Stormy, tell us about your online trivia chat.

I host for AOL's Personal Finance and my cohost and I do a trivia game Tues at 8:00 pm called "Double Trouble Trivia." Last week's game was "It Happened on the 4th of July." This week, we're taking a trip starting in Boston, then I may take them to New Orleans asking questions along the way.

I'm not quite sure what your post just told us.

You are a host for AOL's personal finance page?
That sounds like a cool job. Are you the one who comes up with the articles for that page?

You also do a trivia page for them? If so, is there a link? Can anyone play the trivia or just AOL members?

I'm Irish decent. What can be said in a few words/paragraphs usually prompts me to make it into a story.

The Maglight

"Mom, that was George. I've got to go. I'll pull your car around back before I leave. No idea if this is just a teaser storm or the real thing. The weather channel's predicting light flurries but you never know." Rob yelled after hanging up the phone preparing for another night of plowing or salting. Weather in New Hampshire is as unpredictable as a child.

Tearing my eyes away from Lisa Jackson's thriller, I reply, "Thanks, Rob. Don't need a present from the police dept. I hate the parking ban but I guess they need it with the narrow streets. Be careful. I'll be going to bed soon after a few more chapters."

I wonder, as I shut off the lights preparing for bed, what's on TV? Court TV always has a pretty good program.” Forensic Files" or Law and Order. Guess its the Files for tonight. Law and Order's a repeat.

What's that noise? Did I hear something? Sounds like footsteps on the back stairs. They definitely are footsteps. Oh my, the slider's being eased gently opened. That's not my heart pumping so rapidly, is it? That only happens in books. Whoever it is hasn't turned on any lights. Can't be Rob, he turns on the TV as soon as he gets home. Resisting the urge to jump up and yell, I lay quietly in bed. Maybe if I pretend to sleep, he'll rob the place and leave? God, how I wish I had Sam, my overly protective German Shephard. I'd never reach the phone in the kitchen to call 911 before my throat's sliced. Climb out the bedroom window? I'd probably get stuck and my butt would be displayed to the murderer. I could almost see the morning's headlines. "Manchester woman foils would-be murderer by getting her butt stuck in the window. Mr. X, laughing so hard, slashed himself before he leaves. Police followed his blood to a nearby home where he was apprehended splitting his sides still laughing." I could never die in such a compromised position. Get real, girl! Find a weapon, what can I use for a weapon? I can see the shadow growing longer and larger.The lamp like the do in mysteries? No, that wont work. My TBR pile of books will fall over if I try to unplug it. Besides that ginger lamp's base is too thick for my hands to grasp it. My hand in my pocket and tell him I have a gun. That wont work, no pockets and I'm shaking too much. Looking around, my eyes spot a mag flashlight between the bed and the end table. Oh so that's where I put it. I forgot all about it after last summer's power outages. My heart's pounding so hard, I'm sure the murderer can hear it in the other room. I wrap my sweaty hands around the flashlight and charge out of my room tripping over my carelessly placed shoes, right into the arms of the murderer.

All of a sudden the lights blaze. "Mom, what the heck are you doing with that flashlight?"

"Oh my God, Rob, I heard you come in, thinking it was a murderer, rapist or the very least a burglar. I could have killed you." I gasp trying to slow down my heart, breathe and talk at the same time. "I heard the footsteps coming up the back, and the slider open slowly. Then I could see a shadow by the bathroom door. You always announce your arrival by clomping the snow off your boots and turning on the TV."

"Good God, Mom. We got done early and I didn't want to wake you coming in so I brushed the snow off before I walked up the stairs. I'm going to bed after I take a shower. Next time I'll make enough noise that Doug will hear me in Concord. I'm going to bed. Mom, you've got to stop reading those books."

Great story stormy! I can soooo relate to that as I am single and my son, the one I gave up having stomach muscles for, comes in late like that and scares the beejeebies out of me...occassionally. I have him trained pretty much to make loud "son" noises now though. And ditto on the Court TV and mystery books...Glad to know it isn't just me! hahaha...

Okay, give us another one. I enjoyed that one so much!

JJ

What a story, mothers and our sons but bet we'd never have it any other way...

Great story, Stormy! My oldest son, now just 19, is always looking for opportunities to scare me-during the day. But at night, thank God, I ussually hear him come home and get up to check if it IS him. No huge scarees like that yet !

Hi...
Glad you enjoyed my story. He's 26 and a dear. He was trying not to wake me. I doubt if he'll try that one again. I have some stories like that one based on raising teenage boys as a single mom. Lot's of fun but.. they do owe me a lifetime supply of Miss Clairol :-) Argh!

Gosh, are all of you authors? Published?

Hi Stormy,

Glad to have you 'on board.' Great bunch of talented ladies here. I feel certain you will love it.

Dotsie, our leader, is a positive, creative and helpful woman. She encourages and helps all who attend her site.

Feel free to check out our individual webites; for some of us have contests and marvelous things to check out.

Uhoh...I know when I'm out of my element..I just saw Jawjaw's home page and all her talents..then clicked and saw Brenda's. YIKES..I'm so overwhelmed. The only public speaking I did was for college and I forgot the Governor's name. Well, not really but welcomed the previous one not realizing that the new one had take office. It was one of those required courses from hell as you had to write a hypothesis (Adolescent teenage males and eating disorders),research, create a survey, complete the survey by handing it out to your target group, grade the survey..then write the findings. After all that was done, a formal talk was presented to the college president, deans,faculty, alumni, classmates, and invited guests. Did fine..but welcomed Steven Merrill and not Jeanne Shaheen..oh well...