Painting Party: A Slice of Life Post

Hello everyone. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. A couple of weeks ago, I got together with my painting friends and we went to work painting our various pictures. We gather in my friend, Paulette’s garage and sit down at our easels and try to create our our masterpieces. I’m a messy artist. Just like I’m a messy cook or baker. It’s just the way I do things, but I’m enjoying this creative endeavor even though I have a lot to learn.

It’s such a calming atmosphere as we all concentrate on our work and the scent of paint hangs in the air like a misty cloud over our heads.

Photo via VisualHunt

Even though I’m an introvert, I enjoy getting together with people when we are engaging in an activity, like painting, or playing cards, or hiking. I’m not one for idle small talk. I’m more of a seeker of truth. I want to solve the world’s problems and when we get to painting we talk about them and we do come up with solutions. We need to write them down so we can send them off to the powers that be. 🙂

Getting together like this reminds me of the old quilting circles women used to organize in the olden days. We bond and come together, sharing parts of our lives with each other.  This bonding time is important for us relationship minded folk.

Photo credit: The U.S. National Archives via Visualhunt.com / No known copyright restrictions

When we get together and paint, it calms me. It’s a way to be creative but get away from my writing for a little bit and learn something new. I like learning. That’s why I like writing so much because there’s a lot of research to do.

Photo via VisualHunt

How about you? How do you relax and reconnect with your inner self?

Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you! 🙂

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Staring at the Moon: A Slice of Life Post

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. Last week when I was leaving work, I glanced up at the sky and saw a full moon shining bright.

Photo via Visual hunt

Just seeing that glowing orb in the sky calmed my frayed nerves. I’ve been working toward a self-imposed deadline and that moon was just what I needed to see to relax. You see, I wanted to complete my latest work in progress by the end of the month, and I’m happy to say I completed the rough draft. Now I’m going through and doing a quick edit before I send it off to my beta reader. I’m very excited about this story, and I can’t wait to hear what she has to say, but I digress.

I was talking about how seeing the moon calmed me. Our universe is amazing and whenever I see it in action, so to speak, I’m humbled. The elements and minerals that make up our bodies also swirl among the heavens. We are bits and pieces of exploding stars. I just think that’s incredible.

Photo credit: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC

 

Isn’t it amazing that the earth is just the right distance from the sun so we can thrive on it? If it were any closer, it’d be too hot and we’d sizzle on the surface. There’s only one planet in the solar system that can sustain life for our species so we’ve got to take care of it.

Photo credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video via Visual Hunt / CC BY

I also think it’s amazing that when cells divide whether they’re in a plant, or animal, or in a human they all make the same pattern. Isn’t that mind boggling? It just shows how connected everything is. That’s how close we are. These are the thoughts that go through my head when I look at the moon or the stars at night.

How about you? What goes through your mind when you’re alone and staring at the stars? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!

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The Impact of Social Media: A Slice of Life Post

 

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back with another Slice of Life Post after a brief hiatus. We’ve been so busy with the kids and getting our basement put together I had to take a break. I’ve also been writing. My story is coming together and I’m feeling pretty good about it. I’m hoping to finish it in the next couple of weeks. (crosses fingers).

Anyway, it’s good to be back today. I’ve been thinking about social media and how it has impacted my life. One of the ways it has had a positive impact is I’ve been able to reconnect with old friends I’d lost touch with. These reconnections have been incredible. We’ve gotten together and gone down memory lane, renewing old bonds and strengthening our friendship. I think our friendships change as we grow and some friends stay with us and some don’t.

Photo via Visual Hunt

          Another way social media has had a positive impact is I’ve been able to make contacts that help me with my writing. Research has just become that much easier. Social media has opened doors for everyone. Because of social media we can chat with our favorite celebrities and build relationships with people who can help us in our career, and maybe we can help someone else in their career. We’ve never had the ability to reach out and be this close to someone famous like this before. It’s kind of mind boggling when you think about it.

Photo via VisualHunt

          There are some negatives to social media as well. There are trolls out there who enjoy creating dissension. If you happen to run into one of these people it can make your experience with that platform unpleasant.

There’s also the situation where someone can stalk you via social media. I’ve had friends who’ve experienced this. These stalkers try to create a rift between the person they’re stalking and some of their more loyal followers. It’s not as dangerous as real life stalking, but it is disconcerting.

I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the fact bullying happens on social media as well. It’s unfortunate, but true. Especially these days with all the political division among people, things can get out of hand fairly quickly.

Photo credit: Lisa monster via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-ND

          Social media is an awesome tool for reconnecting and staying in touch, but like everything else it has a dark side too. We need to teach our children about this dark side and prepare them for it. We must teach them to choose their words wisely and teach them about the power our words have. They can be uplifting or they can be demoralizing. We get to choose.

Thanks to the Two Writing Teachers for organizing Slice of Life! To read other Slicers posts click here.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post! How do you think social media has impacted your life? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!

Snow Day: A Slice of Life Post

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. This morning my oldest woke me by shaking my shoulder. “Mom. Mom. Did you hear the phone ring?” He could barely contain his excitement.

Of course, I was all groggy and had a hard time comprehending his question. “Whaaat?”

“Did you hear the phone ring?”

By the time he finished repeating the question, I understood what he was really asking. “Go check and see if there’s a message.”

He did that while I logged on to my computer and checked the website. Sure enough school had been cancelled.  We had a Snow Day. The tension eased from my body as my oldest exclaimed. “Mom. You can work on your book all day!”

Photo credit: Len Radin via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-SA

          He has mind-reading capabilities, I swear. I don’t think we ever outgrow the joy of snow days. As a kid, those magic words conjured up images of sledding parties and hours of baking cookies with friends. As an adult, I think of hours of unscheduled free time, where I can do whatever I want. What an awesome feeling that is. 🙂

Wouldn’t it be wonderful, to wake up every day this way? Without deadlines and commitments? Maybe living on a tropical island where all I had to do is go down to the beach and read my book. The only irritants would be the gritty sand between my toes and maybe the slight annoyance of the sun in my eyes before I adjust my umbrella.

Photo credit: blavandmaster via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA

          I can almost feel the sun baking my skin while the waves lap the shore with that quiet rhythm only waves have. I smell the salty ocean air and hear the cries of the seagulls as they circle the beach searching for a forgotten morsel.

Yes. I can see myself retiring to an ocean-side cottage where my days could be spent lazily by the water. I’d write and paint to my heart’s content and when I wasn’t doing that I’d read. I’d read all the books that I don’t have time for now.

Photo credit: denisbin via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-ND

          See what happens when I have a snow day? How about you. What do you do on your snow days? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you! Thanks to the Two Writing Teachers for hosting Slice of Life. If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts, click here.

My One Little Word: A Slice of Life Post

 

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with a Slice of Life Post. It’s the first one of the new year and I’m feeling inspired. I decided that today’s post would be about my one little word.

 

Since I have a lot I want to accomplish in 2017, I picked an action word. 🙂

 

The word I picked is STRIVE.

Strive means to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something.

Photo credit: Sam Town via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SA

This is what I intend to do. I’m going to strive to finish the three books I’ve started in 2016. I’m almost done with the revisions on the first one so I feel this is a doable goal.

Photo via Visualhunt.com

I’m also going to strive to get back into shape and improve my diet. I need more fruits and vegetables. So after my holiday binging on sweets, I’ve decided to take better care of myself.

Photo via StockSnap via Visual Hunt

I also intend to strive to make even more memories with my family than I did in 2016.

I plan on laughing more.

I plan on learning to paint.

I also plan to continue listening to understand instead of listening to reply. I started this in 2016 and I plan on continuing it. It’s a habit now. 🙂

So, there you have it. My one little word for 2017. What’s yours? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!

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Reflections on my One Little Word: A Slice of Life Post

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you.  I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. Today I’m reflecting on my One Little Word. I chose this word back in January or February of last year. I was having a hard time deciding what my One Little Word would be.

I chose “Listen.” I wanted to become a better listener. I wanted to make sure that I listened to understand and not listened to reply. This was my goal and I feel I have improved, but I think there’s more room for improvement. I can do better.

Photo via HolgersFotografie via VisualHunt.com

I want my kids to feel understood when they talk to me. If they feel understood then they’re more likely to talk to me about some of the important issues in their lives. The teen years are right around the corner, you know. I feel by becoming a better listener my relationships will be that much better.

So my first year participating in the One Little Word challenge was successful.

I’m not sure what my One Little Word will be for next year. I’ve been so focused on my writing and my kids that I haven’t had a lot of time to think about it.

Maybe I’ll pick Inspiration. Maybe the year of 2017 will be an inspiring year for me. I’m working on three different stories that I feel strongly about. I’m hoping to get all three of them done in 2017.  That would be inspiring, wouldn’t it?

Photo via Ondrej Supitar via Visual Hunt

I’m going to put a lot of thought behind my word for next year. I want it to be a positive word. I feel like there’s a lot of negativity flying around and I want to get away from it. I don’t want to be infected by it.

So there you have it. My thoughts on My One Little Word. Are you going to join the challenge? What is your One Little Word going to be? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

***If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts click here.

 

A Slice of Life Review of: “Wrecked”

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. Today, I’d like to share with you a book I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. The title is “Wrecked” and the cover and blurb are below.

 

A tragic car wreck leads to PTSD and therapeutic salvation in this novel from the author of America, which Kirkus Reviews deemed “a work of sublime humanity.”

Anna is involved in a horrific accident one night that leaves her brother’s beautiful and popular girlfriend dead. Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, she begins an unusual method of therapy called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Through her therapy, dreams, memories, and experiences, we begin to see, along with Anna, the full picture of her controlling father, her lost relationship with her brother, and her overwhelming guilt about the wreck.

With a deep understanding of the minds of teenagers, and a deft hand in translating that to the page, E.R. Frank presents a story with real and challenging characters, beautifully told and filled with haunting images.

 

My Thoughts:

This story touches on a tragedy that happens quite often in young people’s lives.  A party that leads to a car accident that not everyone survives. It’s a tough thing to deal with and E.R. Frank tells the story of the survivor’s recovery and how she deals with the accident, the death of her brother’s girlfriend, and the guilt she feels.

Anna is the main character who survives the accident, but she has developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and survivor’s guilt. The story takes you through her therapy sessions and in my opinion, erases some of the stigma surrounding therapy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I liked the characters, and I felt they were well thought out and believable. This is a great story for young people because it shows the cause of PTSD and how Anna deals with it. Most people think of it as something soldiers get from being in active combat, so this story broadens that perspective and shows that any horrible event can cause this disorder.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my review. If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts click here.

Do you have any YA books you’d recommend? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!