Check out Tiny Lights 15th Annual essay contest.
Minimal entry fees, and look at the prize money!
Prizes will be awarded as follows:
First Place: $350
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $150
Two Honorable Mention Prizes: $100 each.
Three FLASHPOINT prizes of $100 are also offered.
Deadline for submissions is February 19, 2010.
I've mentioned Tiny Lights before.
Essays I've submitted for their "Searchlights & Signal Flares" questions are posted on the website. Plus, my blog has just been added to the Blogs on the Links page!
Good luck to all who enter a submission!
Click on the link below for all the particulars.
http://www.tiny-lights.com/contest.php
ALL WHO WANDER ARE NOT LOST.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
** Friday....The End of Quite a Week **
This week, my mind was full of a variety of issues, and some of them, most likely, were subconscious in nature: Thoughts and worries pertaining to a very dear friend's open-heart surgery; thoughts and excitement about a dressy, fund raising event; berating myself for not concentrating on my writing enough; thinking and planning ahead to our family Thanksgiving get-together on Saturday, the 21st; mulling over other family concerns, etc. etc. etc.!!
I did still manage to be aware of my surroundings, though, and noticed things to write about. One in particular.... the Christmas tree set up at my hair salon. ( I'm not mentioning the name, because I'm about to make fun of their tree.) At first glance, it really wasn't bad looking, considering it was probably an inexpensive, artificial tree. It was nicely shaped, decorated with stylists names on ornaments, and a few pretty wrapped boxes with ribbons, placed underneath. Underneath! That's where I noticed IT! The tree could have almost, if you didn't look too closely, pass for a real tree, except for IT. What real tree have you ever seen with pine needles growing thickly, straight out from the trunk? All I could think of was a woman's leg that desperately needed to be shaved..... a very skinny leg, densely covered with a forest of 3 inch hair! Fortunately, no one saw me staring at the trunk, smiling. And thank goodness, I didn't actually laugh out loud. Every time I think of that tree, I get a goofy grin on my face. I know, too, that from now on, whenever I see an artificial tree, my eyes will go directly to its trunk. And I'll probably always feel a grin spreading over my face, whether it's hairy or bare.
I did still manage to be aware of my surroundings, though, and noticed things to write about. One in particular.... the Christmas tree set up at my hair salon. ( I'm not mentioning the name, because I'm about to make fun of their tree.) At first glance, it really wasn't bad looking, considering it was probably an inexpensive, artificial tree. It was nicely shaped, decorated with stylists names on ornaments, and a few pretty wrapped boxes with ribbons, placed underneath. Underneath! That's where I noticed IT! The tree could have almost, if you didn't look too closely, pass for a real tree, except for IT. What real tree have you ever seen with pine needles growing thickly, straight out from the trunk? All I could think of was a woman's leg that desperately needed to be shaved..... a very skinny leg, densely covered with a forest of 3 inch hair! Fortunately, no one saw me staring at the trunk, smiling. And thank goodness, I didn't actually laugh out loud. Every time I think of that tree, I get a goofy grin on my face. I know, too, that from now on, whenever I see an artificial tree, my eyes will go directly to its trunk. And I'll probably always feel a grin spreading over my face, whether it's hairy or bare.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Veterans' Day is tomorrow, November 11, 2009
This past Sunday, Nov. 8th, while watching the NFL Pre-Game show on my local Fox channel, I was inspired to post a "thank-you" on a website they talked about. The panel of regular guys on that show, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, etc. were all in Afghanistan, doing their broadcast from there.
The website is: http://www.thanksforbeingthere.com/. As I listened to the show, I understood it to be a place to say thanks to our military personnel, past & present, wherever they may be, so that is what I did. (I said a "thank-you" in general to all military personnel, and also one to my son, Scott, who served in the Army a few years ago.) After looking at the site, though, I realized that anybody can post a "thank-you" to just about anyone.
It is sponsored by State Farm Insurance and they will donate $1.00 for every post, up to $50,000 to Fisher House, which helps military families when loved ones are in military or VA hospitals. (No matter how we may feel about our current "war", we can always support the US men and women that are making such huge sacrifices.)
Please go to the website and post a thank-you before Saturday, November 14th, because that's the day the $1.00 per post ends.
* SO FAR THIS MORNING, THERE WERE ONLY 3,641 POSTS ON IT! WE CAN DO SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT! *
This past Sunday, Nov. 8th, while watching the NFL Pre-Game show on my local Fox channel, I was inspired to post a "thank-you" on a website they talked about. The panel of regular guys on that show, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, etc. were all in Afghanistan, doing their broadcast from there.
The website is: http://www.thanksforbeingthere.com/. As I listened to the show, I understood it to be a place to say thanks to our military personnel, past & present, wherever they may be, so that is what I did. (I said a "thank-you" in general to all military personnel, and also one to my son, Scott, who served in the Army a few years ago.) After looking at the site, though, I realized that anybody can post a "thank-you" to just about anyone.
It is sponsored by State Farm Insurance and they will donate $1.00 for every post, up to $50,000 to Fisher House, which helps military families when loved ones are in military or VA hospitals. (No matter how we may feel about our current "war", we can always support the US men and women that are making such huge sacrifices.)
Please go to the website and post a thank-you before Saturday, November 14th, because that's the day the $1.00 per post ends.
* SO FAR THIS MORNING, THERE WERE ONLY 3,641 POSTS ON IT! WE CAN DO SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT! *
Monday, November 9, 2009
** A Sense of Urgency **
Even though I'm not participating in the NaNoWriMo Event, I felt a sudden sense of urgency this morning regarding the memoir I'm trying to write. I can't even describe the feeling that came over me, but I can say with all honesty, that I have never had that feeling before.....pertaining to anything in my life!
(It must have something to do with the quote I posted on Thursday, the 5th!)
So, it's time to stop sabotaging myself, always coming up with other "more important" things to do, and get writing!
Look out world.......Here I come!
"That Crowbar Changed Everything!
Memories & Observations"
by Becky Povich
(It must have something to do with the quote I posted on Thursday, the 5th!)
So, it's time to stop sabotaging myself, always coming up with other "more important" things to do, and get writing!
Look out world.......Here I come!
"That Crowbar Changed Everything!
Memories & Observations"
by Becky Povich
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
* A Room With a View *
Many times in our busy lives, we forget to notice and appreciate the little things that are right in front of our eyes. The fact that I even have a laundry room with a window seems so luxurious. I definitely have not forgotten the days of dreary, gray basement walls and floors, and not wanting to spend a minute longer than necessary loading or unloading the clothes.
I have the entire wonderful world right outside my window, and the ability to enjoy it and watch it change every single day.
** Musical Thoughts **
Since I'm a nut about Christmas music, I've been adding a song or two to my Play List. It's not that I'm rushing the holidays....I just like a lot of the music! Last night I bought the new Christmas CD that the group, "Straight No Chaser" just released. (Yes, strange name for a singing, choral group, but WOW, they are awesome.) This is their 2nd Xmas CD. I bought it solely on the fact that I loved the one song of theirs I heard last year on the radio, "The 12 Days of Christmas", which I normally detest!! I would describe them as 10 guys, who sing wonderful, jazzy harmony. Click on the link below to see them on You Tube.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&source=hp&q=Straight+No+Chaser&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=kuLxSpf7H8LOlAe-77S9Aw&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCQQqwQwAw#
http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&source=hp&q=Straight+No+Chaser&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=kuLxSpf7H8LOlAe-77S9Aw&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCQQqwQwAw#
Monday, November 2, 2009
** Thin Threads Press Release & Interview **
Stacey Battat, owner and publisher of "Thin Threads", has a press release and interview to announce the newly available flagship book, "Thin Threads: Real Life Stories of Life Changing Moments".
How exciting!! Click on the links below for both.
(my story will be in one of the 2010 books)
http://www.webcastr.com/videos/health-living/thin-threads--life-changing-moments.html
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/kiwi-publishing-launches-thin-threadsr,1023553.shtml
How exciting!! Click on the links below for both.
(my story will be in one of the 2010 books)
http://www.webcastr.com/videos/health-living/thin-threads--life-changing-moments.html
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/kiwi-publishing-launches-thin-threadsr,1023553.shtml
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