Chynna T. Laird's Blog, page 12

Music Mantra Monday ~ Music, Movies and Memories

(You must listen to the song whilst reading the post. ;) )

Wow, we have gotten behind on the blog, haven't we? Well, things have settled down a bit since I finished NaNoWriMo so we'll get things back on track.

I talk a lot on music day about the powerful connection between music and memories. Some are fun, a few are crappy, several are funny and, hopefully, most will just leave a smile on your face.

I love movies, especially when they have a unforgettable soundtrack. One of my favorite soundtrac...

Writing Prompt Saturday ~ Dear Younger Me...

Welcome to our Saturday post.

As promised, this is an extension of the post I made on Thursday about creating a note to my younger self for a publication. Because I only had 500 words to work with, I needed to be very direct and selective of what I wrote. And there would have been so much more I would have said.

Writing on this subject can be both a release as well as very difficult.

On the release side of things, it's a way for us to mentally sit face-to-face with that person who we have forgot...

Foodie Fridays ~ Eating Healthy With A StarFrit Spiral Slicer

Okay, kitchen gadget time!

A couple of weeks ago, I was watching one of my favorite cooking shows, The Urban Vegetarian , on Gusto. I love the recipes she comes up with because they are healthy, hardy and they offer options for those who don't eat meat and still want to get extra healthiness in there, as well as for those who don't eat meat and who want to make sure to get enough of the essential vitamins and protein in their diet.

In that episode, she planned a pasta dish except that she wasn't...

Writing Sample Day ~ Talking To My Younger Self

Oh boy, have we gotten behind in our posts this week. We've had appointments galore, the a couple of days where my second oldest and I were literally falling asleep from all the craziness around us.

And it isn't even Christmas yet! (I don't even want to think about that yet...)

I was asked to write a piece very different from what I'm usually asked to contribute to. I had to write a brief note to my younger self, saying, "If I could tell you anything...".

This was a challenge for a couple of rea...

Music Mantra Monday ~ Everybody Hurts...Hold On

For those who have followed us for awhile, through all of our changes and updates, you know how we like to roll on our Monday segment.

When I came up with the idea for Music Mantra Monday, it was a way to explore the many avenues we go down in our music. Many of us gravitate to that one genre that 'speaks' to us and we stick close to it. I 'get' that. It's where you have always found, and continue to find, that peace in your life. Others of us branch out into many different genres, seeing how...

In The Spirit ~ Self-Respect: The Base of the 'Selfs'

Self-respect, like the other 'selfs' (self-esteem, self-worth, self-love, self-image, etc.), isn't something we're born with. We learn it as we grow from what surrounds us, the experiences we have and how we are treated. It takes a long time to achieve true self-respect and it is very vulnerable to being torn down. It is also a much harder process in building it back up

We are bombarded with the importance of extending respect to others, but what is it exactly? One definition of respect is, "....

Writing Prompt Saturday ~ I'm Here

It's funny how two little words can mean so much to another person.

They may not believe you. Maybe they've heard the words so many other times that when someone who's saying them truly means them, they can't bring themselves to trust them. And that could be the one time they need to hear them the most.

It's just as hard to say these words. There is a huge responsibility that goes along with giving them because they can be so easy to say like similar phrases such as, "I'll always believe in you...

Writing Sample Wednesday - A Snippet From Passing Loop

After I reviewed the manuscript for Just Shut Up and Drive yesterday, I realized how much I truly miss my characters once 'The End' is finally typed in. I actually become emotionally attached to the characters I 'work with' for months and months because I always give a tiny bit of me in one of the characters. And my latest project, Passing Loop, is no exception.

Although the main character in this novel is a young adult, and the story is shown through her eyes, there are a couple of 'white rab...

Talk About It Tuesday ~ Whispers From Within: Paying Closer Attention to Women's Health

Due to recent discussions with some of my friends and colleagues, as well as being asked to write on specific subjects under this umbrella topic, I strongly feel there is a need to talk more about women's health issues.

This is actually a subject I have a lot to say about. I learned, sadly, very early on that being a female (girl, teen, woman...age doesn't really matter) seems to change the sort of medical attention we receive. No, this isn't a 'bra-burning Woman's Libber' post. It's a fact.

If...

Music Mantra Monday - When Things Are A Little Too Much

As I was browsing music that shows the mood around here this morning, I came across this video. And now I have a focus for today's post.

I love songs that inspire, tug at the heart, make me think of something in a different way or bring back memories (even if the song is attached to a memory I usually avoid allowing to come to the surface). These kinds of songs are very important and are often overlooked amid the louder, harsher more attention-seeking musical choices. It doesn't mean that thes...