February Goes to the Dogs

February is here, one step closer to spring, and there is plenty to celebrate beyond the usual Ground Hog Day, Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. Nothing against Presidents or Ground Hogs, but there is a lot more to February than hearts and flowers. Here’s to some of the weird and wacky celebrations this month.

Go get yourself some pie because February is Great American Pie Month.
And give a slice to your mail carrier on February 4th - Thank a Mail Carrier Day.

Then on the 7th - Wave all your fingers at Your Neighbor Day (not kidding) No little hand raise, or thumbs up, you must give a big five finger wave to all your neighbors.

February 11th is a day to recognize that sh** happens. And when it does, don’t worry, or fret or cry over it, because it’s Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day.

I’ll leave it up to you whether you celebrate February 16th - Do a Grouch a Favor Day.

But February is a great month to be a dog. February 20th is Love Your Pet Day. The 22nd is Walking the Dog Day and the 23rd is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day.

Possibly the best day of the month is February 27th - a day that requires absolutely no thinking, studying or analysis of any kind - No Brainer Day.

Rounding out the bizarre celebrations for the month, February 28th is a day to doze at the beach, sleep on a park bench, catch twenty winks on the bus or subway, or catch a few ZZZZs on the job with no worries because it is -
Public Sleeping Day.

So have a great month. And feel free to comment on anyway you might be celebrating.

Millipede Steps to Branding

My path to publication has been accomplished one baby step at a time. And I am still inching my way along.

But my path to "branding" is likely to occur in steps so tiny, I will need a microscope to measure them.

For one thing, I am not a sales person by nature. I am an introverted hermit. This is why I enjoy writing, alone. At the computer. In my pajamas.

For another, I have never been able to "toot" my own horn, no matter what my level of accomplishment. I know, self-esteem issues.

But lately all the craft workshops, chats, conferences, and writer's loops are a-buzz with "promotion" and "branding". Even the would-be author is supposed to be spending time on social media promoting themselves. And "branding"? I've never liked that word, reminds me of the poor cows getting fire-hot metal pressed into their flesh. I had better get over that visual, or I'll never be as recognizable as McDonalds.

But in my efforts to embrace the writing journey, I am taking teeny, tiny millipede steps toward author promotion.

Yesterday, I had my first public appearance as a published author - a school visit, reading my work to a very tough audience - 17 kindergarteners. Despite my nerves and promises to myself beforehand that "I would never, ever commit to such a thing again", the visit went well. The kids seemed to have fun. They laughed when they were supposed to. They asked so many questions. And they even asked me to come back.

So to any of you as afraid to do promotion as I am, it can be done, one eensy, teensy step at a time.

Feel free to comment on any of your promotion steps big or little.

Let the Celebrating Begin

It may seem like the time for celebrations is over but this month has a host of bizarre and wacky days and ways that beg to be marked in some way or another. If not with a party at least with a little laugh and cup of hot tea, since

January is HOT TEA MONTH.

Or you can cook up a pot of soup because it is also National Soup Month.

You can also have a bowl of oatmeal to celebrate National Oatmeal Month.

Do you see the trend of warm, soothing comfort foods, for the coldest month of the year?

But today - January 19th - a popping good day as it is National Popcorn Day.

Tomorrow go find a penguin and hug it.



There you have Penguin Awareness Day and National Hugging Day all taken care of. If you can’t find a penguin you could always catch a squirrel. January 21st is also Squirrel Appreciation Day.

Next Monday, January 23rd, be sure to celebrate with a delicious pie and measure your feet while you’re at it. Yes, you read that correctly,
National Pie Day and Measure Your Feet Day on the same day.

On the 24th be kind and compliment someone (Compliment Day). And on the 25th do the opposite for (Opposite day.)

January 27th is a tried and true favorite -- Chocolate Cake Day.

January 28th give a toot on National Kazoo Day.

January 29th is National Corn Chip Day - break out the Tostitos or Fritos.

And on the 31st - Yad drawkcaB. That’s Backward Day. I was just practicing.

So have fun celebrating for the remainder of the month.

Feel free to comment on any unique ways or holidays you celebrate.

"What Mess?"

I am thrilled to announce I have another publication under my belt. This time in Stories For Kids November 2011 issue Volume 6

Here is the link and you can at least see my name in print


http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/InThisIssue.aspx

Each small step, leads to each small victory on the way to my goals.

Feel free to comment on your small steps, victories and goals.

This Could be the Answer to a Portable Reader for Kids

Could it rival a Kindle?


www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/kids-storage-00100000064587/page7.html

Wish I had thought of this when my kids were young, or better yet when I was young.

Maybe I'll make one for myself now.

How about you? Feel free to comment and/or follow.

October is....

As most of us are aware October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a serious issue that deserves our full support and awareness. And at the end of the month we celebrate the eerie, spooky and sweet with Halloween.

But did you know October is also Eat Country Ham Month, National Pizza Month, National Popcorn Popping Month, National Apple Month, National Pretzel Month, National Pickled Pepper Month, National Pork, Seafood, Pasta, Sausage, Carmel and Cookie Month. It is also World Chocolate Awareness Month, which I am not sure what that means. Am I to be aware of Chocolate, in the world? But more importantly, do I eat chocolate from around the world?

Ironically, October is also Hunger Awareness Month.

And let your teenagers know, October is also National Sarcastic Month.
Only one month, not all year like my teenagers assume.

For the writers, I found October is American Magazine Month and the third week of October is Teen Read week.

October has a few special days for writers too.

October 15th is National Poetry Day.
October 16th is National Dictionary Day, Noah Webster’s Birthday, and School Librarian Day.
October 18th is Oprah’s Book Club Anniversary started in 1996.
October 29th is International Internet Day.

So go ahead celebrate October in a myriad of ways, meanwhile I’ll be waiting for October 24th to celebrate National Crazy Day.

Feel free to comment on how you might be celebrating in October.

A Curvy, Swerving Journey

I wish I had learned years ago that the path to a goal is seldom a straight line.
I was mistakenly under the impression that it was and whenever I was forced off the road to my goal, I would fall prey to feelings of failure. And those feelings quickly led to “What’s the Use.”

But over the years I have come to embrace the far more realistic expressions

“it is the journey not the destination” and “enjoy the process”.

Of course this is not always easy, but the connection with other writers has helped me to learn the value of the curvy, swervy road. By reading blogs, participating in loops and forums, joining chats, and committing to numerous online classes, and even a couple real-time in person classes, I have learned that very few of us enjoy a straight line path to our goal.

Ten years ago attempted to write and publish, but I was quickly derailed. And my many previous attempts at weight loss have always focused on getting to the goal weight, never enjoying the process.

But with all the support, knowledge and help that is available at the touch of the keyboard, any time day or night I no longer feel alone or like a complete failure. Reading and connecting with others who are struggling and succeeding one day, one moment, or one line at a time reminds me that is all that I have to do. And in doing so I have learned to accept that each swerve or curve in my road to my goals offers opportunities -- for growth, for change, and for more learning.

I set out a year and a half ago to write and then get published a romance that had been simmering in my mind. The path I embarked upon has been anything but straight. But instead of giving up with all bumping, winding, curving, and twisting I accepted that this was my road. Each time I felt thrown off course, which was often, I checked in with what was and wasn’t working, listened to my creativity and now have three children’s fiction stories published. Talk about going off course, but who is to say. My road may yet lead to a romance published, but if not, that is okay.

So thank you, for your blogs, emails, forums, chats, and online support, because without them I might not have accepted the roller-coaster ride my journey has become.

Feel free to weigh in on the path that is your journey or the process you are embracing as you work toward your goals.