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02/28/2014

“and so I said to myself, it’s a wonderful day!”

I knew it would be a wonderful day today.  It seems as if they come in pairs! Yesterday, I had a great time with the Creative Writing Club at Featherstone Elementary School in Woodbridge, Virginia.  This club is organized by a young teacher, Jessica Guerrero and is facilitated by her and another lovely teacher, Mrs. Mc Cloud.  The group consists of children in grades 3-5.  Amazing!  The sweetest children and talented!  My word, some of the stories!  Forget the spelling and punctuation, these kids can write! Oh, how sometimes, I so miss the classroom  

We talked about characters…hey, they were looking at one, or two.  I brought my faithful gnome, dragon and lizard with me.  And, my favorite thing, I got to read to them and left them with some books.  I will be participating in their Book Fair, too! I cannot tell you what a joy it is to be around bright, happy children.  I always thank the Guy upstairs for giving this world hope, through them. So that was good day numero uno!

Then, today,I find out that my dear friend, Debs Pouliot, who I have known since we were both young and gorgeous…she still is, has promoted Phillip through her daughter’s school, in Laurel,  MD.  This woman is, without a doubt talented.  She is a mixed media artist and has taught for Michaels, knows all kinds of crafty celebrities and is making bookmarks and jewelry for Phillip!  Can you believe? She is so cool…remember “make new friends, but keep the old?”  Well, thar ya go!  Debs and I have known each other for years and years and reconnected through FB!

And, a publisher that I rejected…yes, I did…has come back to me again, time number 5, I’m not kidding, to offer yet another suggestion to get my book to him.

I’m back working with my favorite illustrator; Above the Stars will be awesome. Another bonus!   

Am I blessed, or what!!!  My angels are working overtime!  

Yes, good days come in pairs but I wouldn’t mind a three-fer. 

 

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02/08/2014

Sometimes Baby Boomers Bomb

When it come to new technology and social networking, Baby Boomers, I have found, generally bomb! Ka-boom! There’s an old saying that I learned when I was going to Al-Anon, for my ex-husband, many years ago, Keep It Simple, Stupid!  My advice for the day.

Why does everything you touch, when it comes to technology have to be so fracking confusing. For example, I was asked by a thirty-something publishing agent, “What is your social platform?”  Like in have I received any gold medals??? Well, uh, no.  Had no clue what he meant.  Just ask,” Are you connected with any social media sites?”  Oh, you mean like FB? Okay, I can answer that.  And then the “blog” word came up.  “Oh, yes,”she said (what the frack is a “blog”).  Thank goodness for the wonderful, ever patient, loving thirty-somethings at “Write by the Rails.” They set me up!  Solved.

Next, the switching, updating of OS.  Hey, I’m impressed that I, at 63 even know what that is! Please, I’m a good girl, I do everything they tell me to, so why, oh, why, doesn’t it work!!!  Helllllp me! And so, someone wrote a book…”Everything you Need to Know…”  and this 900+ page book explains everything that is not in a device manual.  SO why bother having a manual???  Just get the book!!!

God bless technology, (I wonder if He uses a Mac or a PC,) and the people who develop it.  Next stop, for me (help me, Nick) it’s Instagram!! And a gracious good evening to all.

02/07/2014

“…one is silver and the other’s gold.”

     Any body out there an ex-Brownie Scout?  I remember, as a little girl being a Brownie Scout and learning the song”

“Make new friends, but keep the old,

One is silver and the other gold!”

     We all have family that we are born into and then there is family, that we choose.  Those are friends, friends for life.  Last night I watched Jay Leno’s last show.  At the end of his show, he explained why he never went to another network when he left the Tonight Show, the first time.  He explained that for the 22 years he had been with NBC, he had worked with, what he felt, were family.  The first year he started with NBC, he lost his mother, the second year, his father and a few years later, his brother.  So, the only family he had left were his colleagues and friends at NBC.

     Sometimes, we forget who our real friends are.  Are they the 100 FRIENDS on FB?  There’s someone I know who refers to everyone he/she meets as a “friend.”  And, I’m like, how are they a friend?  How do you define that?  Do you really have 300 best friends?  Really? It’s almost like it’s said as a status symbol!

     My definition must be way different.  I think social media may have redefined that word but for me, I know who my friends are.  Do they change throughout your life?  Yes, occasionally they do, but there is always a core.  A core, if your blessed, of 5 people, (in my opinion) maybe less.  And, I think, one of the determining factor is time.  People that have been with you, over the years, through thick and thin.  People that you don’t always like, but always love.  People who may criticize you, but never judge you. People who can share their deepest, darkest secrets with you and you can do the same, and trust that they will keep them. People who don’t break the promises that they make to you, without a real reason.  People that don’t betray you. People that you can be away from for months or years, but are still there, whenever you need them.  Hard standards to meet?  Maybe.

     I think that people, like myself, who are only children, seek out these people.  Since they don’t have brothers and sisters, they seek out the “goodness of strangers.”  Sometimes that works and sometimes, not so much.  But, I’d bet that their core friendships are larger.  That they have more loving, trusting friends, than others with a large amount of siblings.  Especially, if, like me, they’ve traveled a lot.

So, that brings me back to the old “Brownie” song. “…one is silver and the other gold.” The “Bestie,” the “BFF,” the person(s) who you can count on, no matter what.  Got, one? Two? Three?  You are blessed.  I am blessed.