Justin Matott's Blog, page 12

How to get a Valentine

aliensallmixedup.com IS COMING TO YOUR IPAD/IPHONE!

Hi, my blog is being neglected because of some very exciting things I am working on presently! My new agent is getting a lot of WORDS to sell presently and I am caught up in creating a BRAND NEW CHARACTER and STORY for the world! THEN, there is this new website with my books going electronic! AND, I am recording some of my books presently in my den!

SO, please keep reading my books, blogs and please, please, please help me forward my words out into the world! My new website will be up very soon, please come see us! aliensallmixedup.com

This is the coolest thing!

Please check out this website:

As an enthusiastic scuba diver, I LOVE seeing what people do to preserve and in this case create reefs so generations can enjoy them! BUT more than that this is just a SUPER cool website!

http://www.underwatersculpture.com

Goodbye 2010!

This holiday season has been nice. Sometimes the end of the season makes me feel very melancholy and miss some times gone by, but there is always the New Year, pregnant with possibilities to look forward to.

We finally got some snow yesterday in Colorado, really other than in the mountains the first measurable snowfall. My family goes to the mountains for the holidays and spends time with the extended family. Usually up in the mountains we snowshoe at Thanksgiving and Christmas. This Christmas Eve morning I went for a hike in the mountains in just shirtsleeves with my twin eight year old nephews, so full of innocence, wonder and fun. The excitement of what was coming that night was thick in the air and talk of Santa and presents was burning bright.

We hiked, watched soaring hawks, felt the warm December sun on our faces, shared stories, pushed down some old, dead trees and talked about the varmints and critters that were surely watching us. Then we three stopped to do something "boys" have been doing for many years in the woods; peeing on a tree.

I had forgotten how the simple little things in the forest are so alive to a youngster, since both of my boys are big now. Simply learning a rite of passage like guys peeing while standing against a tree can bring giggles, air drawing and lead to scatological references.

We walked down the shadowed trail and made up some silly rhymes, just having a blast; family.

I felt in some ways like I had traveled back in time to the days when my sons traveled the same forest with me on adventures so similar and felt both happy and sad about it.

My nephews, though twins are as different as any pair of siblings. My high energy, lovable toe-headed nephew who wasn't too interested in rhymes, but more intent on insisting that I was going the wrong way back to the cabin at one point turned around and said, "Uncle Justin, you are WEIRD, but in a good way!" Several minutes later my other nephew put his arm around me and said, "Uncle Justin, you should write a book about this day, because I love you very much!"

Here is something he and I came up with that made us both giggle and just may show up somewhere in my publishing pursuits...

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WHAT A DOG DOES

I was walking along

When I saw a dog

It was bending over

A big brown log

As I got closer

I saw what it was

It wasn't wood

It was what a dog does.

Time goes so quickly as the heralding of another year indicates. I can hardly believe it is 2011. When I was a boy a teacher told us we would always remember the year 2000 because we would enter a new century and here we are eleven years past the big scare of Y2K and time keeps ticking with the sweeping second hand moving as usual...

When you get a bit older you begin to realize the value of time. Time becomes more precious as you look in the rear view mirror. When I hear a mother scolding her young one for something quite trivial in the grocery store, I always want to tell her to breath, wait and savor this moment when the innocent little thing that child is doing will be more of a fond memory in her future when an angsty teen than the current annoyance.

I would love to turn back the hands of time and walk through my front door when either of my sons were eight, like my nephews. Because then, they both would have come running with smiles, open arms and HUGE hugs as they leapt on me.

So, I think I will call my nephew and ask him what else we should write about. He loves to rhyme and it pretty darn good at it for a youngster. I am thinking we might have another author forming in this family and I will do whatever I can to support that.

Take some time with your youngsters to examine the enormous and the tiny! This year will be a year to examine... and then before we know it, it too will be in our rear view mirrors.

Honest review by a youngster, nice!

Guaranteed to WARM YOUR HEART!

http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_4060521c-09a1-11e0-b9a0-001cc4c002e0.html

This is a great article about books touching lives!

The story is about either an old man or old woman (depending on the child's gender) who reveal their past dreams combining fantasy and reality.

As the students returned to their desks with their new books, they immediately tore off the ribbon and thumbed through the colorful pages of the book.

"I like this book a lot," said Anthony Montelongo, 8, as his eyes grew wide with each turn of a page. "I think this is going to be one of my favorite books."

Esperanza Espinoza, 8, said with each page she read, she could see herself in the book.

"I picture the girl saying all those things and then I picture me saying it too," she said. "I think this is going to be a book that I'm going to read over and over again because it's a great book."

Deja Apodaca, also 8, who already had read through half of the book, said her favorite part was the dream the girl had about being a diver and exploring the sea.

"I think this part is funny," she said showing off a page with a shark bearing a shiny, gold tooth. "I'm glad Bob gave me this book."

Sincerely yours,

"Jason" Matott

In my newest book, Gabe is up to his old tricks!

In an attempt to fool The Goon Squad, Gabe mixed up his journal, just in case they found the plans that were coming up to do a SUPER prank! If you have the book, check it out, Chapter 7 holds MUCH mystery and the way it is put together is simply GENIUS... ahem, uh, okay.... thanks for reading!

Love Coldplay? How about some Christmas Coldplay?

A voice. A story. A thankful person.

A friend of mine from college posted something on her facebook page that spoke to me. She is a person who goes out of her way to be there for others and her kindness is always apparent (as a matter of fact that is likely why this message from her meant so much, because she was always reaching out to others, most likely had no idea of her struggles). Her husband just got a job after grueling months of looking. I have other friends who have been very affected by the economical downturn, the truth is we all have. My friend Juley has a big heart and some very encouraging and thankful words. It was the honesty in what she wrote here that really touched me, so I asked her if I could post it and she was kind enough to say yes. I celebrate with her and her family their turning point and wish everyone a very warm and wonderful holiday season.

What I've Learned During our Unemployment

1. There are lots of people unemployed or underemployed right now.

2. People don't shun you just because you are unemployed.

3. If you include your child(ren) in your conversations and concerns, they will help and support you better than you ever dreamed. They will go without, they will say comforting and encouraging things and they will not be angry--because they are included and feel good about contributing.

4. There are no government programs that will help you if you have any assets at all, other than your house. No free lunch, no health insurance for your child, nothing. You don't even get unemployment if you worked part-time or didn't contribute or were fired. (Fortunately, we had unemployment benefits!) There isn't any program that we as taxpayers contribute to that will help a family get back on their feet before they lose everything--there are only programs that help those who are destitute. I think it's too late by then. I think this is something I would like to write to my congress about.

5. The opposite of #4 is that family, friends and friends of friends are so willing to help, support, donate, and give. We have been so fortunate to be invited to meals, have our pictures taken, given books, hand-me-downs (Kath's favorite), gift cards for Christmas, received tickets for concerts, plays and events--it's overwhelming and I cry every time I think about it.

6. If you tell your kid's teacher about the change, they will help and support your child in a discrete, lovely way. Another thing that makes me cry. So wonderful.

7. People will pray--and the prayers work and are so comforting. This one is by no means in order of importance, either. People will pray for you who aren't even sure they believe in God. The gift of the human spirit that God has given us is the most wonderful gift ever. This one is my favorite.

8. It's ok to eat soup and grilled cheese two nights a week.

9. It's really hard to say "I can't afford this" the first time, but after that it becomes easier. And it's best--because you don't know how long you have to sustain this hardship. Shelter, food and clothing are the only concerns.

10. People will understand if you don't give them Christmas cards or gifts. It's really the feeling that I have--the obligation and the guilt, that is the issue. This is one that I think we struggle with all our lives.

11. There are lots and lots of free, wonderful events that you can participate in to get you out of the house. There are library events, school events, service events--all during the day or in the evening--to choose from.

12. Job hunting is a full-time job for the person who is looking. It was amazing to watch my husband network, go to support groups, meet new people, practice for interviews, apply for jobs, make calls...it goes on and on. We didn't get much time to be together because of the enormity of this task. But that's ok--I appreciate him for this.

13. I am a rock. While my husband was looking for jobs, being turned down, not called back, etc, it was my job to keep us socializing, happy and making nice meals. To turn his mind from being depressed, or to cheer him up. To engage our family in conversations that were fun--and to make the unemployment a challenge, rather than a hardship. I realize that I can do this and I am the center of my family. It feels good to be in this role.

14. In order to be a rock, I had to rely on my friends. I learned once again in my life how important my relationships are. They gave me encouragement, laughter, suggestions, and support. I learned to think back to when I started a friendship--how I would have never thought at the time how important it would be. I will not take these things for granted--the best things in life are my friendships.

15. I learned that I'm not the only one that is going through hardships. I learned that you can go through hardships at the same time as your friends and support each other. The world does not stop because you are experiencing something--life goes on, and it's important that you get on the train--and if one can't get on yet, keep your arm extended to help them when they're ready.

16. People love homemade cards. They really do enjoy the sentiment more than the maker.

17. Loved ones who have helped you along the way don't keep score. They are part of the universal effort to help one another and they know that they are an inspiration to the recipient to go and help another. These hearts are the most generous, contagious, wonderful, quiet, humble hearts and it is beautiful to be in this community.

18. A hug can be the best gift you've ever received.

19. Just because you have no money doesn't mean you have nothing to give.

20. It takes a lot of money to live--even if all you buy is health insurance, food, your mortgage, and toilet paper--an amazing amount of money--a ridiculous amount of money. I see that recovery from this is going to take a lot of time. I learned that it is amazing how people make a living, raise their children and send them to college. I learned that overall I'm thankful for my choices in the past and hope to improve some areas for the future.

Thank you friends and family. You are my lifeblood and I'm so grateful for you.

Merry Christmas from my family!

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