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!

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.

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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!

 

 

Persistence

Hello everyone.  I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. I had a busy night last night. My oldest had his Christmas concert and the whole family went to see him sing. It was amazing. He stood in the front row and sang his little heart out. I am proud of the young man he is becoming.

Therefore, my Slice of Life Post is short today. I find this meme motivating. I have a thing for water whether it’s a river, a lake, or the ocean. I love to be near it. This meme is perfect for me because of my love for water, and the belief that it’s the day to day habits that pave the way to our goals. I’ll leave you to contemplate this:

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope this meme was as motivating for you as it was for me. If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts click here.

The Super 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.  I don’t know about you, but I was very excited about our Super Moon that appeared on Monday, only to be disappointed to find it obscured by a cloud haze. However, I did get to see it on Sunday and it was very bright and it seemed to loom above us like a luminous Chinese lantern.

Photo credit: Paul Anglada via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-SA

I think it’s amazing that the moon hasn’t shined this bright for sixty eight years. I’m so glad I got to witness this Super Moon because I’ve never seen one before. I realize how vast our solar system is and the fact that there are other solar systems out there makes me feel very small.

I’ve always been intrigued by the moon and our solar system. In fact, our family watches the Universe channel quite a bit and I’ve learned so much about our planets and stars that I’m flabbergasted.

Photo via VisualHunt

Did you know that all the elements that are present in our bodies came from the stars? Doesn’t that just blow your mind? We are literally stardust.

Photo via Visual Hunt

When I think about the earth. I think about how it sustains life for us as well as many other species. I think about how the conditions must be just right in order to continue sustaining that life, and I realize how awesome our world is and how fragile it is.

There are so many things out in space that could destroy our planet, death stars, exploding stars, and asteroids just to name a few. I realize how amazing it is that our earth has been around for as long as it has.

I also realize that we need to take better care of our planet in order for it to continue to sustain life the way it always has. So let’s take care of our earth.  It’s the only one we’ve got. 🙂

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

 

 

 

 

Election 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. Today is Election Day for our country and I’m hoping everyone gets out to vote. I feel like this year is an important year, I’m not sure why I feel that way, but I do. It’s intuitive so I’m following my instincts.

Photo credit: polarpaul via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

The thing for me is, I don’t like either candidate, so I’m going to write someone in. Now, I know who I write in isn’t going to win, and I’ve heard the rumor that every vote that isn’t for Hillary helps Trump. So, what do you do when you don’t like the candidates, and your write in is unlikely to win? That is a very good question.

It’s time to change the way we elect our president. Our political process is no longer working for us. We’ve outgrown the system. The two main parties have found loopholes and ways around our protective barriers. There’s corruption at every level.

When election time rolls around, the candidates are making promises that’ll get them elected and then when they’re in office instead of rolling up their sleeves and digging in and solving problems, they’re still campaigning. They’re doing everything they can to get themselves re-elected. While they’re doing that, who’s solving our problems? Who’s putting their time and energy into taking care of our country?

In my humble opinion, we need to elect someone who isn’t concerned about the next term. We need someone who will focus on finding solutions for us.

Is there anyone out there who’s willing to do this?

I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we wrote in a fictional character for president. Say, Santa Claus. He’s a jolly kind of guy with a generous heart. He works all year round to bring toys to good little boys and girls. He wouldn’t be worried about reelection. When his term is over, he can go back to his toy-making. Yeah. He’d work. 🙂

Photo via VisualHunt.com

I do wonder what would happen if we wrote him in and he won. I’m sure they’d disqualify the votes, but what a powerful message that would send, kind of like the image below. 🙂

Photo credit: meg’s my name via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. What are your thoughts on the election? Do you have anyone you’d like to write in? I’d love to hear from you, leave a comment!

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A Painting Party: A Slice of Life Post

 

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. I was busy last week and unable to write a Slice so it’s been a couple of weeks since my last one.

I’d like to talk about an awesome time I had with friends this last weekend. My friend Winnifred (names have been changed to protect the innocent) is an artist. I love her work and we got to chatting on social media. I wanted to see her studio so she invited me out and then the whole thing snowballed into a painting party.

Yes. Me. Involved in a Painting party. The only painting I’ve ever done is bedrooms and living rooms. So, I was interested to see what I’d come up with.

Winnifred decided that we’d paint wine glasses. Let me tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks. She illustrated a few basic strokes for us, we were all newbies, and then let us run with it.

Below is a photo of my work. 🙂

 

I know. I know. I’ve got to practice more! LOL!

It was a fun day of some feminine bonding where we discussed the world’s problems and even how to solve a few of them. Who knows, maybe our little painting party will turn out some great ideas that will untangle this mess we’ve created in our country. 🙂

We plan on getting together once a month to paint and give it our best shot. I’ll keep you posted on our progress. 🙂

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Family Hike: A Slice of Life Post

 

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. I fear this last weekend is going to be our last weekend of nice weather. It has turned windy and chilly here in Michigan and I’m anticipating cold weather in the days to come.

I’m glad we took advantage of our nice weather and got out onto the hiking trail. We went as a family and it was nice creating a memory with the kidlets. We went in the early evening before dinner. The sun rested, near the horizon, a fiery orange ball in the clear sky. We traveled along the path enjoying the peacefulness of the forest.

Photo credit: Christian Arballo via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC

There was no humidity and very few bugs. A perfect time for a hike. We stepped along the sandy trail planning one of our trips for next summer. There were a few mountain bikers whizzing past, but for the most part we were undisturbed.

It was a nice way to end the weekend.

My boys gave me a hard time, though, claiming they didn’t want to go on the hike. They wanted to play their video games, but I insisted. We needed some family time, and they enjoyed our walk even though they’ll never admit it to me. How do I know?

They laughed and giggled as they climbed the trees along the path.

 

They also asked for a bedtime story that night. They haven’t asked for one of those in a long time, not since they were little. Sniff. Maybe they’re not in such a hurry to grow up after all. 🙂

It was a great weekend of memories and I look forward to making more. 🙂 How about you? Did you make any memories this weekend? Please share! I’d love to hear from you.

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