even more amazing is, I've been doing it for a couple of weeks now with outstanding results! Hey, it's an insane world out there and someone's got to join it!

A Self-Esteem Class Inspiration

Thanks to my local library, I'm now able to access many free online classes. Of course because they are free it also means I won't be getting college credit for them, however they'll still serve a greater purpose in my life and work.

Unfortunately, I did find that it's certainly not going to be easy finding the time to take an online class. As many of you may already know, my other half is a hardcore gamer and when I told him I was taking an online class and could he keep the video game noise down a little, his response was, "Why can't you take the class when I'm not on my game?" Ha! When is he not on his game? So I took a different approach and took my class work to the bedroom for a little peace and quiet. Five minutes later he was in the bedroom asking me what I was doing. So, that didn't work either.

In addition, I didn't tell him I'm taking a self-esteem class because I'm not really sure he would see that as a real class. I only know of three people so far who see it as something that's important to me and respect that.

A big reason I chose to take the class is because I wanted to get a better understanding of the subject not only for myself, but also to help others in my community of Independence, KS and the surrounding area who may also need help with self-esteem. It's something I've wanted to do for a very long time now.

Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.



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Not in Independence, KS I Tell Ya

One of the things I wish we had around here is an online food delivery service. You know, where you can order groceries from a website, fresh, frozen, etc and they're delivered the very same day right to your front door.

I know bigger cities have that option, but not here in Independence, KS. We're still a fairly small community where farmers sell their goods to locals and there's only one major shopping center.

I can't complain too much, however, since we do have our local farmer's market, which is currently offered all year round and there are many great shops downtown that offer some unique goods.

Still, when it comes to groceries, we're limited unless you count fast food places, and it would be nice if we had some healthier choices around here when it comes to food shopping. Okay, I'm rambling. It's been a very long day and a painful one at that, both emotionally and physically.

A New Job

Soon it may be time to start thinking about a new job. I'm not really expecting the one I currently have to last for very much longer. At one time in my life I actually considered something like banking careers, or a bank teller at the very least, but times have changed and a job is a job as long as it brings in enough money.

I use to believe that doing what you love as a job is best, but with my mood off balance, I Don't Think So!

Now what I did do not too long ago was apply for a job at my favorite clothing store here in Independence, KS, because at that time they were hiring. I even had an interview with them, but I'm guessing they chose not to hire me for the same reason my home away from home did, because I'm coming from a full-time job and going to a part-time job, and they feared if another full-time job became available I'd leave. I was actually told that!

Well, as it turns out whoever both places hired, quit a few weeks later and now the clothing store is back to hiring again. I however, am not going to apply again. If they have no faith in their potential employees, then I have no faith in them. Maybe I will consider a bank job if one becomes available.

My Healthy Independence, Kansas Version of Fried Okra

I love okra and during the summer months we see a lot of it here in Independence, Kansas. But, while for the most part it's considered a healthy vegetable, most of us end up dipping into a not so good for you batter and deep frying it into an unhealthy version.

Well, not me! In fact, I can't stand deep fried anything! But it doesn't stop me from loving, and yes eating okra. So, when the Independence, Kansas farmer's market comes around every summer, I make my own healthier version by lightly coating the vegetable in sea salt, cayenne pepper and olive oil. Then, I heat it in a skillet set on medium heat until the okra is tender. The result is a healthy, yet delicious version of fried okra!





Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.



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Let's Get Real

When it comes to diets that work, they require extremely hard work. I mean seriously, why lie about it. You will never find a diet in a magic pill, or cream or lotion. You must be willing to exercise and eat healthy.

And most importantly you've got to be willing to get rid of the processed foods from your life if you want to feel your absolute best. No more junk foods. Of course in reality, most of us are on a budget and always rushing through life. We have no time to slow down and enjoy fresh foods or even life sometimes.

We rely on the convenience of processed foods to get us through our day. But, if you take the time to drop by your local farmers market like the one in my hometown of Independence, Kansas, you'll be amazed at all of the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables that are very reasonably priced.

Plus, when you shop local, you're not only eating healthier, you're also helping your local farmers. How insanely cool is that?

Uncle Jack's

Yesterday I learned that the economy has taken another business from our small community. A locally own restaurant called Uncle Jack's announced that it was closing its doors immediately due to the economy. It's such a sad loss because I really loved their pork with apricot chutney and their rosemary baby potatoes. Not to mention their yummy bread. It had a very nice atmosphere where musicians would play live music and where I took my husband for Valentine's Day a few years ago. The restaurant was even a favorite stop for celebrities who were known to make an appearance every now and then. Uncle Jack's Restaurant will truly be missed.

Summer Clothing

My 12 year old wants to be either a treasure hunter or an archeologist when he grows up. I think that's awesome. So, over the weekend we hit up a few yards sales so he could find a few treasures to get him started. I also needed to hit sales because all of the kiddos needed clothing.

When my 12 and 7 year old came down I thought they had a week's worth of clothing, but learned differently. So I went ahead and bought them some more summer things. My step-daughter who is almost 9 has apparently hit a growth spurt. She went from just recently wearing size 10's and 12's to wearing 14's and 16's. And then I found a few winter things my step-son who is 7, could use. Plus, I found t-shirts for the hubby, so everyone is set!

Kids, Summer and Swimming

The kids have been begging us to go to the pool already. While it's officially not warm enough yet, there will more than likely be a few trips to the local Independence, Kansas Park Pool in their near future.

We did have a pool when we first purchased this house. That was one of the biggest features that attracted us to this house in the first place. It was the month of may when we moved in, so it was the perfect time to purchase pool supplies for our new pool.

Unfortunately we soon learned we had our work cut out for us. You see, one of the biggest issues was also the pool. The previous owner neglected this home and the pool. We learned from neighbors that he never cleaned it and even swam in the water when it was green. Ewww. We also learned that the water contained a family of frogs! Our swimming pool was becoming a pond!!

In the end we decided to take down the pool for fear of our kids safety and the repairs we found it needed after draining it. Such a shame. I kind of miss it, but I think it was for the best at that time. Maybe the day will come again when another pool will be in our life. For now their is always the park's.

Last Friday

I haven't been online for the past several days due to a power outage. Last Friday we had some pretty strong winds hit our area. For us they were around 65 miles per hour. They knocked down trees and power lines for the most part. Other areas were at 100 miles per hour with even worse damage.

Specifically for our neighborhood we woke up with a bright glowing fire in the sky. There was an electrical pole and tree on fire. Luckily there wasn't any severe damage to homes, but the electrical pole and tree had to be cut down.

So we were without power for a while. Now that the power is back on I am trying to catch up with what work I do have. It's been a struggle however due to the economy. I've been trying to find a job away from the house, but there are very few jobs at the moment for which I am qualified for.

I'm just hoping things will pick up soon.

15 Minutes

Instead of working out for 10, I worked out for 15 today since I didn't feel like I was going to drop dead from my workout.lol I feel pretty darn good right now. I have some energy which I usually don't have at this time and it's awesome! I also decided to try some things from Actress turned Author, Mariel Hemmingway's book, "Healthy Living From The Inside Out."

Last night I drank some hot lemon water instead of drinking my usual glass of herbal tea. I hadn't thought about it before now, but many herbal teas still contain caffeine.
It's amazing what 2 days of exercise and a little lemon water can do! I was thinking if I can afford to do so to pick up some lime juice and use lime instead of lemon for an interesting twist!

I also want to stock up on fruits and vegetables and start removing the processed foods from my life. I'm hoping the kids and the hubby will be interested as well. I think diet and smoking may be a big reason why the hubby has so much trouble sleeping at nights and is tired 24/7.

So far I love what Mariel Hemingway has to say in her book and what's really awesome is the fact that it didn't cost me anything to read her book. I checked it out from our local Independence Kansas Public Library for FREE! hehe