"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.

Beat the Heat - Lower-Calorie-Than Ice Cream Substitute

In my quest to get published and my quest to get to my wedding weight I have had to be creative,
in both arenas.

This blog I thought I’d share with you a lower-calorie-than ice cream substitute that even works for my husband (a huge ice cream fan) and my teenage son.

Take individual fat free yogurt containers and throw them in the freezer.

Yoplait now has inspired flavors including Cinnamon Bun, Red Velvet Cake, Black Forest Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Key Lime Pie and Boston Cream Pie.

A few short hours later the yogurt is solid and can be

chipped away,

slowly,

painstakingly

dragging the dessert eating experience out. Especially nice when watching TV.

Cold, sweet, individually packaged and a healthy alternative to dessert.

And for the more budget-conscious. I also buy the larger tub size fat free yogurt and using the small Gladware individual containers, spoon some in and free these. You could also add your own fruit to these if you want.

So no more 1/2 gallon later, wondering where that 1/2 gallon of full fat ice cream went.

Feel Free to share any of your creative, lower calorie substitutes?

Be Kind to Writer's and Editor's

I was doing some research and found out that this month, September is
Be Kind to Writer's and Editor's Month. How cool is that? Our very own month where others should be KIND to us. It's nice to be thought of.

We share the month.
September is also Pink Flamingo Month, National Potato Month and Save the Tiger Month.

But back to our writerly pursuits, September is also officially
Adult Literacy Month and Read-A -New Book Month.


I'm off to put the pink flamingo on the lawn, have a potato and start a new book.

How will you celebrate this prestigious month? Feel free to share.

My First Guest Blog

This is the link to my first ever Guest Blog.



Hop on over and read how doing this guest blog was another small step on my road to publication.

Feel Free to comment here or on the Savvy Authors Blog.