Tag Archives: writing

It said to “Just Write”

Something I read: just write… in the raw…

So that is what I decided to do. A book I stumbled upon in a local bookshop said to just start writing. As this is supposed to be a creative writing exercise, I decided to do it. I am actually in the middle of doing it right/write now. As I write, I have music playing by Jesse Cook. The album is The Rumba Foundation, and invigorating.

As I peer out the windows at Panera, I see that the sun finally decided to come out. It’s beautiful. I can tell the warmth is beginning to envelop our city. I am glad. Recent events have put a damper on lives, and lives lost. The Boston Marathon tragedy may be behind us but will never be forgotten. The MIT Police Officer who died following the event is being put to rest today. Thousands will be at the funeral, but that is no solace for a life lost. Rain today would have been too somber. He deserves to be put to rest on a beautiful day. His life, as well as the others should be celebrated.

When I started writing this post, I did not think that I would write about last weeks events. I really did not know where my words would lead me but I just came to the conclusion that I don’t want to forget the harsh reality of last week. The rawness of what happened. It’s one of many reminders we need to cherish every moment we have. We do need to live for today and leave all the petty bullsh*t at the door. Stop focusing on all the negatives in life and embrace the goodness.

In friends: Don’t focus any time on the ones that don’t make you feel good about yourself. Nothing good comes out of them. Forget the people you “think” you should be friends with. Forget social standards or the desire for so-called popularity. Surround yourself with people who DO make you feel good, people who make you smile, laugh and allow you to relax around.

In work: Do what you love. Do what you want. Even if you have another job, strive towards the one you really want. Welcome a change, a new career path if that is your dream.

In Family: Just love. Accept family members for whom they are. Don’t try to change them. Just love them and savor every moment you have with them.

In Life: Smile. Be gracious, kind, and generous. Wish well upon others. Live freely. Let your hair down and start enjoying every bit of it. Make note of all the beauty surrounding you. Smell the air, sink your hands in the ground. Be aware of all your senses and savor them. It’s amazing how good the “little things” feel.

How I feel now: I had to add this piece because writing freely has never come easy to me, although writing has. I am doing zero edits to the above. I have yet to read what I wrote but am posting it “as is.” The reality is that I am a little nervous about how it may be taken or I might sound like a bit of a freak (clearly, I am afraid of being judged) but today = step 1 of my new adventure… Finding my TRUE AUTHENTIC SELF.

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Top 1% Most Viewed LinkedIn Profiles

LinkedIn reached a milestone recently; they have over 200,000,000 members and are going strong! For those of you who don’t feel like counting the zero’s, that’s 200 Million!
Along with celebrating LinkedIn’s success, I was pleasantly surprised to receive my very own email from LinkedIn stating that I (yes, little old me), was one of the TOP 1% MOST VIEWED PROFILES ON LINKEDIN FOR 2012! Regardless of whether I sound like a braggart or not, I am proud to be in the Top 1% and had to share!

Now… Do The Math… 1% Of 200,000,000 Is NOT That Fantastic Of A Number.  I happen to be 1 in 2 Million who were awarded a spot in the Top 1% for 2012… What that means – LinkedIn has a bunch of marketing geniuses working for them, hence their 200,000,000 members, including me, who were kind enough to retweet their ranking with LinkedIn thus – FREE MASS MARKETING FOR LINKEDIN!  Now that is SOCIAL MEDIA AT IT’S FINEST!

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Organize Without Tech – My Top 3

 Organization without the use of technology in the year 2012? 

Although most people cringe at the thought, I embrace it!  Although I am a technology junkie, I still love being able to see, feel, touch and of course… make it look pretty when it comes to keeping my life organized.  Do I still use technology, you ask?  OF COURSE (no, that should not read off course Off course is when your car or any other vehicle is not “on course”… get it?) I do!  Sidenote: I only added that little note in parenthesis because If I get another email telling me I should have written offcourse or off course, I might scream.

So, back to the topic at hand… I love technology.  I also love being organized.  I don’t always have technology with me.  I don’t always have a pen to write with… I also have a tendency to break things such as my iPhone and my latest gadget here and there… Hense, the need for two places to enter my day-to-day happenings.  Being a visual person, I love being able to see my life in front of me and determining my availability based on that.  I also LOVE all things cute, beautiful and inspirational which is why a FANTASTIC book/journal like the SMASH Folio I own, is one of the BEST THINGS I HAVE EVER PURCHASED!  For writing my latest musings or thoughts, ideas about my blog and anything else for that matter, it is necessary to have some sort of journal available at all times.

My Top 3 Organization Tools, with the exception of my technology products are listed below… 1st, my K&CompanySmash Folio, Mod Black.  As you can see, they come in all sorts of adorable colors and themes.  2nd, my Moleskine 2013 Weekly Notebook Diary Planner Soft Cover
book.  I prefer a weekly planner and the Moleskine weekly planner has a page with dates and a page for taking notes…  THIS!  3rd, my Moleskine Ruled Cahier Journal Kraft Pocket: set of 3 Ruled Journals.  They are light, easy to carry everywhere and truly, I just love jotting EVERYTHING DOWN IN THEM!

The product List…
Moleskine Planners
Smash Folios
Moleskine Notebooks

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Wrath Of Grapes

9/12/2012… The Daily… Wrath Of Grapes (Yes, WRATH of Grapes)… Read on…
The Quote – The Product – The Book – The App – The Music

+ The Product…Shop Our Charm Of The Month – September
Spreading Positive Energy Worldwide – AlexandAni.com

If you haven’t heard about Eco-Friendly Fashion from Alex and Ani it’s time you visit their website for some Positive Energy!!!

 + The Book… The Grapes of Wrath
Of Course I could not suggest any other book when discussing grapes!  After almost 40 years, John Steinbeck is still considered one of the greatest writers worldwide!

+ The App… Wine101 
Who doesn’t need the greatest beginner’s guide to wine!  Wine 101 not only helps you familiarize yourself with various wines, it helps you pair them with food and more!

+ The Music… Listen My Friends: The Best of Moby Grape

And of course… The Playlist…

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50 Shades Of Quotes, Books, Apps And Products

The Daily – 9.11.2011
The Quote – The Book – The App – The Music – The Product…

From my center to yours…

Drum Roll Please… Today’s Quote Of The Day…
Although I should really be ending with this, I decided to begin with it instead…
“Laters, baby.” – E.L. James, Fifty Shades Of Grey

The Book… Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy

Anastasia Steele… the student.  Christian Grey… the entrepreneur.  Innocent Ana is taken by Grey’s looks, charm and much more… 50 Shades of Grey – definitely a book for mature audiences… 

The App… Fifty Shades Edition:Ultimate Trivia

A challenging trivia game for book fans!  The app has two different modes and 3 levels… Currently, it is on sale for a short time!

The Music… Fifty Grey Shades – a Collection of Fifty Piano Pieces Inspired By the Novel

Yes, this is accurate… an actual collection of 50 Piano Pieces which were inspired by the novel!  Pretty amazing…

The Product… A Guy’s Secret Guide to Fifty Shades of Grey

I could have gone all out with this one but… for the sake of my readers and keeping this website PG at the most, I chose to include a simple companion book for the related product…

As always, have a wonderful day!  

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Top 10 Reading Apps For Kids

Reading Apps For Kids… With the amount of apps available today, one would think that finding great reading apps for children would be easy. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Over the past few years, I have downloaded at least 50 different apps specifically to help my girls learn to read. Out of the 50 or so, only a few made the cut.

Below are a list of our families “Kid Tested, Mother Approved” apps that not only work, they keep my daughter’s engaged.

Our Top 10 Reading Apps For Kids… in no specific order!

#1  Word Wizard – Talking Movable Alphabet & Spelling Tests for Kids


The Word Wizard app is geared towards children who are just learning to read through 5th graders!  Talk about an app that grows with your child!
Key Points: Learn To Write – Learn To Read – Letter Sounds – Voice Transformer With Speed Tone = FUN – Phonics – Voice Recognition – Hints Available – Colorful Animation And More!

 

#2  Bob Books #1 – Reading Magic HD

If you do not know about the infamous Bob Books, here is your chance to learn more!  Bob Books are one of the most talked about books for children who are learning to read!
Key Points: Phonics-Based – Interactive – Full-Color Animation – Spelling – Sounding Out Simple Words – Connecting Letters And Sounds – 12 Scenes – Four Game Levels – Simply Fantastic!

#3  Bob Books #2 – Reading Magic HD

 Another Bob Books app which is a great introduction to reading and phonics!  The Bob Books apps are for pre-school children through early elementary readers.
Key Points: 12 New Scenes – Phonics – Reading – Animation And More!

#4  First Words Deluxe

First Words is an amazing app with a fun and interactive approach to teaching letters and words to readers!  It is a word-building game which not only helps children learn to read, it even helps them learn to spell.  First Words will help your toddler or elementary age child recognize letters and spell words up to 8 letters long!
Key Points: 174 Words – Animals – Vehicles – Shapes – Colors – Around The House – Settings Which Allow You To Control The Difficulty For Each Child – Great Games – Rewards For Children And More!

#5  Fish School HD – by Duck Duck Moose

 The Fish School app is an interactive learning app!  The app combines education with imaginationcreating a playful and colorful environment for children to learn in.  Fish School is geared towards toddlers, pre-schoolers and early elementary age children.
Key Points: Learning Made Fun – Letters – Numbers – The ABC Song – Matching – Differences – Hand Eye Coordination – Mozart – Nursery Rhymes – Creativity And More!

#6  DotToDot numbers & letters

DotToDot Numbers & Letters is fantastic!  Rather than focus on numbers or letters individually, this app combined the two.  What a concept right (insert sarcasm here)?  Connecting the dots has been a old favorite for many.  Let your children get back to basics by learning how to write their letters while understanding numbers as well!  DotToDot Numbers & letters is for childred between 3 and 6 but kind of fun for this mom too!
Key Points: Learning Fun – Puzzles – Phonics – Letter Names – Extensive Settings Available – Timers For A Little Competition Between Siblings Or Personal Scores – Rewards For Puzzle Completion And Much More!

#7  Martha Speaks Dog Party

If you have not seen Martha Speaks on PBS kids, you are missing out (yes, I mean that for adults too)!  Martha Speaks is a witty and educational show with fantastic lessons.  Ever since my daughter’s and I first watched the show, we became hooked.  Having an App that stars Martha from the TV show makes this app an easy sell initially!  Once you delve into it though, it becomes a fan favorite!
Key Points: Martha Martha Martha (almost sounds like “Marsha Marsha Marsha” From The Brady Bunch Huh?) – Self-Leveling Game – Builds Listening Skills – Teaches Children How To Take Direction – Introduces Some Fun And Interesting Words Which Are Not Typical Of Early Learning Apps – Balloon-Popping Quiz – Vocabulary – A Doggy Dress Up Game With Pictures That Can Be Saved And More!

#8  Word Wagon HD – by Duck Duck Moose

Word Wagon!!!  Hop Aboard this app for sure!  The educational content offered in Word Wagon is phenominal!  The Word Wagon app is simple to understand, has amazing illustrations, fantastic animations and sounds which make this app pretty great!  Unlike many apps I have purchased for my children, Word Wagon is one of the few that do not require parental guidance during game play.  Word Wagon has 4 levels for Preschool through first graders.  The recommended ages are 1-7.
Key Points: Letters – Phonics – Words – School Readiness – More Than 100 Words – Play Hide And Seek While Learning – Dress Up Games – Drawing Picture – Talking On The Phone… Did I Mention All Of This Is Done While Your Child Is Learning!

#9  Montessori Letter Sounds HD – Apprendre l’anglais avec Tam et Tao

Montssori Letter Sounds for pre-readers!  This is a fantastic app for children who are learning their letters.  It is based on the Montessori methos which works in 4 steps.  First, “i spy” to play sound games.  Second, letter sounds and memorization.  Third, bringing the first to steps together with a little mix and match.  Fourth, learning to write their first words by sounding them out.  Montessori Letter Sounds is yet another fantastic approach to early learning which works!
Key Points: A Phonetic Alphabet – A Notebook – A Sandbox For Tracing – An Image Box For Vocabulary – Sensory Learning – Progressive Learning And More!

#10  Phonics Easy Reader 1 HD

Phonics Easy Reader offers stories in Rock ‘N Learn phonics!  Music, fun, reading and great stories make this app another favorite!  The use of sight words, memory words and great stories never grow dull!
Key Points: Read To Me – Let Me Try – Sight Words – Memory Building -Great Tunes – Animations That Excite – The Option To Read Yourself And Then Press The Play Back Option For Accuracy – Moving Through Each Story At Your Child’s Pace And More Make This App Another Great Learning Tool! 

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On Writing

On Writing Writing is my passion, my hobby and my therapy… so, when I experience the awfulness known as writer’s block, I have only a few words to describe my emotional state… anger, anxiety and frustration… Leading to Depression… Needless to say, the past three days, I fell into a complete state of “internal depression syndrome.” 

Angry and frustrated, rather than write about my writers block, which would have been logical since it would have removed the wall I hit, I just sat… and sat… and sat… staring at a blank word document on my computer screen.  The document was white… with a flashing black cursor… Chinese torture.  I sat for hours.  To ease my pain, every few minutes, I wrote a sentence or two.  Moments later, I deleted the sentence… or two (the second sentence never seemed to reach the point of a period).

On Shopping… Shopping is a passion of mine while in a depressed state.  There was no better time to shop than at the very moment I realized that my sentences were going nowhere and the Chinese torture I was experiencing due to my blinking cursor needed to end.  Well, it was not difficult for me to write my favorite website URLs.  I started with a few children’s clothing stores… then off to look for new and notable books.  Reading has always been therapeutic for me.  Maybe I would find something I could download on my iPad for instant gratification (or as I like to call it, only child syndrome). 

Instead of a book to read at leisure, I found some which were even better… Books on writing.  Amazing books on writing!  Books to help me out of my slump, bring back my creativity, make me think and most of all… Books on proper Grammar!  A bit of everything all on one page and all for my viewing pleasure!  I was so excited about my finds that I decided to share them with my readers!

On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition: A Memoir of the Craft
The Writer’s Workout: 366 Tips, Tasks, & Techniques From Your Writing Career Coach
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing (Quick & Dirty Tips)
The Writer’s Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative Exploration and Personal ExpressionBird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library)
              

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The Poolside Turtle

The Poolside Turtle… And  A Twist… Of course I couldn’t go a whole week without mentioning some fun with my girls!  Well, yesterday, “D” and I caught our daughter Julia doing one of the oddest things…

As we were sitting poolside, much to our disappointment, Julia had found, yet another floatation device to use in the pool.  Every time Julia finds something to help her stay afloat in water, she regresses with her ability to swim by herself. Somehow though, Julia is always able to “borrow” some poor child’s floatation device… most likely through some sort of bargaining or possibly a quiet threat. Yesterday was no different from most days and “D” and I watched Julia as she made her way through the deep end with yet another floatie.

As she swam past us, we got a cute little wave from Julia and then she went back to some serious swimming… That was, until we watched her showing off in front of a pretty lifeguard.  Although unsure of what she was trying to do, I will leave you this… It’s a picture of baby Julia, doing what we now call… drum roll please… The Poolside Turtle :)

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Wine – Red Glass At Night = Mommas Delight, Red Glass In The Morning = Mommas Warning

Bottle Of Red… “A Red Glass At Night Is A Momma’s Delight… A Red Glass In The Morning Is A Momma’s Warning”… (yes, I do think I am quite savvy for making that one up… And yes, totally putting it in quotes to give myself props)…

Recently, I saw a new doctor and was grilled, on paper.  One of the questions asked on my 4 page questionnaire – Do you drink alcohol?  My answer – Yes. The next question… If yes, how much alcohol do you drink… you get the gist.

Obviously, these questions are on the questionnaire because doctors need to know if you have an alcohol problem or not.  It could have to do with the type of medication they may have to prescribe for you at some point… or something else… If everyone gets the same questionnaire, and has to answer the same questions, why do I feel so strange having to answer it?

I don’t like the question because many factors go into my response… Are they talking about this week or last week.  Do they mean what I drank last night, or what I plan on drinking tonight due to the anxiety and stress the question caused?  Is it a way to make me feel guilty about having a cocktail or two? Yikes… I really don’t like that question!

My reality… last week, I may have had one to two glasses of

red wine

3 nights in a row.  Since then, I may not have had any red wine. Tonight, I might have a few friends over and drink three to four glasses.  Does that mean that I am an alcoholic???  Absolutely NOT!  I have gone months without a drink, nor wanting one. Other times, I have taken a sip of red wine and almost hurled because at that very moment, I couldn’t stand the taste.  So now, I need to question the question and question my response… Personally, I don’t think it is a fair question… regardless of my answer, I somehow, am forced to feel guilty for something I am not doing wrong… Kind of like in the first grade when I dropped our guinea pig Snowball, because she nipped me and I got yelled at… The little monster drew blood for no reason… again, I did nothing wrong.
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