Hello Hello

So I got a new phone that enables me to blog... Yippee!! :)

Also, hello Linden... ;)

Funny Things... About Novel-Writing and Kefir

Ya know, it's funny... that when you sign up for a course to "complete a self-edited manuscript within a year"... that THAT'S the week that your computer decides to quit on you...

Self Study No. 568

Ah, the wise words of my baby sis:

"finish itttttt."

She was referencing my "Alison Underland" piece. Which will be finished at some point...

Sometimes I find it hard to finish things... Which is why I'm making a very public display of announcing the official, for real, very surely start of something. Something bigger than my Alison Underland story or my other (very beloved) pastiche pieces.

 I am embarking on something engulfing. This weeks marks the first week in my year-long challenge to complete a finished, self-edited manuscript for my book series. (THANKS to Shay at SpireSpire for being so selflessly devoted to challenging others and helping them to shine!)

Oh boy. I think I can I think I can I think I can.

And with this great adventure, I am mustering up the courage to humbly turn my eye inward. To truly evaluate myself as a creator, thinker, feeler, organizer, and do-er. A frightening task, to be sure. But that's the only way. I mean, really... My biggest pet peeve is when people assume things. So I should probably not assume anything about my own powers. I've got to whip my lil' creative spirit into shape and prove myself. Yeehaw!

In other me-related news...

• I just got back from a missions trip to the Czech Republic. Oh my. If you've never sacrificed your time and energy and traveled outside of your lil' world, then it's time to get on board!!! God is working in a big way in Czech and I'm sososo thankful that I got to be a part of it in some small way! (Note to self: update personal travel/adventure blog with photos and highlights from the trip!) For now, here's a pic of our fabulous class that we were privileged to teach English to:

Clockwise from top left: Bara (she has cool hair!), Martin (he just got married last week!), Dave (love you!), Martin (he has a Scottish accent...oh yes), Honza (our beloved scholar of the group), me, Inka (my roomie when I went to Czech in 2004... oh how I love her!), and lovely Reny (she is soso sweet!). Ahhh... I miss them all! 

•  I discovered Pinterest. It's like a virtual pinboard system and it's great for people who are visually inspired and like to stay organized. Perfect for gathering recipes, inspiring images, a cache of all items on a dream shopping list, or creating idea collages for decorating the home. Words cannot describe the great fun-ness of Pinterest. (Yes, that was the word that I wanted to write there... And for once I wished it was a real word... so I decided to use it anyways...) If you haven't discovered Pinterest yet, then you should. Just be prepared to set up an accountability system with a buddy so that you can healthfully manage your new addiction. (Note: I think there's a way to link one's Pinterest account with one's blog... Which I will try to do...)

• I just watched two films worth watching: Grey Gardens with Jessica Lange and a truly groundbreaking performance by Drew Barrymore... And Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Oh Paul Newman.....*swoon*.

Okay... Off I go... I have work bloggies to do... And pinteresting to procrastinate with... And creating to do for my story: The Laraway Legacy!!! Curious? Check out my Laraway Legacy Pinterest board for a sort-of glimpse into my brain! :)

Alison Underland - Part I

Hey readers!

So, Writers of AntiquiTea is working on modern twists on old fairy tales. I'm so pumped about this little project! Here's the first part of my short story. There will definitely be more, so stay tuned!!! :)

Alison Underland

Ode to an Idiom: Charley Horse

Hello readers! Most of my attention lately has been sucked by writing and creating stories. And I couldn't be happier!!! But I do have some recipes I've been meaning to post... I will try to get to that soon!

As for now, here's another Writers of AntiquiTea project. We're calling it an "Ode to an Idiom". Enjoy! :)

Charley Horse

Spasms of the heart...

Uncontrollably freezing up any remnants of valor.

Bravery, that I thought I possessed,

But I must have thought wrong.

This soul dehydration

That leads to invariable twinges,

Drawing bits and pieces,

Sucking spirit from my marrow...

Stiff.

Reactions.

Low levels of joy and

Overabundance of shock

From the under-saturated hues inside the

Kinks and stitches

Of my mind.

Distraction is not enough,

Frenzied games of forgetting

Do little to ease the ache.

It’s a horribly stunning truth

That the only relief to be had

Is from the

Arduous stretching

and

Reaching

And the re-extending...

The expanding of the heart through and beyond

Its source of pain.

Pastiche Project - Prism Poems

Oh my... It's been a LONG time since posting! But I've been busy. This is the project I've been working on for the past couple weeks - another pastiche of sorts, generated by brainstorming and writing sessions from my Writers of AntiquiTea meetings with Lisa.

We're calling this project Prism Poems - 3 unique poems showing different facets of people. So, take a look at the title of each poem and enjoy the artwork that was chosen to go along with each piece. Then, read each poem! And as always, feedback is GREATLY appreciated!!!  THANKS! :)

Oatmeal Soul

Pastiche Project: Terminus

Another Pastiche Project! So, for our latest Writers of AntiquiTea meeting, Lisa and I decided to be manly and leave the fairy tale emotions behind. We wanted to step outside our comfort zones and give ourselves a challenge. She chose to write about a bull fight. I chose to write about a gladiator. Surprisingly similar topics, but different enough that we were able to write uniquely. Here's what I learned while creating this project:

1. It is really really hard for this girl to write about fighting. It was like pulling teeth. I really know nothing about physical combat.
2. Researching gladiators is fascinating.
3. I couldn't find a song to go with this project. I tried lots, but none of them worked. I wanted something epic (but not too 'big' sounding)... Something with heartbeat-like drums (that's not too creepy). Apparently, this music doesn't exist yet. My husband said he preferred the story without music, so I decided to leave it at that.
4. I'm thinking that next time I do a Pastiche I'm going to start with a song, and then find a piece of art, and THEN write the story...

So, here it is... And, if you like, leave me a comment with your feedback! I cherish feedback. :)

Terminus

Writing Project: The Kiss

I wrote this as part of an experimental creative writing project for my self-inflicted writing group homework. I'm calling it a Pastiche Project as it is meant to combine several different types of art. This one uses an image that I edited, a song that I found, and a short story that I wrote. So, to fully experience the project do the following:


1. Turn your speakers on and hit play on the youtube video link. No need to watch the video, it's just to play the music.
2. Take a look at the image.
3. Read the short story! Be sure to comment once you've experienced it and let me know your thoughts!!! :)

My Heart Beats for Bradbury

Dear Aspiring Writers,

I have discovered, what you probably already have. And I have fallen, quite suddenly, in love...

He is so wonderful that I forgive him for his semi-mullet...

Ray Bradbury is my newest crush. I forgive all of you who ever heard of him and didn't personally open one of his books in front of my nose and tell me to sit on my butt and read for five minutes. He is humorous, unique, quirky, descriptive, brave, and eloquent. Plus, he writes short stories, which are perfect for my attention span. Consider, this passage from "The Fog Horn":

Martha Graham's 117th Birthday, French Puppies, & Creative Writing

(This is what happens when I don't post in a while... I write one big post full of RANDOM material... My brain is funny...)

1. It's Martha Graham's birthday today! Everyone go to Google RIGHT NOW!!! Okay, sorry for yelling... But isn't that the coolest little dancing Google name-thingy ever?! As a side note, Martha Graham is one of the most recognized and celebrated dancers in the modern dance world. I love Martha Graham. However, I love Lester Horton more. (For oddly flexible people wearing unnecessarily tight leotards and moving in trance-like motions to weird elevator music click here... Yes, I dig this. It's like the power yoga of the dance world...)

2. We have puppies. 2 French puppies with ridiculous French names. They are Jean-Claude (psycho, black & white, friendly, maniac, happy, weirdo) and Pascal (acts traumatized most of the time, mostly black, shy, cuddler, hater-of-harnesses & leashes). I'm pretty sure I'm in love!!!

This is a horrible picture... I really need to take some more pics!!!

These are Coton de Tulear pups. I HIGHLY recommend the breed. They are sooooo sweet. And I can recommend a great breeder (although she lives in Ohio) that sells for really good prices.

3. I'm trying to flex my creative writing muscles a little. Here are some fantastic creative writing exercises that I found:

• Locate a writer whose work you do NOT particularly care for and write a parody of the story.
• Take any story you have written and rewrite it from a different point of view. If you originally wrote the story in first person, try it in third person restricted. You'll discover that you need to do more than simply changing the pronouns.  You should find that it is easier to be more objective about a character you are rendering in third person. If you've written a story in third person, try it in first. This can be an especially fruitful exercise if you've had trouble making the character sympathetic.
• Open a random book to the first page of any chapter. Copy down the first sentence. Then, close the book and spend 15 minutes creating your own story based off of that first sentence.

Happy Wednesday! Stay cool. It's HOT!! :)

Unique Things I Love... Like Karmin's "Look at Me Now" Cover & Black Baroque Art

I last posted about the importance of being ordinary. That's important if you're a hero/heroine in a story. This post is dedicated to uniqueness, especially when it comes to combining two unlikely elements. The end result? Fabulousness!

Take Karmin. I adore Amy's retro-pinup style meets down and crazay rapper (say what?!)

(Visit Karmin's webpage for more!) 

Or, how about Black Baroque's fanciful images printed on antique book pages? (Note: The author in me is slightly appalled by the notion of using old book pages for anything other than reading... but I am also enthralled...) Check it out:

The Importance of Being Ordinary

Last night I was reading one of the greatest books ever written - Orthodoxy, by G. K. Chesterton. This book is truly remarkable. Chesterton makes you think. And he makes you laugh. As I was reading last night I kept going "Hm" and "Hah"... I probably really annoyed my husband...

He is a funny looking man. A bit walrus-like. And very jolly! :)

Chesterton's book contains a defense of imagination and fairy-tales. He maintains that those who are creatively-minded are the most sane people on earth (arguing against those who think creative people are crazy and logical people are sane). Chesterton writes:

A blind man may be picturesque; but it requires two eyes to see the picture... A man who thinks himself a chicken is to himself as ordinary as a chicken. A man who thinks he is a bit of glass is to himself as dull as a bit of glass... It is only because we see the irony of his idea that we think him even amusing... In short, oddities only strike ordinary people. Oddities do not strike odd people. This is why ordinary people have a much more exciting time; while odd people are always complaining of the dulness of life. This is also why the new novels die so quickly, and why the old fairy tales endure for ever. The old fairy tales makes the hero a normal human boy; it is his adventures that are startling; they startle him because he is normal. But in the modern psychological novel the hero is abnormal; the centre is not central. Hence the fiercest adventures fail to affect him adequately; and the book is monotonous. You can make a story out of a hero among dragons; but not out of a dragon among dragons...

I wonder what Chesterton would think of Harry Potter? Yes, he masquerades as a "normal" human boy. But in reality, he is much more of a dragon among dragons. Luke Skywalker also grows up under the facade of normalcy. But in the end, he is one of the greatest and most gifted of all Jedi. The lasting appeal of these stories lies in the fact that the heros do not realize their own heroic destiny. And yet I wonder... What if these heros had been a bit more ordinary?

Consider The Lord of the Rings. Frodo possesses no "hero genes" or innate powers or untapped sorcerer potential. And yet his endurance saves Middle Earth. I would venture to say that Tolkien's writing is sometimes a bit wearisome and plodding (don't hurt me! I love Tolkien!). But for some reason, this story of a little ordinary hobbit is eternally captivating. Or what about David and Goliath? David was just a shepherd boy. His father was not a king and he was no warrior. Yet he slew the giant and became king. And now David's saga it's one of the most remembered stories of the Bible.

I have a new goal for my story - to tap into the "ordinary-ness" of my characters. I have been infusing them with quirky characteristics and unique heritages. But, I think I need to give them some normalcy. Superhero powers are alluring, but not enduring.

Here's to ordinary heros! :)

I Hate Crunches (But I Love Jane Fonda)

...I also hate my abs. I've never had a six-pack and usually I only get a flat stomach from dieting. And lately I've just been in a "burn calories" mode, instead of working to tone my body.


But I'm sitting here and looking down at my laptop... and my stomach... and thinking "..Yikes..."


I just took a picture of my stomach from the side (to see what others see). I will not be posting that photo. Yes, it is normal for stomachs to bulge a little when relaxed and slouching... But mine is a little too relaxed... My shoulder and neck muscles are jealous of my stomach muscles. It's like my stomach muscles went on a Caribbean vacation and spent 3 months in a relaxation spa. Ew.

To Coupon or Not To Coupon?

I am not a couponer. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't sometimes ponder what it might be like to be a couponer...

Would it be something like this??

Actually, I'm pretty sure I lack the discipline to be such an extreme couponer... They make it look super easy, but there's gotta be hard work that goes into it.

This video is interesting too. It shows how a shopper prepares for and shops using coupons.

I don't know how she prepares in only 40 minutes a week!!

Budget101.com offers a solid perspective on extreme couponing:

Coupons are an excellent resource if used properly. They're wonderful for getting dirt cheap cleaners and paper products, frozen veggies, condiments and processed foods. While they're becoming available more often, coupons for fresh fruit, produce and meat are still scarce. 

Rather than fill your fridge and freezer with sodium laden processed foods in massive quantities, why not use coupons to reduce your household expenses on paper & cleaning products and use the savings to purchase real foods - whole grains, fresh fruits, fresh veggies.

Part of the reason I'm not an extreme couponer is that I want to buy what I want. When I want. To me, it's worth the money to have the healthy and delicious food that I crave. I'm not lavish or wasteful with my groceries, but I do consider it more important to "splurge" on healthy foods than to save money buy purchasing cheap and unhealthy options.

But man... those shoppers got me thinkin! I never knew you could save so much money with coupons!

What are your thoughts? Do you coupon? Got any tips to share? :)

Writing: A Unique Creation

I love this picture. This is how I feel about my story... In order to make my world work I must peel back the layers and tinker and toy with it. And it's no easy task...

Here's a peak into the layers of my world: (Note: It's kind of a big deal for me to share my story ideas publicly... I HATE talking about my story because it sounds super dumb when I try to put it into words and I haven't fully figured out the big picture of my story... So it feels like describing a painting that's only a fraction done... It doesn't look good! If it sounds confusing... Well, then that's because it needs work...)

There are two realities attached to the same planetary sphere known as Earth. One is the earthly reality known to mankind in the year 2043, the other is a fantastical world called Myrla'tor which is on the brink of apocalyptic destruction. 12 year old twins Nicholas and Nola, offspring of the most affluent businessman of the 21st century, discover that their very existence is part of a centuries old plan to capture and control the magic of Myrla'tor. Nicholas and Nola are thrust into wild adventure between worlds, across continents, and within the darkest corners of a world on the brink of destruction. And if Nicholas and Nola don't stop Myrla'tor from self-destructing then Earth will be destroyed as well...

I know that many elements of my plot are nothing new. Middle-school aged hero/heroine saves the world from doom. There's another magical world that regular humans know nothing about. Woop-di-doo.

Here's something that I'm including in my story that I don't think anyone has done yet...

Portals (doorways) exist between Myrla'tor and Earth and people (or animals or things) can go back and forth between the worlds. Here's the catch though: Earth spins once on its axis once every 24 hours. Myrla'tor spins once on its axis every year. (Let that sink in for a moment...) Thus, one side of Myrla'tor is always in darkness and one side is always sunlit. And there is a band of twilight all around. And yes, this works only in theory and in reality it probably wouldn't work. But this is a fantasy novel. So that makes it cool! Plus, it means that travelers between the worlds have to time their portal exits precisely or they will end up halfway around the world. 

So there. No one steal my idea! Hah! And if you've heard of anyone using that idea or have questions as to how it really works.. Well, you can ask me... Or I can get braver and start posting my story for people to read! EEK! :)

In closing, I found a really cool website called PilotHandwriting.com. Basically, you print out a chart and fill in your handwriting for each letter and symbol. Take a picture and upload it to the site. Then, you can type in your font! :) I'm sure there are other sites that do the same thing. But what a cool idea! Here's what I wrote:

Honesty 101 - Weight Loss and Life

Confession: I am horrible at blogging consistently. I hate that about myself. That whole lil' bloggin' every day thing... Not working! I apologize for not responding to comments. I stopped looking at them because I felt guilty and thought no one was reading my blog. How wrong I was! I love that people read what I write! I feel like it's a little teensy tiny step towards becoming a successful author... People reading what I write because they want to. Imagine that! :)

Confession: Sometimes I live to eat instead of eating to live... (Yeah... ruminate on that one!)

I have found that I am most successful at weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight when I write down everything I eat. Yeah, it takes up a lot of time. Yeah, it's annoying to calculate everything. But suddenly my eyes are opened and I realize that I really don't need those additional cookies (like my amazing oatmeal chocolate chip cookies... My sister and I recently dubbed them "Marijuana Cookies"... cuz they are THAT addicting).

One of my favorite ways of keeping track of what I eat is by using FitDay - a free online weight loss and diet journal. There are tons of foods already in the database and you can add your own customized foods. It adds up everything you eat and helps you keep track of your weight, weight goals, and nutrition. Super cool! Plus you can download it as an App if you've got one of those snazzy phones! :)

Don't put your health on the back burner. Stick with your goals and do whatever it takes to get to a healthy weight and build your health and fitness level!

Tonight's Goal: Eat only TWO Marijuana Cookies... Instead of five....

Egos... and Lack of Food and Heat

Today is Thrifty Thursday. I have nothing to say much about thriftiness, except for the fact that in an effort to save money and reduce debt my husband and I have turned off the heat. I think we're currently at 58 degrees... Hah. And, we have refused to go grocery shopping this week. We've had lots of pasta and oatmeal lately... :) I keep hearing Dave Ramsey in my head.... (in reference to escaping debt)... "RUUUNNNNN!!!!" (Side note: if you've never heard of Dave Ramsey, then you've seriously got to check him out. He is so wise.)

I meant to post this yesterday (for Writing Wednesdays). I stumbled upon this super cool site called OneWord.com. Basically, you have sixty seconds to write a response to the word of the day. Your response is then posted, along with everyone else's response. I found it to be a great creative writing challenge and it was pretty neat to see what everyone else wrote.

Here's what I wrote in response to the challenge. The word of the day was "EGO"

Some people have big ones, some have small. Charlie Jones had an ego the size of Mount Rushmore.

Each morning he walked into work with his chest puffed up like a penguin and a swagger in his step that swayed like a number 8 billiard ball.

He sat at his desk and ordered his assistant to bring him a Venti cappuccino. And then he went to work.

It makes me want to write more!! Ahhh!!! I think this exercise is a great way to get creativity flowing. I think I need to try it more often.

As far as my story goes... I've still been neglecting it... :( I'm hugely lacking in motivation. I know that I will write it... I will forever regret it if I don't... I just feel a bit overwhelmed by it and stuck... :( As of now, my story is set about 50 years in the future. But part of my story also involves an alternate reality that is entirely different from the world known to man. Sooo... I have a 50 year future to come up with... AND another, fantastical world... And the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing the detail I need to infuse both realities with, if I am to make them believable. Oi vey!

Okay... I'm off to layer my bed with blankets. And maybe have some more hot chocolate. :)

This is not my hot cocoa. But it is cute.

Man Spends 24 Hours at Gym...

Hello again. I'll be honest - the past month has been rough. There are family situations that make me wanna hurl. And frankly, I have lacked all motivation to get anything done lately. So there wasn't much to blog about. :(

But anyways...

I thought this was interesting... I go to a gym that's open 24/7 and every now and then my husband and I joke about going really late at night or really early in the morning.

Apparently, last year a guy went to a 24-hour gym... and stayed for 24 hours!! The thought just makes me laugh. Here's the original blog post by Jeremy Taylor from Asylum.com:


Did you ever wonder how many people are actually working out during the middle of the night at a 24 Hour Fitness club?

Bayan Rabbani can tell you. In fact, the writer and comedian can tell you a lot about the ebb and flow of a 24-hour gym. That's because, two weeks ago, he spent 24 hours straight in a Houston-area location -- andlive-tweeted the whole experience

"The least amount of people I counted was six at about 2:30 a.m.," Rabbani told Asylum. "At 4:30 people started to pour in. Which was surprising because it was a Saturday, so I would have thought most people wouldn't have had to get there that early."

Rabbani is no stranger to spending 24 hours in places. Earlier this year he camped out in both a Starbucks and a Wal-Mart for an entire day. This, however, was the first time that the target establishment had prior warning that they were about to be receive a day-long visit from Rabbani.

"The press release (announcing the stunt) prompted an emergency meeting inside the corporate headquarters of 24 Hour Fitness," Rabbani explained.

They decided to allow him to go forward. According to the 24-year old, the staff of the gym ended up being "welcoming and professional."

And it's not like Rabbani was just idling and tweeting as everyone else worked up a sweat. Instead he took full advantage of the gym's facilities, participating in classes for spinning, Pilates, abs, Zumba and yoga.
When he wasn't getting a workout as part of a group, Rabbani spent some of his time on the StairMaster and other gym equipment. To keep his energy up, he consumed so much protein -- a whopping 280 grams -- that his kidneys began to hurt.

As for sleep. Well, he wasn't doing that. However, he does concede that his eyes got a bit heavy during a session in the club's hot tub. "I passed out for about a minute because the water was so warm," he admitted. "Then I woke up with water up my nose."

Toward the end of his long, tiresome day, he did his part as an entertainer, emerging from the bathroom wearing a leopard-print Snuggie and then hitting the weight machines for comic effect.

"The whole place just stopped working out and watched me work out" he explained. "And when people asked me why I was exercising in a Snuggie, I just made wacky stuff up like, 'Haven't you heard? It's good for circulation.'"

Bayan Rabbani is probably the only man in the world to have spent 24 hours in a Wal-Mart, a Starbucks and a 24 Hour Fitness. So we had to ask him, "Which open-all-night venue would you be able to last the longest without leaving?"

"I'd probably survive the longest in Wal-Mart," he told us, almost immediately. "At Wal-Mart, I did sleep -- in the automotive section, actually."

Sam Walton would have been proud.

Failures of the Great

What's this? A blog? A blog that I said I would write in faithfully 6 times a week?

Oh. Right. Hello again.

In the past couple week's I've attended a children's ministry conference, worked double hours as a nanny, stayed up on my freelance writing, and discovered that I am lactose intolerant. I also went to the gym some. And read a little... And had some cool dreams... And didn't write much... :(

I hate feeling like I've failed at chasing my goals. My real goals. Sure, I'm keepin' up appearances, but I'm not pursuing my heart's desire as fully as I should. And it's nobody's fault by my own.

So to inspire myself I pulled out a list of famous people who really screwed up... Maybe it's sick and twisted, but it helps me realize that everyone, even Mozart and Lincoln were epically human and had epic failures. We remember the greats for their successes. But they too, didn't always get it right.

Here are some of my favs from the list:

• Walt Disney: Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didn't last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.
• Albert Einstein: Most of us take Einstein's name as synonymous with genius, but he didn't always show such promise. Einstein did not speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, causing his teachers and parents to think he was mentally handicapped, slow and anti-social. Eventually, he was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. It might have taken him a bit longer, but most people would agree that he caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics.
• Winston Churchill: This Nobel Prize-winning, twice-elected Prime Minster of the United Kingdom wasn't always as well regarded as he is today. Churchill struggled in school and failed the sixth grade. After school he faced many years of political failures, as he was defeated in every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister at the ripe old age of 62.
• Abraham Lincoln: While today he is remembered as one of the greatest leaders of our nation, Lincoln's life wasn't so easy. In his youth he went to war a captain and returned a private (if you're not familiar with military ranks, just know that private is as low as it goes.) Lincoln didn't stop failing there, however. He started numerous failed business and was defeated in numerous runs he made for public office.
• Lucille Ball: During her career, Ball had thirteen Emmy nominations and four wins, also earning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors. Before starring in I Love Lucy, Ball was widely regarded as a failed actress and a B movie star. Even her drama instructors didn't feel she could make it, telling her to try another profession. She, of course, proved them all wrong.
• Jack London: This well-known American author wasn't always such a success. While he would go on to publish popular novels like White Fang and The Call of the Wild, his first story received six hundred rejection slips before finally being accepted.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Mozart began composing at the age of five, writing over 600 pieces of music that today are lauded as some of the best ever created. Yet during his lifetime, Mozart didn't have such an easy time, and was often restless, leading to his dismissal from a position as a court musician in Salzberg. He struggled to keep the support of the aristocracy and died with little to his name.
• Babe Ruth: You probably know Babe Ruth because of his home run record (714 during his career), but along with all those home runs came a pretty hefty amount of strikeouts as well (1,330 in all). In fact, for decades he held the record for strikeouts. When asked about this he simply said, "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run."

Why Everyone Should Try Yoga!

So tonight my hubs and I are going to a yoga class! The teacher's name is Al. He's a dude. He doesn't look like your stereotypical fitness instructor. But that's cool (his paunch makes me feel more fit... hah!). Here's some fabulous facts about yoga:

Myth: Those who participate in (and actually enjoy) yoga are abnormal contortionists born with high pain tolerance and spines made of jello.

Truth: You don’t have to be flexible to enjoy yoga. Really.

Motivational Monday - C. S. Lewis Quote

Amazing man...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Monday! (As the wise Pollyanna once said... the best thing about Mondays is that it's an ENTIRE WEEK before the next Monday...!)

Here's a quote that I find inspiring:

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

Choosing to love can be tough. Painful sometimes. But without it we WILL wither. So hang in there!!!

(Got any motivational quotes or love inspiration? Comment and share!)

Top Tips For Reducing Clutter

There's no point in having a stylishly decorated home if it's buried in a mountain of clutter. And even if you don't like the way it's decorated, chances are an outdated 80's theme is still better than the "I haven't opened my mail in 6 days and I'm still folding last week's laundry" theme.

By nature, I'm a horrible clutter bug. It just seems to... HAPPEN... However, my burning desire to have a lovely and stress free home keeps me motivated to reduce clutter and to keep things organized. Here are some of the best tips and tricks I've learned for reducing clutter. They've helped me. Maybe they can help you! :)

The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe... EVER

WARNING: This recipe is dangerous. I once consumed two dozen of these cookies by myself... in one afternoon. These are hands down the most delicious and addicting oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I have ever encountered. I'm not even sure I can bring myself to try another chocolate chip cookie recipe... I have no good reason to. These are life changing cookies.

If you do ONE thing this weekend then let it be to bake a batch of these cookies. Life is short! You can burn off the calories later! These cookies are truly heaven on earth. So ditch the jeggings and go put on your loosest pair of comfy pants. It's time to make some of these bad boys!

*Hallelujah Chorus*

Spring Break Blues - Staycation Ideas

I’ve got the Spring Break blues, baby. Last year it was the gorgeous beaches of South Carolina that broke up the monotony of March’s gloomy weather. This year... well, I’m stuck at home (and although I truly like the paint color on the walls of my house, it’s not exactly a great substitute for blue skies and sunshine).

If you’re like me, your 2011 Spring Break plans probably won’t involve any beaches, cruises, or relaxing spa getaways. Be it lack of finances or lack of time, vacation plans are on hold and you’re staying put.

But before you pout your way through everybody else’s Spring Break week consider these refreshing STAYcation ideas:

Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

The past two weeks have not been good for blog writing.

The past two weeks have not been good for goal accomplishing.

The past two weeks have been a mashup of injuries, sickness, discouragement, apathy, exhaustion, and falling behind on countless tasks.

It all started about two weeks ago when my hands decided to be suicidal... Please note - the following two items do not mix well and may lead to a shredded left index finger nail and profuse bleeding:

Travel the World for Cheap!!! / My Favorite Stay-at-Home-Night Idea

(First of all, TIME FLIES! Every day I think about my poor little bloggy. March's resolution will be to blog more and to blog more consistently!)

(Secondly, my writing has been all over the place. Schedule? What schedule? But, I am moving forward. I have to tell myself that baby steps are better than no steps at all! And, I started working on a map for my fantasy world... I forgot to take a picture... Maybe I'll post one tomorrow! But it really helped me to visualize where my characters are and how geography might affect their actions in the story. Note: If you are pursuing anything creative, I challenge you to use other creative sources for inspiration. Listen to music. Scour the internet for photos related to your subject. Look for dances, poems, and art pieces on your topic. Sometimes, it can be just what you need to get out of the rut and moving forward again!)

World Travel Made Cheap! 
(Must have a DVD player, and adventurous taste-buds...)

Okay. Here's my fabulous idea of the week (or month... Since I do this all the time). I love this idea because it's perfect for a date night, family night, or when you have people over. I'm pretty sure it will become a regular habit in my household. And I love this idea because it's cheap. And slightly dorky.

Step 1
Choose a type of food: American (yummy, but borrrring), Mexican (drool), Japanese (YEAH!), Chinese (yum), Italian (double drool), Indian (I say "YAY!"; my husband says "NAY!"), etc... I'm sure there are more... French? African? I don't know.


Step 2
Choose a recipe that you've never made before within said food group. My girlfriends and I chose sushi.

We didn't use the bananas in the sushi... But I'm pretty sure dessert sushi needs to be invented...

I love finding recipes online. I actually go to Google and type in "amazing [whatever recipe I'm looking for] recipe" and I usually get directed to Allrecipes.com (which is great, since almost everything has been rated, the directions are super easy to follow, and it's super duper easy to calculate the quantity of ingredients you will need based on how many servings you want!).

Step 3
Go to the library and choose several movies related to your theme...

Step 4
Search online for and play music related to your ethnic theme while you cook. (Have you ever tried "Japanese Popstars" radio? No? You should.) I like to use Pandora, but there are other great online radio stations too (RadioTuna is good). It is also recommended to dance while cooking.

Step 5
Camp out in front of the television, eat your food, and watch your movie(s)!

Homemade California rolls and Avocado rolls... Oh my goodness...!!!