Blogs and Books and Give-Aways

One of my favorite blogs is WOW! Women on Writing Blog - The Muffin. Today's post is about a new book (and interview with) Pesi Dinnerstein. I love the cover and title! A Cluttered Life: Searching for God, Serenity, and My Missing Keys. The interview is really interesting and Pesi seems like someone I'd like to have as my best friend!

The Muffin is having a give-away for Pesi's book and all you have to do is leave a comment, but be quick, because you must do it before Thursday, January 19th, at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time!

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Another new and innovative website & blog is: Celery Tree and Celery Tree Blog.  Also, check out: Coming Down the Mountain: A Writer's Blog, by Karen Gowen.

Here's what it says on the Celery Tree Blog: A website for authors to network, market, and sell your books. Leave the jungle. Join our village. Sounds awesome!

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I'm excited to announce that I'm finally buying a memoir I've been so curious about. It's written by one of my wonderful writer blog friends - Ann Best. The title is In The Mirror and has received rave reviews on Amazon. I'm sending the check directly to Ann, though, so I can get a signed copy!

** Announcement ** 

I'll be having a give-away later this week or first of next week. Stay tuned for all the info!

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“Sometimes people say to me, “I want to write, but I have five kids, a full-time job, a wife who beats me, a tremendous debt to my parents,” and so on.

I say to them, “There is no excuse. If you want to write, write. This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don’t wait. Make the time now, even if it is ten minutes once a week.” -- Natalie Goldberg



* Nostalgic Sundays *

Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

Memories and ideas (for my book) pop into my head quite often. And just as quickly as my mind attempts to grasp those thoughts and hang onto them, all too often they pop right out again, not even leaving a wisp of a reminiscence.

Because of those short-lived reflections, I try to have paper and pen everywhere. Two of the most recent scribbled notes have these words on them: Ball and Jacks, (and) Pop Beads. Oh my gosh, how I loved playing the game of Jacks, and creating jewelry with my Pop Beads!

Over the past couple of years I've thought about buying some Jacks, but the only ones I ever saw in stores were the huge, plastic ones.

Google/Ebay image

Nope. Don't like 'em. Gotta be more like I remember. So, eventually the Old Light-Bulb came on, I looked on Google and bought some from Amazon. And an extra benefit: I read many comments on the Amazon page from women of my generation who said they were great for hand eye coordination and improving motor skills.

Here's five of the jacks, the ball, and my palm. I actually got through Onesis last night! ☺

How many of you played Jacks when you were little? And would you like to do it again?

* I know many of us are still having "issues" with trying to leave and respond to comments. It is quite annoying, but I decided I'm not going to make any changes on my blog, unless I absolutely HAVE to.

It seems that Maxine feels the same......

"Change is good as long as I don't have to do anything different." -- Maxine



Eek, Yikes, Grrrr

♪♫   In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning  ♪♫

I tried to read and leave comments in blogs last night, way past midnight.....Grrrr.

I read horror stories of bloggers totally losing their blog information.....Yikes!

I found a blog with "explanations" to some of the problems, partly which I don't even understand....Eek.



So, I'm taking this as a sign to stay completely away from Blogger. (at least for today!) I'll be doing my "homework"....answering Natalie Goldberg's questions in "Old Friend from Far Away" & fueling my writing soul.

Welcome to my newest follower, Karen Jones Gowen. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see. Thank you!

 

P.S. I'm VERY aware of my two biggest struggles with my writing; and because they are Procrastinating & Perfection, they certainly explain why I haven't gotten much accomplished.....And so with that, I leave you with today's quote:

"This morning I took out a comma and this afternoon I put it back again." -- Oscar Wilde

* What's Going On With Blogger? *

Ever since Blogger announced its New and Improved commenting thingy....who can leave comments?? I  haven't been able to for about a day and a half.

Anyone else out there? AND if you can't answer in the comment section, because it won't let you comment....Send me an e-mail if you'd like!

Writergal53 (at) gmail (dot) com

* Nostalgic Sundays *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday....Already??

Today I had a difficult time coming up with something for Nostalgic Sunday. Actually, that's not quite true. I had an idea, but after rummaging around four or five boxes of photos, and still not finding THE ONE photo I was looking for, it was time for Plan B.

This is what The Ronald gave me for my birthday this year. He's been down and out with some kind of cold or flu, but still managed to go to a store and bought the lovely basket of fresh flowers. (Carnations are one of my favorites because they last so long.) 

And then, his sense of humor shines brightly with the cake mix box (He didn't feel well enough to  make it...don't know why he didn't just buy one while he was out!) And of course, the numbered candles on top really made me laugh, because that's not how old I am this year, which he knew...but he said we didn't have a "9" in the cabinets! (another thought of why not buy one?!)  ☺But, I was thrilled with his thoughtfulness!

Flash Back quite a few birthdays. This was during my contact lenses and perms phase. That is my baby boy, Mark, and myself on my 35th Birthday! Awwww... Very happy times!

Back to the year 2012 and reality! Oh, how I used to love to tease my mom about her flabby under-arms. Shame on me, but how was I to know I would have the same affliction someday?!

Welcome to my newest follower, Denise Covey. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see. Thank you!

"Life is a handful of short stories, pretending to be a novel." -- Anonymous

* I WONDER *

♫♪ They say it's your birthday. It's my birthday too, yeah. They say it's your birthday. We're gonna have a good time. I'm glad it's your birthday. Happy birthday to you! ♪♫
by Lennon/McCartney

I wonder....how did I get this old??

Yes, today is my birthday. I'll be meeting my friend "K" for lunch again this year. She and I were both born on the 6th of January, but in different years. It's the only time we get together all year, so we really look forward to it.

(Here's some celebrities born on January 6th, too. Loretta Young, Danny Thomas, Carl Sandburg, Khalil Gibran, Capucine, Howie Long, Bonnie Franklin, Pepe Le Pew, AND, she may not be a celebrity...yet...but blog friend, Rachel Cotterill. Stop by and wish her a Happy Birthday, too.

I would LOVE to have a cake like this! How about you?!

(Google: www.piece-a-cake.com)

Actually, I've had a couple of scrumptious looking and tasting cupcakes recently from Jilly's Cupcake Bar and Cafe in St. Louis, Mo.

Welcome to my newest follower, James Deagle. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see. Thank you!

"A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip." -- Author Unknown

* Nostalgic Sundays *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

I can't believe it is January 2012. Where the heck did 2011 go? Oh well....no sense wondering. 'Tis a new year and a new day and a new ME!

BUT, although I'm evolving, discovering, and achieving new things, I still love to reminisce. And so on New Year's Day 2012, here is my last Christmasy post for the season.

This is my brother and me in front of our tiny house in Illinois. Since the date stamp says January 1956, I'm not sure if this was actually taken in December or January. The ones I've posted lately seem to have been developed the month following the event. Either way, here we are enjoying a bit of snow during Christmas time.

My brother, Mike again. Looks like he helped shovel the sidewalk!

I'll have to dig out the original photo and see if there's a date on this, but it's definitely around the same time. Were we adorable, or what?!

 

This is another old ornament hanging on our 2011 tree. My mother bought a "collection" of these in the mid 1960s, when she worked at a downtown St. Louis department store called Famous-Barr. I'm sure she got them after Christmas one year, to save even more money in addition to her employee discount. Famous-Barr at that time was our version of Macy's. Very nice clothing, shoes, and notions...my favorite part of the store! (I don't remember everything in that section, but I'm pretty sure the beautiful stationery was sold there.) The less expensive clothes were in the Bargain Basement! Do you remember those days? The "Pay Toilet" also was around at that time.

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That's it for Christmasy Nostalgic Sundays until November and December of 2012!

Welcome to my newest follower, Accidental Writer...... my 280th follower!! That number doesn't seem possible, but I know many bloggers have thousands of followers, and they haven't even been blogging nearly as long as I have. The numbers really don't mean anything to me. It's just fun to see them add up and meet new people! Anyway, I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

"We do not remember days; we remember moments." --Cesare Pavese



* Saying Goodbye to Another Year *

One of my favorite movies is "When Harry Met Sally." There are so many great scenes and dialogue in it, but for tonight I must post a very appropriate one. It's at the New Year's Eve party. Harry just told Sally how much he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. After a little while, it's midnight and people begin to sing "Auld Lang Syne."  Following is their dialogue:

Harry:  My whole life I have never known what this song means.


Sally: I know exactly what you mean.


Harry: I mean, should old acquaintances be forgot. Does that mean we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we do happen to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we forgot them…..


Sally: Maybe you're just supposed to remember you forgot them, or something – anyway it's about old friends.

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Welcome to my newest follower, Kelly. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

Happy New Year to Everyone! May 2012 be our best year yet!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." – Mark Twain