The curtain is about to close on 2010 and everyone is talking about resolutions, goals, plans for the new year. I'd like to kick up a discussion on that topic too, if you'll help me out.
If you were guaranteed to achieve your wildest, deepest dream what would it be? Pretend this blog can grant you that one special wish. How do you invision yourself at the end of 2011? Right now there are no obstacles. How do you feel in this new place? How do you look? What words come to mind to describe yourself? What are others saying about you? Go ahead, take a deep breath, and imagine. Now write it down.
I hope all your dreams come true.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
10 Favorite Things This Time of Year
My top ten favorite things about this time of year:
Giving - I love that joyous and wondrous look on some one's face when they've unwrapped a gift.
Christmas songs - "Winter Wonderland" sung by Johnny Mathis. No Christmas is complete without it.
Going Christmas caroling - which I've only done while riding in a trolley, but fun none the less.
Christmas lights - The more lights you have on your house the more religious you are. (Just kidding!!!!!) But they are festive.
My Christmas tree - Yes, it's mine. I don't share it. The kids have their own.
Baking cookies - First of all, who doesn't love cookies? Second, it's a great bonding moment with loved ones.
Getting together with friends - Which I really don't have time for because I'm busy baking the cookies, decorating the tree, and buying the gifts! Kidding again!
Sharing traditions - Do you have any?
Did I mention cookies?
Oh, how could I almost forget - getting something in the mail worth seeing! The happy faces of friends of family - Holiday Cards!
What's your favorite thing about this time of year?
Giving - I love that joyous and wondrous look on some one's face when they've unwrapped a gift.
Christmas songs - "Winter Wonderland" sung by Johnny Mathis. No Christmas is complete without it.
Going Christmas caroling - which I've only done while riding in a trolley, but fun none the less.
Christmas lights - The more lights you have on your house the more religious you are. (Just kidding!!!!!) But they are festive.
My Christmas tree - Yes, it's mine. I don't share it. The kids have their own.
Baking cookies - First of all, who doesn't love cookies? Second, it's a great bonding moment with loved ones.
Getting together with friends - Which I really don't have time for because I'm busy baking the cookies, decorating the tree, and buying the gifts! Kidding again!
Sharing traditions - Do you have any?
Did I mention cookies?
Oh, how could I almost forget - getting something in the mail worth seeing! The happy faces of friends of family - Holiday Cards!
What's your favorite thing about this time of year?
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
What Do You Want for Christmas?
It's that time of year again. You've probably got family members and friends asking you what you want for Christmas (or Hanukkah or whatever gift giving holiday you celebrate this time of year.)
You know what I want? Kindness. That's it. Simple, right?
I am blessed with all the material items I could need, but what I don't seem to have enough of is kindness from others. Random acts of kindness from strangers. Most of my aquiantances share kind moments. I say most because not everyone I know is always kind. Sorry. That's the truth and maybe this holiday season they'll get a visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.
What kind of acts of kindness do you befall on your fellow man? Do you let someone get in front of you in the check out line? Do you hold the door for the person behind you? Do you say "thank you" to the person holding the door for you? How many times a day do you smile at a stranger? Did you ever think that your smile, simple and free, could change the life of the person you've given it to? Think about it the next time you're in a rush and your head is filled with your "to do" list. Think about the kindness you could offer this time of year when others are alone, cold, hungry, or afraid.
I leave you with the kind words of Tiny Tim, "God Bless Us. Everyone!"
You know what I want? Kindness. That's it. Simple, right?
I am blessed with all the material items I could need, but what I don't seem to have enough of is kindness from others. Random acts of kindness from strangers. Most of my aquiantances share kind moments. I say most because not everyone I know is always kind. Sorry. That's the truth and maybe this holiday season they'll get a visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.
What kind of acts of kindness do you befall on your fellow man? Do you let someone get in front of you in the check out line? Do you hold the door for the person behind you? Do you say "thank you" to the person holding the door for you? How many times a day do you smile at a stranger? Did you ever think that your smile, simple and free, could change the life of the person you've given it to? Think about it the next time you're in a rush and your head is filled with your "to do" list. Think about the kindness you could offer this time of year when others are alone, cold, hungry, or afraid.
I leave you with the kind words of Tiny Tim, "God Bless Us. Everyone!"
Monday, November 22, 2010
Outraged
Click on "Outraged" title of this blog to be linked to an article by Jeffrey Goldberg.
I'm outraged and you should be too. Did you click on the link and watch that disgusting video? Go do it now. I'll wait.
Here's what I have to say about this new searching procedure in place at the airports:
This is America! The home of the Free! Over my dead body will I ever let a TSA agent take off my child's shirt and frisk him! What is going on here, people?? Because we've swung so far to the left we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by "profiling" we'll allow a grown man to put his latex gloved hands on our children? Are you outraged yet?
Do you know what we're doing by allowing a child to be stripped and fondled? We are sending the pedophiles into a brand new employment. Isn't it enough that they've become priests?
I like profiling or behavioral analysis. I don't care what you call it, but I like it. The FBI knows, thanks to behavioral analysis, that serial killers are educated, white males in their thirties. I like knowing who the serial killers are. Now I know who to stay away from in dark parking lots. I also like knowing who the most likely group is to try and blow up an airplane. And guess what, my children aren't in either of those groups so keep your hands off!
The terrorists are winning people. They don't want us to live in a free land. They want us to be scared and I'm sad to say it's working. Stand up and shout. Don't stand for this. Take your country back. Get outraged!
I'm outraged and you should be too. Did you click on the link and watch that disgusting video? Go do it now. I'll wait.
Here's what I have to say about this new searching procedure in place at the airports:
This is America! The home of the Free! Over my dead body will I ever let a TSA agent take off my child's shirt and frisk him! What is going on here, people?? Because we've swung so far to the left we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by "profiling" we'll allow a grown man to put his latex gloved hands on our children? Are you outraged yet?
Do you know what we're doing by allowing a child to be stripped and fondled? We are sending the pedophiles into a brand new employment. Isn't it enough that they've become priests?
I like profiling or behavioral analysis. I don't care what you call it, but I like it. The FBI knows, thanks to behavioral analysis, that serial killers are educated, white males in their thirties. I like knowing who the serial killers are. Now I know who to stay away from in dark parking lots. I also like knowing who the most likely group is to try and blow up an airplane. And guess what, my children aren't in either of those groups so keep your hands off!
The terrorists are winning people. They don't want us to live in a free land. They want us to be scared and I'm sad to say it's working. Stand up and shout. Don't stand for this. Take your country back. Get outraged!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Another Memoir?
Memoirs are all the rage. Have you noticed? Everywhere you look whether it's television or book store or you hear it on the radio someone is writing their story. What's that all about?
I'm not much of a memoir reader, unfortunately. This is going to sound mean, but frankly, I don't care. Reading used to be about escaping from the realities of life, but maybe now it's about "look at that guy. His life is way worse than mine. Phew!" (Wiping of brow.)
Don't get me wrong, some memoirs are beautifully written. Angela's Ashes is one of them. Frank McCourt is a master at prose, but many times I thought, all right already, I get it. Your childhood sucked. What I really wanted to know was how he got out of the situation. What's the solution? I didn't need four hundred pages of repetition. Maybe I need the Cliff Note version of memoirs? Does Cliff still exist?
And let me ask you this: How do these authors of their memories remember in such vivid detail what happened at the age of four? I don't have memories like that, but of course I wasn't trying to boil hot dogs at the stove because no one would feed me and hence catching my tu-tu on fire. I might have remembered that one.
Why are we reading memoirs? Mainly because they sell. Who doesn't want to walk into the book store and be met by the faces of their favorite celebrities screaming, "pick me, pick me?" Except me.
Or are memoirs being read because the people just want to know? They want a glimpse into the lives of others or maybe to know there is someone just like them going through what they did. Are memoirs becoming some version of the modern day support group?
Memoirs are here to stay. Like it or not. And as long as everyone is reading something does it really matter what it is? What matters is you've connected with a book, curled up in your favorite chair to bend back the binding and fell in love with the story. To that I raise my glass.
What type of books are you reading?
I'm not much of a memoir reader, unfortunately. This is going to sound mean, but frankly, I don't care. Reading used to be about escaping from the realities of life, but maybe now it's about "look at that guy. His life is way worse than mine. Phew!" (Wiping of brow.)
Don't get me wrong, some memoirs are beautifully written. Angela's Ashes is one of them. Frank McCourt is a master at prose, but many times I thought, all right already, I get it. Your childhood sucked. What I really wanted to know was how he got out of the situation. What's the solution? I didn't need four hundred pages of repetition. Maybe I need the Cliff Note version of memoirs? Does Cliff still exist?
And let me ask you this: How do these authors of their memories remember in such vivid detail what happened at the age of four? I don't have memories like that, but of course I wasn't trying to boil hot dogs at the stove because no one would feed me and hence catching my tu-tu on fire. I might have remembered that one.
Why are we reading memoirs? Mainly because they sell. Who doesn't want to walk into the book store and be met by the faces of their favorite celebrities screaming, "pick me, pick me?" Except me.
Or are memoirs being read because the people just want to know? They want a glimpse into the lives of others or maybe to know there is someone just like them going through what they did. Are memoirs becoming some version of the modern day support group?
Memoirs are here to stay. Like it or not. And as long as everyone is reading something does it really matter what it is? What matters is you've connected with a book, curled up in your favorite chair to bend back the binding and fell in love with the story. To that I raise my glass.
What type of books are you reading?
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Journey
They say "success is a journey not a destination." I'm not great about the journey part. I like to measure my accomplishments by the big result. I have to practice daily to stay in the moment and find suceess in the small steps. Yesterday's journey on the road to publication blessed me twice.
I went to see my critique partner Marykate speak at Georgian Court University's Authors Day. While she was up there offering her knowledge and expertise on writing she mentioned me to the group! My breath caught in my throat and my eyes teared up. While she was there for herself she selflessly told them to be on the look out for my work. How blessed am I to be loved like that? Every challenging step of this journey to write books and get published has been worth it just so I could sit there and hear Marykate tell her audience she believes in my work. Oh yes, that was full blown success if you ask me and right in the middle of the journey to being a pubished author! That was my first little dance with grace for the day.
After Georgian Court I headed over to my daughter's elementary school to speak to her class about writing. Those kids are great fun. I love the opportunity to inspire children to write. But at the end one little boy raised his hand and said my daughter was lucky to have a mom as nice as me! What a touching thing to say. That young man inspired me! My second dance with grace for the day!
Yesterday was definitely successful and I'm still not published this morning, but that's okay. Right now I get it and when I don't I can remember those moments, take a deep breath, and plow forward.
What journey are you on? Share with us some of your successful steps.
Talk to you later...
I went to see my critique partner Marykate speak at Georgian Court University's Authors Day. While she was up there offering her knowledge and expertise on writing she mentioned me to the group! My breath caught in my throat and my eyes teared up. While she was there for herself she selflessly told them to be on the look out for my work. How blessed am I to be loved like that? Every challenging step of this journey to write books and get published has been worth it just so I could sit there and hear Marykate tell her audience she believes in my work. Oh yes, that was full blown success if you ask me and right in the middle of the journey to being a pubished author! That was my first little dance with grace for the day.
After Georgian Court I headed over to my daughter's elementary school to speak to her class about writing. Those kids are great fun. I love the opportunity to inspire children to write. But at the end one little boy raised his hand and said my daughter was lucky to have a mom as nice as me! What a touching thing to say. That young man inspired me! My second dance with grace for the day!
Yesterday was definitely successful and I'm still not published this morning, but that's okay. Right now I get it and when I don't I can remember those moments, take a deep breath, and plow forward.
What journey are you on? Share with us some of your successful steps.
Talk to you later...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Zombies
Zombies are the new rage. They're popping up in novels. One of my favorites is Patient Zero by Jonathon Maberry - an absolute must read! Movies are made about zombies, television shows, and even video games. What makes them so likable? I've heard they're the new bad guys ever since vampires became the hero.
I've been sucked in too! I walked around all morning wearing a sticky note on my shirt with the time 11:14 on it so I wouldn't forget. Forget what? To harvest the zombies!! That's right. My son needed my help. He's playing Zombie Farm on his ITouch and at exactly 11:14 two new zombies would be ready for harvesting and when he accumulates eight zombies he can invade. What he can invade I don't know, but that's not the point. I couldn't let my son down, right? How hard could it be to play a video game and I needed an excuse to walk away from manuscript for five minutes.
The pressure was on. I didn't know how to make the farmer dig the little boogers up! I pressed the screen a hundred times, but the zombies remained in the garden. I couldn't fail in my first video game attempt to win the invasion, could I? Thankfully, sheer stubbornness won out. I pressed every button on the screen, praying I didn't delete the game, and discovered the farmer needed a harvesting tool! Duh!!! I freed the zombies and in the nick of time. Phew!
And let me tell you what, those zombies are cute! (Sorry, Jonathon, these zombies wouldn't work in your novel!) The whole game is animated in bright colors and the zombies have adorable faces. I dug up a Garden Zombie with a gnomes hat on!! Way cool! And every zombie has a name: Ted, Bill, Tom, you get the idea.
It looks like I've gone full circle. I enjoy everything from science fiction - thriller novels to the adorable Zombie Farm. Are you catching the zombie fever? Share some of your favorite zombie experiences with us.
Talk to you later...
I've been sucked in too! I walked around all morning wearing a sticky note on my shirt with the time 11:14 on it so I wouldn't forget. Forget what? To harvest the zombies!! That's right. My son needed my help. He's playing Zombie Farm on his ITouch and at exactly 11:14 two new zombies would be ready for harvesting and when he accumulates eight zombies he can invade. What he can invade I don't know, but that's not the point. I couldn't let my son down, right? How hard could it be to play a video game and I needed an excuse to walk away from manuscript for five minutes.
The pressure was on. I didn't know how to make the farmer dig the little boogers up! I pressed the screen a hundred times, but the zombies remained in the garden. I couldn't fail in my first video game attempt to win the invasion, could I? Thankfully, sheer stubbornness won out. I pressed every button on the screen, praying I didn't delete the game, and discovered the farmer needed a harvesting tool! Duh!!! I freed the zombies and in the nick of time. Phew!
And let me tell you what, those zombies are cute! (Sorry, Jonathon, these zombies wouldn't work in your novel!) The whole game is animated in bright colors and the zombies have adorable faces. I dug up a Garden Zombie with a gnomes hat on!! Way cool! And every zombie has a name: Ted, Bill, Tom, you get the idea.
It looks like I've gone full circle. I enjoy everything from science fiction - thriller novels to the adorable Zombie Farm. Are you catching the zombie fever? Share some of your favorite zombie experiences with us.
Talk to you later...
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