the quirky writer

Dieting & Memory

2012-01-11T11:02:00.000-05:00

Just when you think you've made the right resolution for 2012, comes a strange new feeling of dizziness and "where did I put my car keys?"

It's your diet.

Fantastic you've decided to cut out sweets and sugar from your life, but the brain runs on sugar. Blood sugar can become too low as a result of not eating or from conditions like diabetes. A little bit of sugar can go a long way.

Include: Whole citrus fruits (not oj, it can send blood soaring with added sugars), berries and sweet potatoes.

Your brain will thank you.

SOURCES: American Diabetes Association, http://www.personadigital.net/persona/HumanBrain/BrainToxicChemicals.htm

Separated at Birth?

2012-01-06T14:43:00.000-05:00

Odd how the following people resemble each other...

Bruce Thomas, actor

Mitt Romney, governor of Massachusetts

Tim Olyphant, actor

Tom Brady, quarterback, New England Patriots

Brain, mouse inventor

Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House

Cold is relative

2011-01-24T14:53:00.000-05:00

Certain parts of the U.S. are experiencing record-breaking low temps this winter. From the Southwest to the southeast, snowfall and wintry weather have caught nearly everyone off-guard. Even Miami experienced more than chilly temps in the mid 30's. Oddly, more northern climes are complaining about melting ice and increasing in temperatures. In Barrow, Alaska sea ice is melting.

Global Warming?

Or maybe the wobble effect.

The Earth rotates on an axis--an imaginary line running straight through the from North Pole to South Pole. The Earth rotates on this axis at a tilt, about 24 degrees from center.

Scientists estimate that it takes about 20 to 40 thousand years to go from center to 24 degree angle tilt. This means at any given time the Earth is closer or farther from the sun. The theory is that this "wobble" better explains why ice can melt on top of the world and Miami, closer to the equator, can experience consistently chilly winters. Serbian mathematician, Milutin Milankovitch said that the changes in the Earth's movements affect its climate. Before anyone came up with the term global warming, he proposed that variations in the Earth's tilt, among other things, would determine patterns of cooler and hotter cycles on the Earth's surface. Although some solar scientists say current climate cycles are too erratic to follow any solid predictions due to sudden radiation increases from sunspots.

Sources: Discovery Channel

Book Signing Dec 11 from 1-3

2010-12-06T11:32:00.004-05:00

Give the gift of a great book--Shops of Emmaus will host a Author Event on December 11 from 12-3. Then Emmaus Public Library and Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group sponsor readings from these authors.

For more details: http://emmaus.patch.com/events/shops-of-emmaus-author-reception-readings-open-to-the-public

Each store will host one or two authors inside their store. So you can buy a Christmas gift and buy a signed book of your choice. Come, see, hear and buy!

My favorites: A Saving Hurricane, Project Happily Ever After, Charley's Choice.

In defense of NaNoWriMo

2010-11-28T22:56:00.003-05:00

November is national novel writing month or NaNoWriMo. The goal is to write a novel (50,000 words) or rather a novelette. However there is a general disdain for this type of challenge among certain literati.

I know everyone has a story with in them. Maybe it's only one (i.e., Margaret Mitchell "Gone with the Wind") or many (Stephen King "Shawshank Redemption" Cujo" "It" etc). Either way, every writer no matter where they are in their writing journey should undertake this type of challenge

1. because you have to write every day
2. because there's a deadline
3. because there are no limits to what you should or shouldn't write
4. it's for a good cause--donations go to libraries and literary campagins all over the world.

The website admits that you will write a lot of poor quality material. They operate on an honor system: you cannot use anything that's been published by you or anyone else. They also want to encourage everyone to write whether you are Stephen King or not. Once you reach the goal of 50,000 words by November 30 at midnight, to them you are equal to Stephen King.

Source: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano

Leaves fall because...

2010-11-01T12:02:00.002-05:00

...they want to.

Leaves fall from deciduous trees due to the release of hormones (yes, trees have hormones) that close off the transportation of nutrients and inhibit the growth of the leaf. The "anti-growth" hormone causes leaves to snap off at a specific point where they're connected to the branch of the tree.

The benefits of losing leaves include conservation of water, shedding of insects (eggs and pupae), limiting the growth of fungus and other parasites. So it's probably best to take all fallen leaves and destroy them or rake them as far a way from the tree as possible.

Sources: Backyard Nature

September is National Honey Month

2010-09-08T13:03:00.004-05:00

September may claim to be the sweetest month of the year--next to National Candy Month (June). For bees it's the best.

Honey has a long history of a multi-tasking food talent. Used in desserts, alcoholic beverages, wound healing and medicines, honey was noted in hieroglyphics in Egypt as far back as 4000-5000 BC. Egyptians had a regular supply of honey as beekeepers were involved in a serious task to keep the golden liquid pouring.

Lately, there have been reports of the decline of the honey bee. Called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) a mysterious illness has been killing honey bees over the last few decades. It is most notable in wild or feral bees. Though seen a pest because it stings, the depletion of bee populations is however, dire. About 33% of the world's foods require honey bee pollination. Flowers will not produce fruits and vegetables unless pollinated by bees.

Weakened immune systems and multiple diseases and pests are most likely the cause of the decline of the numbers of bees. So for September buy fresh, local honey, spare the spray and don't swat the bees.

For recipes try: www.thomashoney.com/recipes/cookies.html

Alice Hoffman & common "witchcraft"

2010-08-17T09:13:00.007-05:00

Alice Hoffman author of 28 books (for kids & adults) including "Practical Magic," made into a movie starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest includes a number of superstitious sayings in her novels: "Practical Magic," "Probable Future" and "The River King."

Eerie and sometimes accurate, residents of New England didn't fully understand nature, but used decades-old observations to predict everything from bad weather to true love and passed it along to their daughters and sons.

"when the candle meets the pin your true love walks in"
Women would stick two pins through the middle of a red candle at midnight and when the candle burns down to the pins, the lover is said to arrive. Since a beeswax candle takes about 8 hours to burn, it was likely that the man who would walk into a home--would be the father or brother (hopefully they'd bring a friend).

"mint on windowsills keep flies at bay"
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) contains menthol which is a volatile oil unpleasant to most insects. NOTE: Flies may not be discouraged from entering the home other ways.

"wind from the east spells trouble"
Weather in the United States runs from a west to east direction. New Englanders knew that the wind blowing from the opposite direction indicated a Nor'easter. It's formed by a far south low pressure system rotating in a counter clockwise direction coming back along the coastline. Nor'easters are responsible for the worst Atlantic hurricanes and blizzards.

"a bird in the room means doom"
Birds brought all sorts of good and bad luck. Migratory birds would signal the end of summer, the beginning of spring, while crows always brought bad luck, even death. Crows are scavengers, so it was not an unrealistic connection as they would often be seen eating carcasses of dead animals. Birds in the house meant bad luck. Most probably the birds were fleeing from danger coming through an unknown hole in the roof, window or wall.

Sources: http://www.alicehoffman.com/, University of New Mexico, http://www.ocean-beach.com/weather_noreaster.htm

Summer time...

2010-06-23T08:52:00.003-05:00

time for the earth to get close to the sun.

Technically, the longest day of the year doesn't exist. All days are the same length--24 hours. However, on June 21 the amount of daylight goes from about 8 to 12 hours at the equator.

The summer solstice (Latin for sun stands still), occurs every June 21 (June 20 in 2008) and marks the beginning of the season of summer. The season lasts about 3 months or 63 days. Then fall begins. But let's not rush things.

Sources: http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/uwsp_lectures/lecture_earth_sun_relations.html, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080619-solstice-facts.html

The Ides of March--to be feared?

2010-03-17T10:09:00.005-05:00

In a word, no. The ides of March were simply and ancient term for the lunar calendar's full moon period, about 2-3 days. But four decades before the birth of Christ, the ides became a portend of horrible things.

On March 15, 44 BC Julius Caesar was murdered by the Senators of Rome. It was the basis for Shakespeare's play: Julius Caesar. While Caesar did many things to anger the senate (oddly marrying Cleopatra when he was already married wasn't one of them), his brutal murder also foretold the downfall of Rome. The Senators quarreled amongst themselves for a portion of greater power--rather like now in the U.S.

Sources: NG: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0311_040311_idesmarch.html, Ancient Coins:http://www.humanities.mq.edu.au/acans/caesar/Career_Coins.htm

You are here...

2010-02-12T09:17:00.003-05:00

After getting battered by snow storms, the East Coast inhabitants are hungry for warmth--and not from their space heaters. Most are looking to the skies and hoping to follow waterfowl south.

How did they get so much snow? Regardless of where you fall with the theory of global warming snow comes this time each year in greater or lesser amounts to climates above the 35th latitude. It doesn't matter if you are in France or Fargo. Snow also falls on mountains at altitudes of 5000m or just above the timberline. Problem is, the amount of snow that fell this year was above the average and broke records in 5 states (Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia). That kind of white stuff strikes fear in the heart of the average snow shoveler.

We can't count on the El Nino & La Nina patterns of air that moves across the globe because they are difficult to predict. And both can bring warming and cooling effects. Weather experts are throwing up their hands (the cautious ones anyway), because they cannot predict 20 years ahead (let alone 20 hours ahead). They can only rely on weather modeling and cannot account for things like solar and volcanic activity which heat and cool the earth's surface regardless of weather patterns.

Best news is that March 20 is officially spring.

Conquering Kilimanjaro One Step at a Time

2009-11-10T08:02:00.005-05:00

Brian Hart spent over eight months planning for this trip. Hundreds of hours training, hiking and gearing up for the greatest climb of his life. His Goal: Along with his climbing buddy, Kirk Parry, Brian wanted to take his brother Brad Hart (former principal at Northwestern Lehigh Elementary School) to see one of the most magnificent sunrises in the world--atop Mount Kilimanjaro and do it before Brad would lose his ability to see anything at all.

When the moment came, Brian didn't look at the sunrise--he looked at his brother's face.

Oh sure, Brian caught a glimpse or two of the incredible spectrum of colors and maybe with a tear in eye appreciated the amazing glowing scenery around him. But somehow his goal had not only been acheived but exceeded.

Brad Hart has been losing his vision from retinitis pigmentosa so rapidly in a span of five years, he'll be completely blind. His "bucket list" included seeing as many sunrises as he could see. His brother, Brian, added the "atop Kilimanjaro" part for him.

Even sweeter was the combination of the incredible climb with raising money for the charity Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH). The organization provides sight-saving surgeries for children in Guatemala. The surgeries range from the simple to the serious: correcting crossed eyes to cataract removal.

Prep for the Big Climb
From November 2008 until August 2009, the three men did nothing more than focus on getting Brad to the tallest walkable peak in the world. Planning to see the summit, snows and sunrise on Kilimajaro, a collection of three inactive volcanos became all-consuming. From conception, which included talking to Dawn, Brad's wife for her input, to the plane's final arrival
home, touching down in Philadelphia there was nothing but hiking on their minds.

The three did an altitude preparation program in Colorado. "It was one long weekend," says Brad. "We arrived on Thursday and left Sunday we climbed to 13,000 ft." The trouble with altitude sickness is that everyone's body behaves differently. "If you get sick," says Brad, "you have to turn around." Luckily the men adjusted well and while the altitude's thinner air took a toll on them, it never prohibited them from continuing their climb.

Not to mention expenses: airline tickets in the thousands, the climb fee was $1,100 per climber. Then the fund raising goal of $10,000 each. Once again exceeding expectations, the three men raised $40,000.

Why so high?
Brad says that the idea of watching a sunrise from the Kibo summit of Kilimanjaro was conceived when Kirk and Brian climbed to Mt. Rainer last year. It was a surprise to me, he says. They sprung it on me New Year's Day 2009 on a conference call, Brian from Pittsburgh and Kirk out in Wyoming.

"I like challenges," he says. "So I said yes right away, not giving much thought to it. I only thought about the experience, the opportunity to bond. "But, later" Brad says, "it hit home. I became really anxious about hanging of a cliff; doing a technical climb." So he did some research and talked to his partners in climb. "When I talked to Brian and Kirk, I discovered it wasn't a tech climb with ropes and rock walls but it would be a very grueling, vigorous hike that required a lot of planning."

"My brother, Brian and Kirk did alot of outdoor stuff. Due to my vision I didn't do so much. But my wife Dawn, had been approached in November 2008 about me climbing. She was supportive from the beginning. So were the kids. With Dawn as an occasional hiking coach, Brad took to the Appalachian Trail. They understood what was necessary--all the training and things that I had to do, he says. "I missed family time while training, but my family was very understanding."

Brad's family and friends also understood the lasting impact a trip of this magnitude. "We combined two very important goals, a challenging physical feat to see a beautiful breathtaking sight and raising funds for saving surgeries through Pa VOSH.

Into Africa
It was a 19-hour flight to get to Africa. The three men left Pittsburgh on Monday and arrived in near the base of Kilimanjaro on Tuesday. "We were excited on the way over. The flight didn't seem long at all--I slept, talked, we chatted about our hiking." But coming home was different. "I left at 5:00 am and arrived in Philadelphia 36 hours and 5 planes later."

Overall, Brad, Brian and Kirk found the friendliness of Africans refreshing. "They were accepting of us, there we were in their realm, and they were always kind. From the people in the markets, on the roadsides, people selling us trinkets, to those hiking with us, they were always welcoming."

The warm welcome of the people of Africa helped, but didn't diminish the physical obstacles Brad faced. "During the hiking I felt fine, but visually it much more challenging than I anticipated," he admits. "Every step required thought, it required energy to listen, respond and follow through. Brian was in front and Kirk behind, calling out constant verbal commands. It took a lot to process all the information about where and how to place my feet in secure areas. It really wore on me, I felt it all. I had eye strain, headaches, muscle fatigue and the mental exhaustion because I pushed myself further than I had ever before."

Shadows to Sunrise with Guided Steps
It's not easy to let someone do the hiking for you. "When we were climbing, Kirk, Brian and I were alone for about three days, then we joined up with other members who were also doing the same sort of fund raising." The men were fortunate to be surrounded by trained support people.

But the weather played a bigger role in the climb than anyone anticipated. "Because it was sunny, the shadows made it difficult for me to see the terrain," says Brad. The dark patches made navigating rocks treacherous. "And during cloudy weather there wasn't enough light to see the ground," he says. Yet it turned out better than they all thought it would. "We fell into a good cadence," says Brad. "Even over the dirt, the rock wall, we climbed up and down. The vegetation was sparse at higher elevations so I didn't have to worry about roots or branches above. I was used to steep rocky terrain because we hiked [the Appalachian Trail] at Port Clinton and it's steep there. So it was the best I could find around here to get ready for Africa."

Other challenges for Brad: "The most difficult thing to get used to was the length of the days. Typically a normal-sighted person can do it in 5 hours per day, but for me it was 9- to 10-hour days because I was being guided." Usually Brad's wife and kids helped with him being independent but says Brad: "We [Brad, Brian and Kirk] fell into a nice routine. I was able to be trusting. I never fell, I slipped couple times but Brian and Kirk were there to catch me."

Brad was given an extra gift of seeing the sunset at 15,000 feet the night before attempting the summit of Kibo. Then during the day they climbed another 1,000 ft. And then, Brad couldn't take another step. The group made the decision to stop shy of Kibo and see the the sunrise at 16,000 feet. "We started hiking in the dark to get as high as we could." After 7 days of climbing, camping, and sleeping in tents, the moment came. "I didn't make it to the summit, but I pushed myself as far as I could go and we decided this was our summit--our goal was right here, we timed the dawn, found a flat rock and waited."

Then the sun greeted then men. "I first saw the outline of the volcano, then blue first, deep blue then slowly the whole spectrum of colors spread over the cloud layer. We were so high, we were above the clouds." The men heard nothing: It was calm, windless, total silence. "At that moment I reflected on it all. I didn't feel tired, a little cold at first, because I was cooling down from climbing, then I felt the peace, the calm, the happiness. I looked at Kirk and my brother giving me the thumbs up, saw the smiles on their faces," he recalls. "I think my brother may have cried."

Down to Earth
"We stayed at our summit for about a half an hour, then went back down." Descent for climbers is usually pretty easy, but the day and a half down was more challenging. The trail is steeper and the footing tough," he says. "You're moving faster and heading down." Brad explains why the trip up was longer than the trip down. "Your body needs to acclimate to the rising altitude so it takes about 7 days to ascend, you must take it slower on the ascension."

Gear also slowed the men down a bit. "I carried about 25 lbs, the porters carried the rest," says Brad. "We just carried the tents, but the porters set up camp. They would pass us everyday. At first I thought we are really slow, then I didn't think about it much." But Brad was in awe of the porters who balanced 40 to 45 lbs of gear on their heads.

"The most difficult thing for me was being away from normal surroundings, from family. I was outside my comfort zone. And it was a culture shock for everyone. I was surprised that the cane is not an international symbol of vision impairment. People kept asking me what it was for."

"And yet the easiest thing was putting my trust in Brian and Kirk, knowing that at the drop of a hat they'd be there for me. If I stumbled they'd be there, grabbing my elbow, they adjusted to me and recognized my cues for help. They'd put a head lamp on my thermos so i could see my meals in the limited light."

Serious Support
Brad, Brian and Kirk did amazing things but it was the ordinary folks back home who did the extraordinary. Their churches, neighbors, community all pitched in from fundraising to prayer to welcoming them home. "I was happy that it didn't bother them that I didn't reach the summit," he says. "It would have been 26 hours of hiking that day for me to reach it. Climbing the terrain in the dark would have been tough for even the normal sighted person. But when I got home people would say: Great job!

"People did pay attention to what we were trying to do. Glad Tidings Church in Westlawn had a prayer service and gathered donations for us. Westlawn United Methodist Church had a 24 prayer-vigil for the whole eight days we hiked."

The Northwestern Lehigh community knows Brad as principal at the Elementary school from 2002 to 2007, and he still has ties in the community. And with a nod to his education background, the three men stopped on the way back at an orphanage and school. "We brought food, supplies, and school supplies for the kids," he says. "It was really a great way to end the trip."

For the rest of mortals, Brad says not all everyone has to climb mountains. "Some people are drawn to challenges, some to service, but it's important not to get so wrapped up in our own lives, we need to see the world from a different perspective," he says. "I encourage people to get involved," says Brad, noting that travel to foreign countries or raising tens of thousands of dollars isn't necessary to contribute. "Always try to do your very best, no one can fault you for that."

More of the adventure on the blog: http://act-2009.blogspot.com/ AND check out VOSH at: http://www.voshpa.org/

Where the clever things are...

2009-08-26T14:49:00.003-05:00

With all the talk about recycling, there are so very few companies that actually take trash or unwanted items and turn them into something new AND useful.

1. Uncommon Goods. Takes windshields and turns them into stemless wine glasses. Watch what happens when you drop your glass.

2. Rubber Recycle. Takes old tires and shreds them into chunks as soft fill for playgrounds. No more scraped knees on concrete or asphalt.

3. Needlepointers.com. Patterns for crocheting annoying plastic grocery bags into all sorts of stuff--tote bags, beach bags and mats. And you don't have to be an expert knitter.

4. Yesterday's News. Turns newspapers into kitty litter. The best idea yet.

Where is Amelia?

2009-07-23T09:41:00.003-05:00

In October of this year, Fox will debut the movie "Amelia" a bio-pic about Amelia Earhart. Doubtless Hollywood has and will put the spin on where THEY think Amelia is. About 71 years after her infamous disapperance, conspiracy theories abound.

In all likelihood Amelia Earhart along with navigator, Fred Noonan crashed into the Pacific Ocean near the island nation of New Guinea. But the question remains unanswered because there was no wreckage and no bodies found.

The more puzzling question is why isn't there anything left of Earhart, Noonan or the Lockheed Electra they were flying? In 2002, the Md-based company, Nauticos conducted a nearly 650-mile search of the area and found nothing at the bottom of the ocean.

Tighar International Group, under the Earhart Project, investigated reports of wreckage on a tiny island near New Guinea, but it turned out to be the ship wreck of the S.S. Norwich City. They are still investigating tidbits of items discovered on other islands that may or may not be long to Earhart.

There are several problems with investigating plane crashes in the sea. In 1937, there was no "black box" or flight recorders, there was no GPS systems on planes. Pilots flew with navigators who reported longitude and latitudes, there were compasses maps and radios, but they could not definitively give location. Radar was just beginning to be used. Without exact coordinates rescuers combed hundreds of thousands of miles perhaps in the wrong direction and only looking at the surface of the sea. Combine that with fact that Earhart was unfamiliar with all the equipment on board the Electra.

When a plane hits the water at say, 200 miles per hour the plane will shatter, throwing bits of itself hundred of yards from the impact point. Likewise its contents will also explode.

Confounding the search was the airplane itself. The Lockheed Electra was plagued with problems--wings and engine mounts would vibrate and then come off. The fault? A high-speed aircraft stuck in a conventional design. The plane may have ripped apart and sent Earhart and Noonan to their watery graves. In addition, the aircraft was metal which would have sank shortly after a crash. Today's planes are fitted with flotation devices and much of their fuselages are made of lightweight durable materials which also float.

Amelia Earhart paved the way for women (and men) pilots in transcontinental flight, but unfortunately is better known for her disappearance than her achievements.

Sources: Stuart Lee "Lockheed Electra: Killer Airliner", National Geographic,

July 4th, less known history

2009-07-13T10:42:00.002-05:00

In 1776, as every child has learned from school the Continental Congress drafted, edited and then signed the Declaration of independence.

Here's what they didn't tell you:

It was actually July 2, 1776 that the Continental Congress actually voted on freedom from Britain. The Declaration of Independence was a formality.

It was read out loud to the public in three locations: Philadelphia, PA; Trenton, NJ; Easton, PA on July 8, 1776.

The document was approved and went into effect on July 4th, but wasn't fully signed by all members of congress until August 2, 1776. The dispute arise from the fact that certain members weren't all present. Jefferson, Adams and Franklin recall it differently.

There were thought to be 200 copies of the Declaration of Independence. Today only 25 copies are known to exist.

Sources: Fourth of July Celebrations Database, US History.org.

Hurricane Season

2009-06-12T07:08:00.002-05:00

According to NOAA the 2009 hurricane season officially started June 1. They are predicting 7-14 named hurricanes in the Atlantic. They estimate that 35 million people will be affected by hurricanes this year.

How to cope? Be prepared (seehttp://nhc.boulder.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml) and buy a book:

A Saving Hurricane
http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Hurricane-Bernadette-Sukley/dp/1601454104/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244808835&sr=8-1

Irony: the NOAA is headquartered in Boulder, CO far away from any hurricanes. They predict them--you live through them.

pulitzer prizes for writing

2009-04-21T12:28:00.002-05:00

Elizabeth Strout of Queens University of Charlotte won the 2009 Pulitzer prize for her book "Olive Kitteridge." A novel about a woman struggling through day-to-day life in a small town in Maine.

Strout's writing is very compelling, it cannot compare to Annie Dillard's "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek." Dillard wrote the book as a way to help her recover from a near-fatal bout of pneumonia. She won the Pulitzer for the book in 1975. The book is a diary of sorts that details her encounters with the animals and environment in a tiny nook of Virginia.

both books are worth the read.
Amazon.com

The history behind the revolt

2009-03-11T10:25:00.002-05:00

The trouble started December 16, 1773 when poorly disguised colonists dumped large crates of tea into Boston Harbor. The act was direct protest of taxation without representation.
Here's what happened:
Tea was one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the colonial era. The major importer of tea, the East India Company was taxed by Great Britain which jacked up the price of tea. Colonists found it cheaper to drink smuggled tea from Holland, as Dutch tea was not taxed. Needless to say the East India Company and the Crown lost money.
In a major "get-back" move the British government sought to impose taxes on the colonies to collect lost revenue. The Stamp Act 1765--which did not tax stamps, but paper, skins or anything the colonist used to write upon (writs, warrants, notices, letters and even planting calendars).
The Townshend Act 1767 was yet another tax imposed upon the colonies to pay for the French & Indian War. The war was fought, argued Britain, on behalf of the colonists--they should pay for it. The fact that many colonists did not fight in the war was overlooked.
In 1768 Britain sent troops to enforce the payment of taxes (Quartering Act forced colonists to allow British troops in their homes). Tensions mounted and in 1770, five civilians were killed by British troops after being unable to withstand insults and snow balls being thrown at them. The event was called The Boston Massacre by Samuel Adams.
As the relationship between Britain and the colonies became more and more strained, protests shot up from Massachusetts to Virginia. And one December night over 300 casks of East India Tea were tossed overboard. Tea washed up on the shores of Boston Harbor for weeks.

Tax Day Tea Party

2009-03-09T12:50:00.003-05:00

Currently planning Tax Day Tea Party
April 15, 2009
Noon
Location TBA
(Allentown/Bethlehem/Reading)

Keep watching these posts!

For the new year...

2009-02-17T09:12:00.000-05:00

"Life can't ever really defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer's lover until death - fascinating, cruel,
lavish, warm, cold, treacherous, constant."

-- Edna Ferber, American novelist, author, and playwright

Christmas: Ever wonder why...?

2008-12-15T13:30:00.001-05:00

The season is here, but did you ever wonder why...

...people write merry X-mas?
X is the Greek letter that is the ancient symbol for Christos or Christ.

...the celebration is on December 25...when was Christ really born?
The twenty-fifth was officially declared as a holy day until the 4th century AD. scholars believe that the "star" was an alignment of 3 planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars) that occurred in March of 4BC. but this collides with Easter which was firmly established prior to 400AD, so the 25th was kept as the beginning of the church liturgical (calendar) year.

...people sing about birds in the 12 days of christmas carol?
there's tremendous controversy about the song as to whether it was from England or France, or if the song was simply a child's rhyme or a secret code for outlawed Catholics to safely sing when they were being persecuted in England during the late 1500s. birds are especially meaningful as they were game and highly prized in any feast. "four calling birds" is actually a corruption of "colly birds" which refers to any black bird or perhaps cawing birds like crows. the five rings are thought to be ring neck pheasants, which were naturalized in Europe from China.

...don't Christians light more candles?
technically they light candles all year long, but at Christmas they only light 4 on an Advent Wreath. The candles symbolize each week of the period of Advent (the 4 weeks prior to Christmas Day). The practice of lighting candles on the Christmas tree was discouraged due to the number of house fires that occurred around Christmas.

...do people put up Christmas trees?
first a German then later an English tradition, immigrants brought over the tradition to the U.S. and it stuck. the decorated tree was credited to Martin Luther, but chances are he borrowed the centuries-old tradition from Latvia. ancient pagan rituals celebrated trees and large boulders as living (though non-mobile) creatures.

Merry Christmas

Source: NovaReinna.com

Weird World Series

2008-10-28T11:40:00.000-05:00

While the 2008 World Series was halted after 6 innings due to relentless rain and a flooded field, it's not the first time something unusual has marked America's National Pastime Championships.

In 1989 an earthquake ripped through California's Bay Area moments before the start of Game 3 between Oakland and San Francisco. Game 3 was delayed for 10 days.

In 1945, unable to bring his goat into Wrigley Field, Bill Sianis cursed the Chicago Cubs who have never won a WS since.

The longest game: 2005 WS -- 5 hours 41 minutes
Shortest game: 1919 WS -- 51 minutes
Youngest pitcher: Ken Brett, 19.5 years in 1967 WS
Oldest pitcher: Jamie Moyer, 44.9 years in 2008 WS
Tallest player: John Rauch 6' 11"
Shortest player: Donnie Sadler 5' 6"

Source: MLB.com

Your Data Stolen

2008-09-25T11:55:00.000-05:00

The following companies are the most recent victims, they represent the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ID theft:

AIG -- June 2006 -- personal data stolen from computers -- 930,000 customers
Boeing -- Dec 2006 -- personal date stolen, laptop recovered --382,000 customers
JC Penney -- Jan 2008 --personal data stolen -- 650,000 customers
Google -- July 2008 --personal data stolen -- undisclosed number of employees
Countrywide Home Loans -- Aug 2008 -- personal data stolen, thieves caught -- 20,000 customers

Consumers can't prevent ID theft when it happens to a lender or credit company.
Close accounts, paying off monthly debt and keeping only one or two cards per name limits damage to individual. Report ANY questionable purchase or credit line to company. Watch credit score.

Hurricane Season

2008-09-16T09:50:00.000-05:00

Technically hurricane season starts June 1, but it's September when most hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean is seen.

Hurricanes are categorized by wind speed, prior to 1991 it was air pressure and wind speed. Cat 1 hurricanes have wind speeds of 75-95, Cat 2: 96-110, Cat 3: 111-130, Cat 4: 131-155, Cat 5: 156 mph and higher. Hurricane Katrina had wind speeds of 175 and higher.

Hurricanes flow in an east to west direction and their winds in a counter-clockwise direction.

Earthquakes are more common than hurricanes. We can only feel 100,000 of the 500,000 of the annual global earthquakes.

New hurricane novel: http://www.booklocker.com/books/3527.html

Sources: NOAA, National Geographic

presidential quirkiness...

2008-09-15T15:57:00.000-05:00

in 1992 Kerrey ran for president.

that's Bob Kerrey, not John Kerry. But both are democrats.

Bob Kerry is married to Sarah Paley. that's Paley not Palin.

John Kerry is husband to Teresa Heinz Kerry. South African by birth, she married Senator Heinz in 1966 and Senator Kerry in 1993.

Sources: 4president.org, Biographies of Kerrey & Kerry

Cheetahs chirp

2008-07-16T17:03:00.000-05:00

Over the years Hollywood has inserted sounds to make animals more or less menacing. Here's a few examples of how The movies played fast and loose with sound:

1. Cheetahs chirp. Young cheetah cubs sound a lot like birds. Cheetahs never roar, but hiss and churr--a sort of throaty growl.
2. Dolphins don't bleat. Dolphins use three primary sounds: Whistles, clicks and chirps. The annoying bleating sound is man-made.
3. Zebras never neigh. Zebras bark or bray, like donkeys. They don't whinny or neigh like a horse.
4. Alligators are quiet. Gators have no vocal chords so the only noises they produce are hisses and an infrasonic bellow that rattles the water around them.

Good bye running buddy

2008-06-25T15:20:00.000-05:00

Had to say good bye to our Black Lab, Tucker...here's a tribute to him and his breed:

Black labs typically stand anywhere from 2.4 feet to 3 feet at the shoulder, they weight 60-100lbs.
They need a good yard, lotsa exercise.
They are subject to shoulder and hip problems, made worse if they become overweight.
Their life expectancy is about 10 to 12 years some make it to 16 or 20 years.
They are the most popular breed/breed mix in the Us and UK (golden retrievers are almost tie)
About 60% of service and guide dogs are lab/lab mixes.

Good bye, Dad...

2008-06-05T15:36:00.000-05:00

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/obituaries/20080520_Richard_J__Walsh___Engineer__78.html

Safety in numbers?

2008-05-02T10:08:00.000-05:00

Spring brings flowers AND those six-legged things that eat them. We can stomp, spray and squash, but insects out number humans by 1.6 billion to 1.

More ...
--There are about 900,000 to 1,000,000 species of the creepy crawly things.
--A type of cave ant was discovered in the Grand Canyon earlier this year.
--The oldest insect fossil dates back to 200 million years ago.
--The most commonly killed insect is not the house fly, but the mosquito.
--The gypsy moth catepillar is the most destructive insect--deforesting (eating all the leaves off of trees) 320,000 acres in one state in one year.
--The average ant can pull 50 times its own bodyweight, the average man, only 80% of his own bodyweight.
--All insects are not bugs. Bug is a term used for only one order of insects (stink bug)

Sources: Encylopedia.com, TheDigitalBeat.com

Forget about it!

2008-03-28T09:43:00.001-05:00

Did you want to read a good book? Maybe buy one--one that was affordable and self-published?

Too bad.

Read this:
http://www.fonerbooks.com/2008/03/new-amazon-mandate-say-it-aint-so-jeff.html

Problem is that self-published books, (aka vanity publishing) are actually out-performing traditionally published ones. Well-written e-books and POD books are available for everyone...well they used to be.

Read this:
http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/004597_03272008.html

Happily ever after: the BUY button on Amazon.com will work for all the books YOU want to read.

Let it snow?

2008-03-11T11:59:00.000-05:00

The snowiest place in the US is a record still up for grabs. The National Weather Service uses averages to declare one city or area as having the most snowfall.
And the measurements have to be documented by an observing station. It's possible there's a an unmeasured "winner" in the Rockies.

To-date, however, the snowiest place in the U.S. is Valdez, Alaska with an average snowfall accumulation of 326 inches or 27.2 feet!
Next is Blue Canyon, California with 240" per year. Then Marquette, Michigan--141" with rival city Sault Ste. Maire coming in at 117".

Syracuse, New York rounds off the top 5 snowiest places in the U.S. with a very close 116" of annual snowfall.

Source: The National Climatic Data Center

Correction...

2008-02-12T14:11:00.000-05:00

The 2007-08 New England Patriots did not have a perfect season...
it now stands at 18-1, thanks to the New York Giants.

Superbowl XLII was considered one of the biggest upsets in football history.

Super Bowl Craziness

2008-01-29T14:17:00.000-05:00

Some odd facts about football and the Big Game:

The Dallas Cowboys have gone to the Super Bowl more times than any other team--8
(and the winning-est--they won 5 of those contests.)

The Denver Broncos are the losing-est team, going to the Super Bowl 6 times but only winning twice.

Three teams in the history of American football have had perfect seasons (no losses, no ties):
1948 Cleveland Browns 14-0
1974 Miami Dolphins 16-0
2007 New England Patriots 19-0

The Chicago Bears are one of the 2 orginal teams to remain in the NFL. All the rest are new or revised franchises.

Source: NFL.com

New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-10T12:53:00.000-05:00

While no one knows for sure, the tradition of making resolutions on the first day of the new year may have stemmed from the prayers that were said on the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary (a.k.a. circumcision of Jesus)--celebrated on January 1.

According to the U.S. Government, top 10 resolutions include: losing weight, reducing stress at work and at home, getting a new job, saving money, reducing debt, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake (a result of hangovers?) and taking a trip.

According to goal experts in order to be successful, a resolution-maker must do 2 things: First, be specific, second be realsitic. Best to say losing 30lbs by June for daughter's wedding, rather than just "losing weight this year."

Sources: U.S. Gov't, Making Goals 101

The Last Blog of the "Year"

2007-12-31T13:32:00.000-05:00

In honor of the New Year -- 2008, here are some facts about Leap Years:

Technically, non-leap years are not true years--they are 8 hours short.

After 4 non years, the calendar adds a full day to make one bonus or leap year of 366days

The year is not measured in chronological time, but in distance, the distance it takes to revolve around the sun is aproximately 364 days and 8 hours.

Golden Leapers are those born on February 29 who celebrate their 29th birthday (although they are 116 years old).

--Source: LeapZine

I'm It... A Blog Meme

2007-12-03T19:26:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Hal Manogue, I've been tagged. Here are the "IT" questions:

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BLOGGING?
Since Jan 2007. So not long at all.

2. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START A BLOG AND WHO ARE YOUR MENTORS?
The Writers Group as well as other professionals in the writing community.

3. ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE, OR JUST DOING IT FOR FUN?
Has to fun, because the money is in someone else's bank.

4. WHAT 3 THINGS DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH ONLINE?
Developing a larger community of friends (the nice people are cyber-shy)
Keeping up with the latest technology
Fighting pop-ups, downloads, and sifting through the eJunk!

5. WHAT 3 THINGS DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BEING ONLINE?
Meeting new people.
The speed with which news and information comes at you.
Learning...it never ends.

Thanksgiving: Facts from Myths

2007-11-21T09:40:00.000-05:00

The first "thanksgiving" was a harvest feast held in October 1621. It was not a true day of thanskgiving in the religious sense of the word as the Puritans were unable to celebrate anything Biblical without an ordinance from their governor.

Thanksgiving was moved to the 4th Thursday of November by Congress in 1941.

Of the 102 Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth in 1620, only 50 survived to celebrate the harvest.

Native Americans (Massasoit and Wampanoag)outnumbered the Pilgrims almost 3 to 1 at the dinner. THe venison was courtesy of the guests.

If you play football or some sort of outdoor activity before the meal--you are continuing a Puritan tradition. Any festivity, religious or otherwise, always including games or sports. But only the men got to play.

--Source: PilgrimHall.org

Happy Haunting!

2007-10-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

The origins of Halloween are not nearly as gruesome or frightening as the movies would have you think. Below, a little trivia for Samhain lovers.

Halloween. A contraction of the title of the feast: All Hallow's Evening. The holy day was a early Church move to help assimilate the new converts. The ancient Night of the Dead honored deceased loved ones, but was rife with supersition about spirits and demons. Combined with the Celt's Samhain (sam-ween) to become Hallow's E'ven, then Halloween.

Jack o' lanterns. Carved out pumpkins with lights are a tribute to a myth about lazy Jack who lost a deal with the devil. Sentenced to walk the darkness he was given nothing to light his way but a coal from hell stuck in a gourd. His full title: Jack of the Lantern.

Candy. The undisputed best part of Halloween, the treats of trick or treat night were not always so sweet. Originally, the Celts believed the Night of the Dead was not complete without sacrificies of the harvest--fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants and herbs. Later, gifts of small cakes were left out on doorsteps. Called mumming, the little offerings were said to appease the witches, fairies and demons who wandered about with the souls of the deceased.

Source: Library of Congress, Catholic Update, Britannica.com

Many moons ago...

2007-10-18T07:26:00.000-05:00

Native Americans gave titles to the full moons. Here are a few worth viewing:

Wolf Moon. The first full moon after Christmas. In January, in the Northern parts of the US and Canada, the cold temps and frozen ground give very little for the wolves to eat. A full moon at night at this time of year helps their nocturnal hunt. Listen for the howls.

Worm Moon. The last full moon of Winter. In March, as the ground thaws worm castings make their way to the surface of the soil. Robins return and Spring is only days away.

Blue Moon. The name of the second full moon that falls in the same month. This year it was in the month of May. Despite what the poems and songs say, "once in a blue moon..." happens about every three years. Since the moon usually appears a whitish-blue, it's not so much the color of the moon but more the mood of the viewer.

Red Moon. Also called the Sturgeon Moon as the large fish are easiest to catch in the Great Lakes warmed by the summer sun. The moon appears to be a hazy orange-red and is larger than all other previous moons. This is because the moon (and earth) is close to the sun at this time of year. This is the last full moon before the kids go back to school.

Harvest Moon. The reason we have harvest dances (okay, a bit of stretch). The full moon that is closet to the Autumn Equinox -- usually the end of September or beginning of October. The corn, pumpkins and most summer crops are ready for harvesting. A great thing to celebrate.

Source: Joe Rao, Hayden Planetarium, New York. (Space.com)

Transatlantic crossings, the fastest and slowest

2007-10-11T08:07:00.000-05:00

In honor of Columbus Day, here are a few facts about crossing the Atlantic. (Note: on his 4th voyage Columbus crossed in 21 days--from Spain to the Caribbean Islands--present day Martinique. Pretty fast considering he first went south to the Canary Islands then to the West Coast of Africa to catch the Trade Winds):

Fastest crossing (Eastbound) ship--SS United States, length--3 days, 12 hrs, 12 minutes in 1952

Fastest crossing (Westbound) ship--Master Cat, length--2 days, 20 hours, 9 minutes in 1998

Slowest crossing (Westbound) ship--Sea Wanderer, length--20+ days in 1957 (Her captain, Edward Alcard was circumnavigating the globe in 1957, so his recorded-keeping did not emphasize timeliness)

Humphrey Barton holds the record for the most transatlantic crossings: 20

Sources: http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/United%20States%20History.htm, http://www.cheoyleeassociation.com/vertueArticle2.htm, http://www.solocircumnavigation.com/SoloSailingCircumnavigation/SinglehandedCircumnavigators.htm

UFOs are becoming more popular...sort of

2007-10-09T06:55:00.000-05:00

In 1947 a U.S. government survey found that only 10% of Americans thought that UFOs were really spaceships from other planets. In 2006, another survey asked similar questions and found that 24.6% of Americans thought that UFOs were E.T.I.

Most Americans believe that those lights and strange sightings are a result of their government experimenting with (and hiding) aerospace technology. Credible sources (i.e. astronaut Gordon Cooper) make UFO phenomenon hard to dismiss.

Source: Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion - American Piety in the 21st Century – September 2006.

Mount Everest Mystery...

2007-10-08T09:20:00.000-05:00

The first man to summit (reach the top) of Mt. Everest was Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953. He was later knighted by the British crown for his efforts. But Hillary was a New Zealander. The first documented Brit to summit K2 was Doug Scott in September 1975--only the 50th climber to succeed.

The first woman to summit the peak was Junko Tabei from Japan, months before Scott (May 1975).

To date 1,500 climbers have made it to the top.

The Mountain's Mystery surrounds deceased climber George Mallory. His body (well-preserved at frigid temps and nearly oxygen-less altitudes) was mistaken for his dead friend and climbing partner, Sandy Irvine. No one knows if Mallory and/or Irvine made it to the top or how they died. The theory is that Mallory died of unknown causes, while Irvine died from injuries sustained in a fall. Hard to clear up Mallory's cause of death without an autopsy. Unlikely to happen.

Source: EverestHistory.com

Praying mantids have...

2007-10-01T20:53:00.000-05:00

ears. one to be exact but with 2 eardrums. this is theoretically for the "hearing" of their enemies.

they also have necks that allow for rotation of the head for 180 degrees--much like the human head and neck. this allows them to hunt more successfully.

--Colorado State University, entomology dept, D. Feldman

i'm 50!

2007-09-28T07:17:00.000-05:00

today marks the 50th blog here at the quirky writer.

it's time for a change of format. every other day or so, i'll have an odd or little-known or fascinating fact. that fact will be backed up by a primary source to add to its credibility. maybe i'll have more--who knows?

the hope is that with a factual nugget you can create an article, story or maybe even a book. inspiration comes from the strangest places.

see you soon...

not today...

2007-09-24T15:08:00.000-05:00

autumn was to have started (officially) yesterday. and yet the northwest is still having hot weather. east coast is just as summery and the south and midwest are fighting the heat.

there are times when things arrive and you say, no not today. even Kissinger once remarked: i can't have a crisis today, there's no room on my schedule. he knew the futility however of trying to say no to fate.

but not everything has to happen to today. bad news can wait, for one more day.

are you ready?

2007-09-17T16:36:00.000-05:00

gifts are being handed to you daily. opportunities are at your door. do not be afraid. do not look the gift horse in the mouth. jump in, take the risk. make the call, send the e-mail.

there's nothing like today--don't waste it.

you see it's not so much about you, but about who you will inspire. someone needs to read your story. someone needs to know they are not alone. they need to see that you've made an effort. they need to know that someone cares.

if you wait, the person who you are fated to meet may give up and move on. the very best friend you may never know, may be ready for you. are you ready for them?

we will never forget

2007-09-11T12:40:00.000-05:00

for 9/11 friends and families--a wise woman said: "we can never get over the grief, only learn to live along side of it."

we're here.
we're learning.
we miss you.

thought for the day...

2007-09-03T14:17:00.000-05:00

there are two words that catch our attention--death and sex. they cause emotional and visceral reactions. both are a part of life. one is the end, the other is the beginning. we schould treat each as such, rather than being fascinated by the macabre and the scandal they cause.

in the U.S. alone, 100 people die daily in traffic accidents, 269 will die in hospitals and about 50 people will die today of a drug overdose.

but today 291,000 new people will be born. there is no garauntee they will outlive those of us who exist now. but contrary to popular belief, even though we are having more sex than ever--the world is replacing its population at a very slow pace. fewer children are being born and live past their 5th birthday; wars, famine and disease are finally catching up.

who is going to take your place when you leave this world? no one can take your place completely or fill your shoes the can only pick up where you have left off.

all gone?

2007-08-30T09:36:00.000-05:00

is the summer finally over? technically it will be on Sept 22. but for those of you who mourn the loss of summer, take heart, there's glorious fall. which is, in many ways, even better.

fall marks the beginning of so much more. the beginning of school, college, new relationships, new jobs, of married life together. why is fall over shadowed by a season known only for its warm weather?

fall has warmth but also cooler evenings. fall has its share of festivals, gatherings and holidays. fall is not selfish but gives way to winter, snow and the end of the year.

summer will return in less than 10 months with all its heat and sizzle. enjoy fall and enjoy beginnings.

alone at last...

2007-08-18T12:34:00.000-05:00

even in the heat of the summer, one needs to find a shady spot of solitude. this sunny season is best known for bringing people outside to enjoy each other's company. beaches, picnics, games, reunions, yard sales, block parties--so many events where there are crowds.

and yet we still need to be alone. to reflect, meditate, daydream, write, paint, bake, nap. it is refreshment for the soul. silence can be peaceful, especailly after noises of crowds at an amusement park, the firework displays, roar of the ocean. time to find our "center."

you won't waste time if you spend time with yourself. the sun may be shining, the crowds beckoning and the water tempting, but keep a few minutes for you.

is it unlucky?

2007-08-13T08:55:00.000-05:00

today is the 13th of the month.
for centuries the number 13 has been associated with bad luck. people fear it so much that there is no number 13 in horse racing. many buildings forgo the 13th floor. some people even avoid going into work on Friday the 13th.

upon closer inspection the number is no different "luck-wise" than the 12 that come before it and the infinite ones that come after it. many professional baseball, football and basketball players have worn 13 and had great careers (Rodriguez, Marino, Chamberlain). there are also a number of lottery winners who credit 13 for their winnnings.

perhaps the number became unlucky because of its connection with the Tarot card deck--the 13th card is Death. and since it is a prime number it is not easily divisible.

but our luck is what we make of it. today may be your lucky day. enjoy your good fortune.

shake up someone's world...

2007-08-10T08:41:00.000-05:00

we become lured into the doldrums in our lives. it's easy. things are humming along and we become machines, executing our daily duties on auto-pilot.

but isn't it great when a letter comes to you out of the blue? a phone call or an e-mail from someone who wants know how you are doing or invites to you to a special gathering. these are the (good) things that shake up your routine.

there are of course the bad things. the big and small storms; the moves, the losses of jobs, finances, loved ones. things that alter everything we beleive.

today let us be the ones who positively shake up some one's world. challenge them to a tennis match, take them to lunch "just because." drop off flowers or just say "hi, thinking of you." shake them out of their doldrums in a positive way.

did you say a prayer?

2007-08-07T13:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday and Thursday (Aug 6 & Aug 9) mark the 62nd anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. the US used the atom bomb on two Japanese cities to end the war.

it's estimated in less than 10 seconds over 100,000 people died. both times.

sudden death for many innocents. they never got a chance to prepare for that final moment. may they rest in peace.

and may we be spared the unprepared death. may we live our lives to the fullest every day as though we are ready to leave at any given moment.

sharpening...

2007-08-03T06:34:00.000-05:00

as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend...a proverb which means without friends we would lose our edge.

it happened just the other day when i ignored this blog. visitors stopped by and had to look at weeks old material. i should have updated. without their comments i would not have thought about the "freshness" of this content.

we are at the beginning of the end. the final month of a season called summer. time to fit things in--fast. just like my promise to update every other day. so when friends stop by they'll have a new thought to read on a nearly daily basis.

so i need to get on the ball. get sharp and fit in as many blogs in one month as i possibly can--i challenge you to do the same. and to visit the following friends:
http://carmaswindow.blogspot.com

http://fireofsorrow.blogspot.com/

http://leedesign2.blogspot.com/

http://www.workingwriterscoach.com

http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com

www.griefcase.blogspot.com

http://patmccarthysauthorblog.blogspot.com

www.MangoTreeCafe-LoiKrohRoad.blogspot.com

www.PetCareRCA.com

do you have it?

2007-07-22T19:54:00.000-05:00

whether in business or in love, we all want to know -- is this the one? is this the idea that's going to make me millions? is the person with whom i'll happily spend the rest of my life?

it's nothing more than a feeling, a click of sorts. imperceptible, but real. did you feel it? sometimes it's hard to tell, sometimes we just know--love at first sight--it can happen.

but after the click we need the guts to keep going. whether we are rejected, broken, or full of doubt. perseverance is under rated in our 0 to 60 in five seconds world.

never forget the click. never give up.

too hot for you?

2007-07-17T16:27:00.000-05:00

in my neck of the woods we are under drought warnings--not enough rain, high risk of brush fires. it seems we get drier and drier and cringe as lightning strikes the ground.

but each and every summer it comes to this. one area church prayed for rain in 2005--and got hurricane Katrina. they now pray for its survivors.

heat is part of summer. it is also part of part of life. in the heat of our youth we are kindling waiting for the intrinsic (or extrinsic) lightning strike to ignite our passions. hopefully we use that flame to better ourselves and others.

as we grow older the lightning rarely strikes. we are more or less going with the flow. but some of us are dry as central Georgia. we need water or fire. fast.

can you handle the heat?

as we are...

2007-07-11T20:14:00.000-05:00

there's an exciting new website just for women called as we are. it gives women and men fresh perspectives from different women around the world.

it's not feminist per se, but it does explore issues related to freedom and equality for women.

it allows women to be honest about their bodies and minds. terrific podcasts, regular contributors, enviro-friendly products and much more...
check it out: www.aswearemagazine.com

what have you lost?

2007-07-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

J.K. Rowling admitted that she is devastated by ending her extremely successful Harry Potter series. though she knew it had to come to an end, it seems she's going to suffer some grief.

are you grieving? what have you had to let go of? a home? a career? a person? we are never prepared to lose. sorry to say, it is all about winning. losers do not get noticed unless it's for public entertainment.

we can support each other for only so long. it's human nature to move on to other things. we cannot live in Harry Potter land forever. that's a good thing and we can say goodbye fondly.

we can also herald the new literature that will follow in its path. so maybe it's not about losing -- it's about letting go and looking forward.

declare your independence...

2007-07-04T09:24:00.000-05:00

as the nation celebrates its 231st birthday, we must acknowledge that we are in some way dependent on something (or someone) else. this is not a bad thing unless the dependency is something that harms you.

are you dependent on chemicals, nicotine, alcohol? or perhaps it's thrills, danger, sex, gambling, being accepted. today is the day to be free from these things that enslave you. be dependent only on yourself. on the support and love of others.

let go. go on vacation. Happy Freedom Day.

what are you taking to the beach?

2007-06-26T16:22:00.000-05:00

summer reading is best done at the shore. no phones, no distractions, no one to turn off the lights.

best bets are the big books that won't be devoured in less than an hour or two. my list includes: I love you like a tomato, Bleak House and Along came trouble.

What's on your list?

caught by surprise...

2007-06-24T20:56:00.000-05:00

summer stole quietly in. it wasn't that things just got hot on June 21. it's been hot for nearly most of May. there was no fanfare, no celebration to mark its arrival. so now summer is officially upon us.

has it made you happy? have you planned a vacation? are you ready for the sun? summer is full of surprises. we are all out and about. we travel more during this time of the year. we may run into old friends, find a new favorite spot on the beach, and hopefully enjoy ourselves.

let summer happen to you. it will unfold day by day; full of food, smiles, good times. write in your journal, or in your blog how summer has changed you. believe me, it will.

what do you believe in?

2007-06-12T09:11:00.000-05:00

a recent forum posed the question: are there any sins God would NOT forgive? the debate was a stark contrast to what people percived God as. he was ultimate love and to others he was ultimate justice.

i think God is both love and justice. those two virtues can co-exist. i think God will not forgive the sins that we cannot forgive ourselves for. and i also think we need to make restitution for the things that we've done that have hurt others. that's justice. and it's love too because we say we're sorry to the ones we love.

perhaps our preception of God and mercy is a matter of deciding if we are worthy of love.

what do you think God can forgive?

warm and warmer...

2007-06-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

why do we fear risk? is it that we fear change? and yet we jump head first into love--the most monumental of changes. despite the warnings, we often go for the wrong person thinking that love knows what it's doing.

surprise. it does. we are the ones who get it wrong. we love the wrong person making love wrong. when we get it right love works. like putting the right key in the right lock. it works.

passion warms the heart, but true love warms the soul.

ever been disappointed?

2007-06-02T12:36:00.000-05:00

ever been let down? rejected? forgotten? it's a pretty common human experience. we can't all be liked at all times. and yet it makes us feel so alone; cutting us off from the rest of humanity.

in job hunting we all get the "not you" letter. the position was filled, thanks so much for your interest, good luck with your career. and an intangible sting accompanies the letter. the feeling of: you are not good enough. it's difficult to let that go, not to be hurt even for a moment. but it should be only a moment. the right job doesn't really exist--unless you are perfectly happy with what you are doing. that's rare. most of us have to work for happiness and sacrifice other things somewhere along the line.

as summer sweeps in, we have warm days to let all the little hurts slip away. we have opportunities to get outside and quell the loneliness. and we have time to be perfectly happy with the moment--regardless of disapointment.

an unhappy so-long...

2007-05-30T06:23:00.000-05:00

i am saying goodbye to May reluctantly. not so much that its end is the reminder that time goes quickly but because it was a great month. graduations, parties, birthdays, picnics and seeing old friends.

May had its downside too unpredictable weather, funerals, moves. but i feel these sad episodes in life more keenly because May is a month that is hard to cry in. once spring arrives, we all want to put our face to the sun and rejoice. but we can't cast off what it means to be human. joys and sorrows, wonder and woes, smiles and frowns.

if only May came twice a year. no, i take that back. spring is good once a year. or else we'd hate winter all the more and not enjoy summer or fall as much. so farewell May, a wonderful month. see you next year.

the lure of summer...

2007-05-29T07:31:00.000-05:00

the warmest months of the year are just about to begin. and with them, adventure. warmer weather must bring out the dare devil in all of us. we go places we've never been, play hooky from work, plan vacations, bare our body parts to the sun, fall in love.

summer flings are notorious. social animals, we find ourselves flirting and playing with those we meet. but what we don't do is realize whether or not these days of adventure are good for us. will we jump into the careless romance only to wait to deal with heartbreak in September?

this year use the warm summer months to fall in love with a sport, hobby, volunteer organization. we need interpersonal relationships, but maybe teaching a child to read is the adventure that will help us grow.

is courtesy gone?

2007-05-17T10:46:00.000-05:00

i have a neighbor who complains that she only gets bills in the mail--no private correspondences. and yet she sends letters, thank yous and answers surveys all the time. she says it's just no one understands courtesy any more.

think of all the times you have never answered emails, phone calls or text messages. society is so adept at "getting." we have been trained to receive and not to give. or give back. we expect. having no patience to extend ourselves beyond our own limitations.

i don't think courtesy is gone, but it is surely dwindling. today make it a point to reply, to give feedback, to answer the questions that have gone unanswered because you were busy, or just didn't like the person sending it.

thanks...

fascinated by love...

2007-05-15T07:27:00.000-05:00

it is May. month of bridal showers, engagement parties, anniversaries and weddings. brides surrounded by flowers walk down the aisle to their grooms, surrounded by nervous-looking men.

weddings are joyful occasions. we celebrate love all year long but in May it seems to be at the top of our list. brides do love June weddings, but recently the trend has moved to earlier in the year. traditional church ceremonies have nearly been eclipsed by non-traditional weddings; on beautiful beaches, in Las Vegas, in mid-air and on mountain tops with amazing vistas.

though some may argue it doesn't matter where a couple is married, all they need is love. but what is love? is it the giggly feeling when a pretty girl sees a handsome man? is it the peace that best friends share? is it the creative collaboration between couples who fight on every successful project? is it the innate knowledge that there is no one else to share your dreams with than this one person? truly, love is the setting aside self-interst for the benefit of the other, but the trappings and the fanfare is too irresistible to ignore.

the golden pig is now...

2007-05-09T20:18:00.000-05:00

a very dear friend reminded me that i was living in the past. it is not the year of the monkey (duh!) that was a couple of years ago. but it is now the year of the golden pig...not just any pig, mind you, but a very beautiful element added to a rather peaceful but often-scorned animal.

the Chinese take this stuff pretty seriously. while the rest of us are reading our daily horoscopes, the Chinese are using what they've known for thousands of years to determine their now. unlike the predictive angst horoscopes convey, Chinese give the window to self-knowledge and practicality.

oddly enough, medical science bears this out. babies born at different times of the year are subject to daylight duration, environment, weather--all manner of influences earthly and heavenly. thus their behavior is also different. who knew?

let us live peacefully in the year of the golden pig.

missing life?

2007-05-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

time to take a risk.
this year is 5 months old, have things gotten better for you? are you stuck in a bad job? still trying to lose weight? finish your memoirs? grinding through finals?

whether you know it or not, you are a success story. but because of the many excuses, feeling inferior, worrying about the competition, we set ourselves firmly in a deep rut. and we can't move forward.

so get unstuck. make a call to a new employer. take that walk for exercise. start typing your last chapter. study now.
it wll be over before you know it. let this year 2007--year of the monkey--be the year of your susccess.

spring fever is contagious...

2007-05-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

yesterday was the first day of May--a beautiful day to remember that spring is indeed here and summer is soon to be upon us.

but it made me anxious, too. spring is half over. there are still trips to take, gardens to plant and parties to plan. spring fever seems to be as much about tackling a to-do list as it is about shaking off winter depression. spring cleaning is a result of that as well. out with the old, in with the new.

what would make this spring extremely exceptional would be to slow down. trips are taken, gardens get planted, and parties happen. the best thing to do is forget the roses and smell the cherry blossoms. revel in the fresh new everything.

i blew it...

2007-04-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

i disqualified myself from a contest because i didn't read the fine print. i missed the crucial instructions. ever happen to you? in life we miss so many little things; the tiny cues and messages that people send us.

whether it's a job opportunity or the chance of a lifetime, there's a probability that it swam right by you. but that's okay, here's why: you are barraged by tiny extra-computer IMs every day. these are sent from different places, different people. would have happened if we could sense thess coming? we would take advantage of them any way we could.
so today and tomorrow, be on alert. read the fine print. take the different exit off the highway. flirt, feel, flow.

and don't blow it.

inadequate words...

2007-04-17T11:08:00.000-05:00

after speaking with and interviewing so many people touched by the tragic shootings at the Virginia Tech campus, it's clear we haven't the right words to describe the event.

English should be familiar, comfortable and accesible to us. yet with the horror of Monday, words become rough, strange and bitter on our tongues. there aren't words enough to describe a student playing dead to avoid being shot, a professor who held the door shut while his class escaped through the window, and nothing to erase the vision of watching a person die by a gun shot to the head. there's nothing in our language that can dry tears, console a grieving mother, to help humans get through this.

we are at the bottom of an Everest of emotion and words cannot help. we must simply climb and climb steadily.

who do you long for?

2007-04-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

my dog has been howling at the moon for days. a certain someone has captured his heart. but she's miles away and he has to stay where he is. do you howl at the moon? long for someone miles away? want to change your situation to be near them?

maybe i can help. words are my strength. let's send an e-mail, a letter, write a script for a call. maybe together we can let them know how much you miss them and need them in your life.

refresh your soul...

2007-04-09T15:03:00.000-05:00

there are some people who, with a word or a call or an e-mail can lift your spirits. they are the invaluable gems in your life. they are the friends who keep your soul nourished. they may not know their own worth. so, thank them--today.

who's your April fool?

2007-04-04T10:31:00.000-05:00

this month, it's okay to admit you're foolish. it's National Poetry Month and there's nothing more foolhardy than to write a verse or two about what your emothion. about what you love, what bothers you or about whatever strikes you today.

poetry is an arrangment of prose that looks more like a bouquet than a garden. no neat rows of plants, just an array of blossoms and leaves--they don't call it free verse for nothing.

the French have a saying: it ain't love, if it ain't foolish. be silly, fall in love.

National Poetry Month
Book Exchange

having trouble with the right words?

2007-03-27T07:33:00.000-05:00

it happens to professional writers; the inability to put thoughts into just the right words. not just writer's block but a sense of dissatisfaction with what was written. that's when writers should do something they hate--share.

in a moment of helplessness reach out. writing is never a solo sport. there are those who will be honored to read your material and give you the feedback you need.

ask for help and then return the favor.

it's all about the obituary...

2007-03-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

rather than be depressed about death, write your obituary. it's better than a resume because you have to think of all the things you've done that matter. things like teaching someone to read, volunteering at a retirement community, organizing a fund raiser for a worthy cause.

take stock of all the lives you've influenced in a positive way. therapists are not the only ones who support people through tough times.

be a dream enabler--help your peers fulfill their fondest ambitions. now that matters.

your success is waiting...

2007-03-13T13:32:00.000-05:00

no one is entitled to success. it either happens or it does not. there are large successes and small successes.
success comes to the ugly and the beautiful, the worthy and the unworthy. it comes to those who labor in small towns or those who study in New York City.
what's your definition of success? One million in the bank, a happy family with kids, your own business, a career in music, a book, a political office.
or all of the above.

the secret (and it's really just common sense) is doing what you love, being happy in the moment.

success occurs the moment you achieve true happiness. what are you waiting for?

where are you?

2007-03-08T17:08:00.000-05:00

spoke to a great bunch of students today. and saw that a few were bored, a few were doing something other than listening, some were paying attention and a few were actually hungry; taking notes and asking questions.
everyone one of those students reminded me of where i've been at one point in my life. bored, busy doing other things, paying attention, and very hungry ready to work hard and make a difference.

where are you?

Reminder: Book exchange, Small Press Month

believe in your dream...

2007-03-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

If men were like chocolate

If men were like chocolate. We’d nibble on them from head to toe. Start at the ears and savor each bite. And proceed thusly from morning ‘til night.

We’d chew them in sorrow--the perfect comfort food. And save them for later; whene’r we’re in the mood. They’d listen, muted for once and there’d be no distractions.

They’d be as treasured as truffles. We give and receive boxes and boxes of them. Gifts to share with friends. A special celebration. Break out the chocolate men!

Dark or light, sweet and bitter. Sultry and soothing. Liquid or solid. Spiced with cinnamon. Plain milk with nuts. Gooey, crispy, melting.

Sipping men in lattes. Our hot mugs overflow with these sumptuous companions.
On our breath to exhale, the steam, the froth, the delicious male.

Yes, we would love them more, their cream fillings adore. They can’t hurt or cause pain wrapped up in gold cellophane. Just sweet men over and over again.

who will publish your poetry? small press month, a month for authors to dream and believe.

2007-03-03T13:29:00.000-05:00

which has more cholesterol: chicken or beef?
who's older: Hilary Clinton or Al Gore?
what's the nearest galaxy to Earth?
have the details in your writing got you bogged down? didn't find what you were looking for on Wikipedia? let me help. it's my job to find the odd fact, the missing pieces, exorcise the devil in the details. better yet, i'll tell you where you can find it.

don't forget:
the Book Exchange
Small Press Month
read & write and & share

share something ....

2007-03-01T13:18:00.000-05:00

today March 1 begins National Small Press Month. it is a celebration of all the authors who went to the little guys to publish their stories. some very well-known writers stick with the independent presses. why? as Alice walker said "As water to flowers ... independent publishing to democracy."
a free voice starts off small

and to celebrate small press i've a bunch of books by my favorite authors for the book exchange. Shortsleeves: A Book For Friends by Hal Manogue, Rider by Marian Wolbers, Me talk pretty one day by David Sedaris and so many more. share one of yours. may be your own work? i'd love to see it.

keep the faith...

2007-02-26T12:38:00.000-05:00

last night at the Oscars a number of winners thanked people "who believed in them" even when they didn't believe in themselves.

talent is a good thing. motivation, determination, and plain old stubbornness will propel you towards your dreams.

but to succeed you have to surround yourself with people who care. because there's always going to be critics to tear you down, make your dreams seem silly or superficial. ever hear: "been there done that" ? or even: "forget it, it'll never happen" ?
you need the reasoned and seasoned advice of supportive friends.

who are you surrounded by? friends or enablers?

a challenging press release...

2007-02-23T08:19:00.000-05:00

Writers Work Together to Challenge One Another
Professional and Beginning Writers Face Off to Market their Businesses and Help Each Other Succeed

The Working Writer’s Coach is at it again. After issuing and facilitating a 40-article challenge to several freelance writers in the last quarter of 2006, Suzanne Lieurance has partnered in a strategic alliance with freelancer writer-editor Kristen King for a New Year’s Article Challenge.

Twenty-five writers have accepted the challenge and are competing for the finish line to reach the goal of writing 30 articles between February 1 and March 31, 2007.

Participants come from all over the world. So far, writers from across the USA, Canada, and even Australia have become part of those to accept the challenge. Some are professional freelance writers who have taken the challenge in spite of their schedules being filled with paying clients. Others are newbies who are writing for article directories for the first time.To spark the competitive spirit of these writers, a progress report is given in weekly updates to everyone in the challenge as well as to those on King and Lieurance’s subscriber lists.

In order to boost the number of views the articles receive, the writers participating in the challenge “rank” and comment on one another’s articles at ezinearticles.com. Lieurance and King also offer a free 21-day mini-course called Tips for Effective Article Marketing to help writers complete the challenge. Anyone can subscribe to the mini-course at http://www.the-working-writers-coach.blogspot.com/ or http://www.inkthinker.blogspot.com/.

After the 2006 challenge, the writers who participated compiled an eBook of articles they wrote during the contest. Each writer is using that ebook as a marketing tool and as a gift to subscribers of his/her newsletter.

You have to wonder if this challenge is really a competition or collaboration. It’s intended to be both. For more information or to be notified of the next challenge date, please contact Suzanne Lieurance at suzanne@workingwriterscoach.com.

hungry for books?

2007-02-21T13:42:00.000-05:00

if you're hungry for the offbeat book or you're ready to try something new, let's do a FREE* book exchange.
sadly, the average book sells only 500 copies--seems unfair. blockbuster bestsellers don't always belong on the New York Times' list. so let's make sure our favorite works of literature get circulated--even better if it's your own work.

if there's enough of us, it could turn into a cyber book club. the possibilities are endless.

write a quick e-mail saying what you want to read or if you want to be surprised, and we'll work out the details. there's a good book in your future!

the address: novelist2be@excite.com (all correspondences will be kept private)
*postage is your only expense, unless you're mailing war & peace.

actions speak louder...

2007-02-16T08:04:00.000-05:00

in the recent snow storms that have hit a major portion of the country, there have been countless acts of kindness. a free tow, a bottle of water, a ride to the nearest gas station, a push, a jump to get an old car started. but the only thing that makes headline news--the only thing aired again and again are the crashes, the horrible traffic, the unhappy burden of digging out and chipping away the ice. the downside of snow.
why?
because we are not as captivated by good as we are by horror.
still, kindness will be remembered by those who received it long after the newsreels are archived.

fat, happy and pretty...

2007-02-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Anna Nicole Smith died yesterday, Feb 8. And the word being used to describe her end is "tragic."
so many used her as the proverbial "whipping boy." mocking her, barely concealing their jealousy. who doesn't want to live like a movie star? don't we all dream of doing whatever we want? no matter how outrageous, crude or otherwise tasteless we want that "freedom." Smith lived out a lot of our fantasies.
a friend joked that everyone we knew was on a diet and/or desparately trying not to grow old. "oh yes," she said, "we all want to die fat, happy and pretty."
Smith was surrounded by enablers, struggled with weight problems, addictions and unhappy relationships but she still smiled and joked and shocked her way into media front page. maybe she was just being herself.
are we sorry she's gone?
do we want to be fat, happy, and pretty (or handsome) at the end?

gotta love quirky science...

2007-02-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

science is truly a paradox. one year eggs are bad. the next, they're okay. one year Pluto is a planet. The next, it is not.
Some great quirky science stories:
--runners who wear high heels for several minutes a day may strengthen their lower leg muscles.
--going to the doctor can make you sick. the nasty secret: not all docs wash their hands in between patients.
--so-called enviro-friendly bug repellants are toxic to children.
--there are more carcinogens in dryclean clothing than lawn chemicals (and we dont wear our lawns)

the song within you...

2007-01-29T19:04:00.000-05:00

nearly one hundred years ago a poet gloomily observed that many people go to their graves with their songs unsung. so sing your song, paint your picture and write your story.

the desire to sing, paint or write is always within. only you can create it. let me help. it won't take away from the uniqueness of your story.

change is good...

2007-01-25T14:41:00.000-05:00

Martha Beck once said: "any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of living and thinking but a full-on metamophosis."

Martha was right, okay to change your thinking, not your perspective.

a sunrise they've been waiting for...

2007-01-23T12:06:00.000-05:00

today 23 Jan 2007, Barrow, Alaska will see it's first sunrise in 4 months. all those researchers who thought that light deprivation was the cause of depression and suicide are quite wrong. suicidal thoughts actually increase in the springtime.
being without sun is tough, but Barrow residents have virtually no skin cancer and very little damage to skin and eyes due to UV exposure.
so...the question is: when's the spa opening?

the view from here...

2007-01-22T19:25:00.000-05:00

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