Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 41
May 11, 2020
#MondayMotivation - #Hygge #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 11-05-20
Always find a reason to laugh. It may not add years to your life, but it will surely add life to your years.
~Unknown
Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.
~Dorothy Day
Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like.
~Lemony Snicket
You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches.
~Dita Von Teese
A woman is like a tea bag: you cannot tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.
~Nancy Reagan
A strong woman knows how to keep her life in order. Even with tears in her eyes, she still manages to say “I’m okay,” with a smile.
~Joyce Meyer
The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us, but those who win battles we know nothing about.
~Jonathan Harnisch
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
~Confucius
Close your eyes and imagine the best version of you possible. That’s who you really are, let go of any part of you that doesn’t believe it.
~C. Assaad
If you believe that a horseshoe will bring you good luck then it probably will. For if you believe you are going to be lucky, you go about your business with a smile, take disaster with a smile, start afresh with a smile. To do that is to be in the way of happiness.
~A.A. Milne
The mind is everything. What you think you become.
~Buddha
It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself and make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.
~Mandy Hale
May 8, 2020
Lilie The #Westie And The Scheduled Scary Noises
Hi everyone. This is Lilie the Westie.
The weird things the humans are doing lately are just piling up.
Well, this one isn't something Mummy and Daddy are doing, but they seem to know about it, and are ready to try and comfort us when it happens every Thursday at 8:00pm - especially my little Cavapoo brother, Logan, who gets really scared. Not that I like it much myself, to be honest. But the biggest part of my problem is that I don't like how upset Logan is by it all. At least, that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.
I also don't like how someone upset Mummy when they found out she wasn't joining in with it and got cross at her. She tried explaining that it wasn't that she doesn't want to do it, but that she needs to comfort us, and we have to come first. I think it's a good thing she feels that way, but not everyone agrees, and some people are trying to make her feel bad for it. I wish they wouldn't... Almost as much as I wish the noise wouldn't keep happening.
The thing making all the noise is something called, "Clap for the NHS," - Mummy told me so. The NHS is something to do with the people vet - though I'm not sure what, because I didn't understand that part - and people are meant to clap for them because of how they're trying to help deal with Avirus. Although, people aren't just clapping. They're also banging pots, beeping car horns, shouting, and sometimes also setting off fireworks. It makes a lot of noise, and is really scary to even the bravest of us animals. Even all the wild birds - most of which are seagulls around here - get super scared during it all, and it takes a lot to scare away a seagull.
So, instead of clapping, Mummy is curled in the middle of the big bed, with her arms around me and Logan, trying to comfort us, while we whine and bark, and Logan trembles with fright. And someone said she should be clapping instead.
Well, I don't think she should be. Logan and I need her.
Luckily, Mollie just hides in her house quietly until it's over, and Artemis is usually dug in by that time so doesn't notice all the fuss, because I don't know what Mummy would do if she needed to try and comfort all four of us, since we all want her and not Daddy. The others always want Mummy most, but even I want Mummy when this is going on, even though I'm Daddy's girl, because she sings to us to try and distract us from the noise, and I like that. Daddy can't sing, but Mummy sings nice, and sometimes even makes up songs with us in them. We like that.
Although, we'd like it best if there was no scary noise to start with.
Lots of licks,
Lilie
The weird things the humans are doing lately are just piling up.
Well, this one isn't something Mummy and Daddy are doing, but they seem to know about it, and are ready to try and comfort us when it happens every Thursday at 8:00pm - especially my little Cavapoo brother, Logan, who gets really scared. Not that I like it much myself, to be honest. But the biggest part of my problem is that I don't like how upset Logan is by it all. At least, that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.
I also don't like how someone upset Mummy when they found out she wasn't joining in with it and got cross at her. She tried explaining that it wasn't that she doesn't want to do it, but that she needs to comfort us, and we have to come first. I think it's a good thing she feels that way, but not everyone agrees, and some people are trying to make her feel bad for it. I wish they wouldn't... Almost as much as I wish the noise wouldn't keep happening.
The thing making all the noise is something called, "Clap for the NHS," - Mummy told me so. The NHS is something to do with the people vet - though I'm not sure what, because I didn't understand that part - and people are meant to clap for them because of how they're trying to help deal with Avirus. Although, people aren't just clapping. They're also banging pots, beeping car horns, shouting, and sometimes also setting off fireworks. It makes a lot of noise, and is really scary to even the bravest of us animals. Even all the wild birds - most of which are seagulls around here - get super scared during it all, and it takes a lot to scare away a seagull.
So, instead of clapping, Mummy is curled in the middle of the big bed, with her arms around me and Logan, trying to comfort us, while we whine and bark, and Logan trembles with fright. And someone said she should be clapping instead.
Well, I don't think she should be. Logan and I need her.
Luckily, Mollie just hides in her house quietly until it's over, and Artemis is usually dug in by that time so doesn't notice all the fuss, because I don't know what Mummy would do if she needed to try and comfort all four of us, since we all want her and not Daddy. The others always want Mummy most, but even I want Mummy when this is going on, even though I'm Daddy's girl, because she sings to us to try and distract us from the noise, and I like that. Daddy can't sing, but Mummy sings nice, and sometimes even makes up songs with us in them. We like that.
Although, we'd like it best if there was no scary noise to start with.
Lots of licks,
Lilie
May 7, 2020
#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 07-05-20
There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.
~Walt Disney
Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!
*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.
Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.
If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.
Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.
Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.
OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?
Reading:This week I've been reading the fifth "Outlander" book, which is called "The Fiery Cross" (and is by Diana Gabaldon, obviously). I haven't finished it though, despite having started it more than a week ago now, since it's a very long book. I should finish it during this next week though.
Watching:This week I watched a couple more "Game Of Thrones" episodes. I'm now about half way through season 5.
I also watched "Lady And The Tramp" (the 2019 version) which was a new to me movie. It's different in many ways to the original version, with some of the changes being improvements, and others not. They balanced out in my opinion though, and as a result I think both are as good as each other. Depending on how you feel about beloved movies being changed you may or may not agree. But, if you loved the old animated version - or haven't seen either, but love dogs - you should definitely give the new one a watch. Personally, I give it five out of five stars.
Listening:This week I've been listening to a variety of music: 80s music, country music, panpipes, and several songs posted on the various YouTube channels I follow - the latter of which involves a lot of Disney music. So, quite a mixture, which made deciding on a tune to post this week tricky... Which genre should I pick? Well, in the end I decided to go with a fun little 80s tune, and a reminder from me, Paul McCartney, and the frog chorus, that we need to stand together - even if only spiritually and virtually, since the need for social distancing makes doing so physically impossible and unwise.
May 6, 2020
#WriterWednesday: #WritersLife + Writerly #Quotes And Links + A #Sale Reminder 06-05-20 - #AmWriting
I had hoped to have finished the final proofing of "Snowlilie's Brother" - the story I'm working on finishing up based on Lilie and Logan - during the past week. However, a combination of things, including having to completely re-do this post after it got messed up when I tried to add something to it after the changes Blogger has recently made, means I didn't get a chance to finish doing so. Hopefully I'll have better luck next week. For now though, I'm just grateful I managed to resist the urge to vent my frustrations on what happened with my post contents on my computer, since being without a computer wouldn't have been a good thing.
"Be willing and unafraid to write badly, because often the bad stuff clears the way for good."
~Jennifer Egan
Anyway, let's take a look at what I've managed to gather for you during the past week.
The writing process, and writing life in general:Feeling unmotivated to write? Here are 10 things you need to know
Characters:Incidental Characters That Make Your Novel Zing
Random writing tips:Using the five senses: sightUsing the five senses: smellUsing the five senses: soundUsing the five senses: tasteUsing the five senses: touchThe sixth sense
"You should know more than what you put on the page. The reader can sense that."
~Susan Orlean
Don't forget: my books are on sale all this month as part of the extended Smashwords "Authors Give Back" sale, with prices at $2.00 or less - some titles are even completely free! You can find my books via my Smashwords author page, where you can add them to your cart, and the coupon codes will automatically be applied at checkout.
"Be willing and unafraid to write badly, because often the bad stuff clears the way for good."
~Jennifer Egan
Anyway, let's take a look at what I've managed to gather for you during the past week.
The writing process, and writing life in general:Feeling unmotivated to write? Here are 10 things you need to know
Characters:Incidental Characters That Make Your Novel Zing
Random writing tips:Using the five senses: sightUsing the five senses: smellUsing the five senses: soundUsing the five senses: tasteUsing the five senses: touchThe sixth sense
"You should know more than what you put on the page. The reader can sense that."
~Susan Orlean
Don't forget: my books are on sale all this month as part of the extended Smashwords "Authors Give Back" sale, with prices at $2.00 or less - some titles are even completely free! You can find my books via my Smashwords author page, where you can add them to your cart, and the coupon codes will automatically be applied at checkout.
May 5, 2020
Celebrating #Beltane, Kelly's Birthday, And My Bloggerversary, All While In Lockdown
Beltane (May 1st) went largely unobserved this year. In fact, that's putting it mildly.
We went for our daily walk allowance as early as we could without the dogs' excitement disturbing the neighbours, but couldn't go to anywhere with flowers we could enjoy, because the park is still closed due to lockdown, and it's the only place with flowers near enough that we could have walked in it under normal circumstances. Luckily, Lilie and Logan weren't at all bothered by the fact it was raining that morning - not heavy rain, but enough that we were all a bit damp by the time we got home, despite only taking a short walk.
Other than that, I ate foods involving grains, and Kelly ate foods involving dairy - both of which are customarily common additions to pretty much any Pagan holiday as a rule - and I called it good, with no other acknowledgement of the day.
The following day (May 2nd) was Kelly's birthday.
I baked him a chocolate cake, though it wasn't up to my usual standard. I'd had to use coconut flour, because it was the only kind I could find, and I didn't compensate for it enough with liquid, so it was a bit dry. Kelly liked it well enough, but ended up eating most of it with custard due to how dry it was from the coconut flour. Still, he was grateful for the cake, and the fact I have a rule that there should be birthday cake if there's a birthday, especially since lockdown and horders meant everything he tried to get with the birthday money he'd been given was out of stock, which - combined with how the situation had already been affecting him - he didn't handle too well.
Normally we get to choose on our birthday if we want to go out for a meal or order in, and what we want to order. With us in lockdown, and a lot of places currently not taking orders, his choices were incredibly limited this year. He enjoyed his birthday meal well enough - we had Mexican food - but some of the enjoyment was taken away from it by the fact what he really wanted to do was something he couldn't do because of the virus situation having us in lockdown.
I wish I could say otherwise, but... All in all, while it wasn't a bad birthday for him, it wasn't a particularly great birthday for him either. I hope he'll have a better one next year, especially since next year will be his 50th.
I would hope though that if the virus issue isn't resolved by this time next year, they'll at least have procedures put in place where we can have returned to something resembling normality, so he'll have more choice of what he wants to do for his birthday, I'll be able to make him a better cake because I'll have the proper flour (or have had enough experience making things differently to compensate properly for the issues faced with using a different kind of flour) and he'll be able to spend his birthday money on what he wants to spend it on.
Anyway...
The day after Kelly's birthday - so, May 3rd - was my bloggerversary.
Apparently, Blogger decided to mark the occasion with some changes to how it works, so it's a good thing I took advantage of the recent offer from Sight And Sound Technology - the people who produce JAWS (my screen reader) to upgrade JAWS to the latest version for a fraction of the usual costs, because at least it means JAWS is up to the task of helping me figure out how to navigate the new dashboard. Although, if the formatting of my posts happens to look odd at any point, you now know why.
Anyhow, as I was saying, I've now been blogging for 14 years, and have published more than 4,000 posts in that time.
Well, I did have a bit of a blogging break in that time, where I almost stopped blogging completely. I'm glad though that I didn't delete my blog like I first considered doing, and that I returned to blogging. It's just a shame I lost touch with some people through my blogging break. Thankfully though, I also managed to keep in touch with a few people... People who I have come to consider great friends, even if I've never met most of the people I've met online in person.
We went for our daily walk allowance as early as we could without the dogs' excitement disturbing the neighbours, but couldn't go to anywhere with flowers we could enjoy, because the park is still closed due to lockdown, and it's the only place with flowers near enough that we could have walked in it under normal circumstances. Luckily, Lilie and Logan weren't at all bothered by the fact it was raining that morning - not heavy rain, but enough that we were all a bit damp by the time we got home, despite only taking a short walk.
Other than that, I ate foods involving grains, and Kelly ate foods involving dairy - both of which are customarily common additions to pretty much any Pagan holiday as a rule - and I called it good, with no other acknowledgement of the day.
The following day (May 2nd) was Kelly's birthday.
I baked him a chocolate cake, though it wasn't up to my usual standard. I'd had to use coconut flour, because it was the only kind I could find, and I didn't compensate for it enough with liquid, so it was a bit dry. Kelly liked it well enough, but ended up eating most of it with custard due to how dry it was from the coconut flour. Still, he was grateful for the cake, and the fact I have a rule that there should be birthday cake if there's a birthday, especially since lockdown and horders meant everything he tried to get with the birthday money he'd been given was out of stock, which - combined with how the situation had already been affecting him - he didn't handle too well.
Normally we get to choose on our birthday if we want to go out for a meal or order in, and what we want to order. With us in lockdown, and a lot of places currently not taking orders, his choices were incredibly limited this year. He enjoyed his birthday meal well enough - we had Mexican food - but some of the enjoyment was taken away from it by the fact what he really wanted to do was something he couldn't do because of the virus situation having us in lockdown.
I wish I could say otherwise, but... All in all, while it wasn't a bad birthday for him, it wasn't a particularly great birthday for him either. I hope he'll have a better one next year, especially since next year will be his 50th.
I would hope though that if the virus issue isn't resolved by this time next year, they'll at least have procedures put in place where we can have returned to something resembling normality, so he'll have more choice of what he wants to do for his birthday, I'll be able to make him a better cake because I'll have the proper flour (or have had enough experience making things differently to compensate properly for the issues faced with using a different kind of flour) and he'll be able to spend his birthday money on what he wants to spend it on.
Anyway...
The day after Kelly's birthday - so, May 3rd - was my bloggerversary.
Apparently, Blogger decided to mark the occasion with some changes to how it works, so it's a good thing I took advantage of the recent offer from Sight And Sound Technology - the people who produce JAWS (my screen reader) to upgrade JAWS to the latest version for a fraction of the usual costs, because at least it means JAWS is up to the task of helping me figure out how to navigate the new dashboard. Although, if the formatting of my posts happens to look odd at any point, you now know why.
Anyhow, as I was saying, I've now been blogging for 14 years, and have published more than 4,000 posts in that time.
Well, I did have a bit of a blogging break in that time, where I almost stopped blogging completely. I'm glad though that I didn't delete my blog like I first considered doing, and that I returned to blogging. It's just a shame I lost touch with some people through my blogging break. Thankfully though, I also managed to keep in touch with a few people... People who I have come to consider great friends, even if I've never met most of the people I've met online in person.
May 4, 2020
#MondayMotivation - #Hygge #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 04-05-20
Your agreement with reality defines your life.
~Steve Maraboli
Either you run the day or the day runs you.
~Jim Rohn
Develop an ‘Attitude of gratitude’. Say thank you to everyone you meet for everything they do for you.
~Brian Tracy
Look past your thoughts, so you may drink the pure nectar of This Moment.
~Rumi
Be a source of joy, & let the critics & haters complain about the world.
~Paulo Coelho
Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light.
~Frida Kahlo
It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis.
~Margaret Bonnano
You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the season or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. You
~Tony Rohn
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
~Melody Beattie
The only life worth living is the one we take responsibility for choosing.
~Alexandra Stoddard
We have no choice of what color we’re born or who our parents are or whether we’re rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we’re here.
~Mildred D. Taylor
Enjoy the little things in life. Because one day we will look back and realize those were the big things in life.
~Unknown
May 1, 2020
Mollie The #Chinchilla And The Broken TV
Hi everyone. This is Mollie the chinchilla.
Something dreadful happened... The TV broke.
Well, not broke exactly, but all it would say was, "No signal."
It's happened a few times before, but usually when it happens Mummy just has to wriggle behind the TV stand, fiddle with the wires a bit, and turn the box off and then back on. So usually it's only about five or ten minutes and I have my TV back. Enough time for me to not be happy about it, but not a big deal. At least, not a very big deal anyhow.
Except this time she tried that loads of times, and it wasn't working. She fiddled a lot behind the TV stand, messed with the box itself a bit, and even said a few bad words to it - which she doesn't do often; Daddy uses bad words, but Mummy doesn't use those kinds of words much, so we all know to stay out of her way if she does - but none of it helped.
When Mummy realized nothing she was doing was going to help, and lots of time had gone past with me having to just listen to music the nice lady called Alexa who lives in the little box near the TV had been playing for me while Mummy worked on the TV box, she talked for a while to someone on the plastic ringing thing, and then came and told me she was sorry, but they couldn't come fix it until next day, because it was too late in the day, so I'd have to have music for the night instead. She said Alexa wouldn't mind playing some all night for me, and at least it would be better than nothing.
Well, OK. It was better than nothing. It was also nice of that Alexa lady to play music for me all night. But it wasn't TV, so I wasn't happy. I sulked in my house all night, refusing to play, and then threw stuff at Daddy when he came near my cage to check on me, since I was sure it was his fault. I don't know how, but I'm sure he's to blame somehow. I didn't squeal though, since Mummy and Alexa making sure I had music did at least make me not feel I needed to do that. But I was very unhappy that night, let me tell you.
In the morning the TV was working again, but I heard Daddy talking to the man who had come to make it work again, and they said it's not completely fixed, so that might happen again. Mummy and Daddy seemed to be understanding, and accepting his answer, but that wasn't good enough for me, so I threw more things at Daddy, just to make my feelings known.
Mummy explained the problem to me afterwards, so then I understood, even if I still think it must be Daddy's fault somehow. After all, if he had nothing to do with it not working, why wasn't he the one trying to make it work again? Why did he leave Mummy to do it? The Lilie dog says it's just because Mummy knows more about how it works than Daddy does, but he's her favourite human, so she might just be making excuses for him.
Anyway, the trouble is, the man needs to go on the roof to fix it properly. But he'd have to either come all the way inside and go through the attic to get on the roof, or bring a really gigantic ladder. He didn't have a big enough ladder, and because of this Avirus thing we're in something called, "Lock down," - which I don't understand about, but apparently means he's not allowed to come all the way inside if it's not an emergency situation. Personally, I think no TV is an emergency situation, but apparently I'm the only one who does. So he wasn't allowed to come in all the way and go up in the attic to make sure my TV is completely fixed and won't go away again.
The TV repair man made sure to make a note that our TV needs to be fixed better though, and said he's going to ask someone to come sort it in June - or maybe even come back himself - when hopefully we won't be in one of those lock down things any more, so he'll be allowed to come in and go in the attic. He said we can phone if it goes away again and won't come back, and then someone will sort it out. But otherwise we have to wait until we aren't in this lock down thing any more, so have to wait until at least June to get it properly fixed.
I hope it stays working until whatever this lock down thing that's caused by Avirus is can be over with, because it was bad enough having a whole night without my TV. That Alexa was nice to play music for me, but it just wasn't the same.
Squeak soon,
Mollie
Something dreadful happened... The TV broke.
Well, not broke exactly, but all it would say was, "No signal."
It's happened a few times before, but usually when it happens Mummy just has to wriggle behind the TV stand, fiddle with the wires a bit, and turn the box off and then back on. So usually it's only about five or ten minutes and I have my TV back. Enough time for me to not be happy about it, but not a big deal. At least, not a very big deal anyhow.
Except this time she tried that loads of times, and it wasn't working. She fiddled a lot behind the TV stand, messed with the box itself a bit, and even said a few bad words to it - which she doesn't do often; Daddy uses bad words, but Mummy doesn't use those kinds of words much, so we all know to stay out of her way if she does - but none of it helped.
When Mummy realized nothing she was doing was going to help, and lots of time had gone past with me having to just listen to music the nice lady called Alexa who lives in the little box near the TV had been playing for me while Mummy worked on the TV box, she talked for a while to someone on the plastic ringing thing, and then came and told me she was sorry, but they couldn't come fix it until next day, because it was too late in the day, so I'd have to have music for the night instead. She said Alexa wouldn't mind playing some all night for me, and at least it would be better than nothing.
Well, OK. It was better than nothing. It was also nice of that Alexa lady to play music for me all night. But it wasn't TV, so I wasn't happy. I sulked in my house all night, refusing to play, and then threw stuff at Daddy when he came near my cage to check on me, since I was sure it was his fault. I don't know how, but I'm sure he's to blame somehow. I didn't squeal though, since Mummy and Alexa making sure I had music did at least make me not feel I needed to do that. But I was very unhappy that night, let me tell you.
In the morning the TV was working again, but I heard Daddy talking to the man who had come to make it work again, and they said it's not completely fixed, so that might happen again. Mummy and Daddy seemed to be understanding, and accepting his answer, but that wasn't good enough for me, so I threw more things at Daddy, just to make my feelings known.
Mummy explained the problem to me afterwards, so then I understood, even if I still think it must be Daddy's fault somehow. After all, if he had nothing to do with it not working, why wasn't he the one trying to make it work again? Why did he leave Mummy to do it? The Lilie dog says it's just because Mummy knows more about how it works than Daddy does, but he's her favourite human, so she might just be making excuses for him.
Anyway, the trouble is, the man needs to go on the roof to fix it properly. But he'd have to either come all the way inside and go through the attic to get on the roof, or bring a really gigantic ladder. He didn't have a big enough ladder, and because of this Avirus thing we're in something called, "Lock down," - which I don't understand about, but apparently means he's not allowed to come all the way inside if it's not an emergency situation. Personally, I think no TV is an emergency situation, but apparently I'm the only one who does. So he wasn't allowed to come in all the way and go up in the attic to make sure my TV is completely fixed and won't go away again.
The TV repair man made sure to make a note that our TV needs to be fixed better though, and said he's going to ask someone to come sort it in June - or maybe even come back himself - when hopefully we won't be in one of those lock down things any more, so he'll be allowed to come in and go in the attic. He said we can phone if it goes away again and won't come back, and then someone will sort it out. But otherwise we have to wait until we aren't in this lock down thing any more, so have to wait until at least June to get it properly fixed.
I hope it stays working until whatever this lock down thing that's caused by Avirus is can be over with, because it was bad enough having a whole night without my TV. That Alexa was nice to play music for me, but it just wasn't the same.
Squeak soon,
Mollie
April 30, 2020
#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 30-04-20
A good story should make you laugh, and a moment later break your heart.
~Chuck Palahniuk
Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!
*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.
Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.
If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.
Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.
Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.
OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?
Reading:This week I finished the "Outlander" book I was reading the week before, and started the 5th in the series. I also read two short books, one of which I'd been given in exchange for a review, and the other of which was a beta read. I can't review the beta read yet, but here are the reviews from what I could do reviews for now of the books I've finished.
Drums of Autumn by Diana GabaldonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I've been emotionally invested in Jamie and Claire's story since the first book, but this was the first time I not only cared about Roger and Briana's story, but was also just as emotionally invested in it as I already was in Jamie and Claire's story (even if it's Jamie I care most about the fate of). This book had me on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish - one I was so reluctant to get off that I literally listened to my audio copy of this book every chance I got. I have no hesitation at all in awarding this book the full five stars.
Conjuring God by Jason HowlMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have to admit, this is not my usual kind of read, and I probably wouldn't have read it if I hadn't been given a copy. However, it's a well-written story, which made it a reasonably good read for me, despite it not really being my thing. It's got a solid plot, and believable characters, so if you like a heavy sprinkling of God in your stories, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this one. I mean, I don't, and I still somewhat enjoyed it.
*NOTE: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This fact - while being the reason I picked the book up in the first place - has had no influence on either my opinion of the book, or the contents of this review.
Watching:I watched more episodes of "Game Of Thrones" this week. I've now watched all of the first four seasons. I'm still enjoying it, but I'm also still thinking the books are better than the TV show.
This week I also watched two new to me movies. So, here are the reviews for those.
Dumplin' (2018 movie):
I've read the book for this one and it was a five star read for me, so I was eager to watch the movie. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Not really. I mean, I enjoyed the book more than the movie, and thought the movie was great. Although, it was only a great movie, and not as fantastic as the book, if I'm honest. It did the book justice, so I can't really complain. But some of the changes they made in the plot - though minor - weren't to my liking, and didn't have the same impact as the way things happened in the book, if you know what I mean. So, with that in mind, I give this movie four out of five stars.
Toy Story 4 (2019 movie):
I've loved all the Toy Story movies, and this one was no exception. Like the previous movies in this series, it manages to be touching and funny at the same time, making for an enjoyable and entertaining read. I give this movie five out of five stars.
Listening:This week I've been listening to 80s music, partially because the SKY lost signal for a while, and we wanted Alexa to play some music to entertain Mollie - and hopefully keep her quiet while she was without her TV - and 80s music is something both Kelly and I enjoy (and don't mind having playing for a long stretch of time). One of the songs that came on was one that puts me in mind of what a lot of people are doing more of right now, and is also a song I really like, so it's the one I'm going to share with you this week. So, here's "I Just Called To Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder. Enjoy!
April 29, 2020
#WriterWednesday: #WritersLife + Writerly #Quotes And Links + #Books On #Sale - #AmWriting 29-04-20
After several weeks of struggling to be able to write, I've finally made much better progress with writing related things over the past couple of weeks. The book based on Lilie and Logan - entitled "Snowlilie's Brother" and telling the story of Lilie's adjustments after we brought Logan home - now just needs a final proof read, and for the versions I need of the manuscript to be formatted. That and for the cover to be finished, since Jacob - the cover artist I'm working with again this time around - hasn't had a chance to finish it yet (at least, he hasn't at the time of putting this post together). Once those things are done, it will be ready for me to publish. So, in theory, we're still looking at a May release, though likely the end of the month. At most it will get pushed back to June, but I think we're still going to make it before the end of May, even if only just.
I've also been dabbling with a couple of other writing projects. But those are in very early stages, so I'm not going to tell you about those right now.
OK. Let's see what I found to share with you recently. I have quite a few links for you this week.
The writing process, and writing life in general:
You won't always want to write even if you love writing10 signs you're really meant to be a writerThe best way to level up your writing skills as a beginner10 commandments of writing10 ways to keep writing when you'd much rather do other things10 ways to feel like a real writer when you can't write thanks to CoronavirusWriting under duressPace yourself12 gentle reminders for struggling writersThere is hope in every story10 survival tips for writers watching all their friends and idols succeedAll you wanted was to tell a story that changed the world12 signs you're not ready to start a new writing project right nowBeing productive can be self-careProductivity Vs. chaos: how to hit a balance8 challenges (and solutions) when writing from home4 ways writing helps you relaxA constant stream of interruptionsHow to get some writing done: discipline Vs. enthusiasmHow to boost focus ahead of a writing sessionHow to stay creative in challenging times
Poetry writing:
Figurative language in poetry writing
Characters:
Character archetypes: the guardianHow to keep your mystery villain a secret to surprise your reader at the end7 tips to having villains team upWhen villains go hero
Random writing tips:
10 tips for book openings9 ways to originalize your story ideaShould I use contractions in dialogue?
Editing and formatting:
Punctuation marks: the comma7 mistakes to weed out when editing your writingGeneral formatting necessitiesEBook conversionPaperback formatting
Audiobook production:
An update to Audio Analysis
Cover creation:
How to use colours in your coversImage software for making book coversUsing Amazon's cover creator tool for eBookMaking your own eBook cover to upload to AmazonUsing Amazon's cover creator tool for paperbackMaking your own book cover PDF to upload to Amazon
Marketing:
Dual-use of meta content, pt 6: the marketing planSsmorgasbord cafe and bookstore - free book marketing - new series 2020 - share an extract
The business side of writing:
Don't become a social media ghost: why you need a social media executor
Don't forget: the "Authors Give Back" sale is still happening on Smashwords, and my books are still all enrolled in it, with multiple eBook formats available, and prices of $2.00 or lower; some of them are even completely free! So, pop over to my Smashwords author page, check out my books - which are a wide selection of poetry and children's stories - and grab yourself some eBook bargains. The sale runs through May 31st 2020, and is exclusive to Smashwords.
Remember: other authors have their books on sale too. So, don't forget to go to Smashwords and see who else is offering free or discounted books in this sale. Be sure to check formats though, since - while most people do offer all formats Smashwords makes available - not everyone takes advantage of the multiple formats option.
There are people offering free and discounted books elsewhere too, so watch out for posts elsewhere talking about books that are listed as free or discounted to help those stuck at home during the pandemic lockdown who may potentially be short on funds. For example, here are some great reads at low prices to escape your worries.
I've also been dabbling with a couple of other writing projects. But those are in very early stages, so I'm not going to tell you about those right now.
If today was not a productive day don't beat yourself to death over it. Wake up tomorrow and start from there. Try it. It works. We can't go back. We can only go forward. Let's go!
~Terry McMillan
OK. Let's see what I found to share with you recently. I have quite a few links for you this week.
The writing process, and writing life in general:
You won't always want to write even if you love writing10 signs you're really meant to be a writerThe best way to level up your writing skills as a beginner10 commandments of writing10 ways to keep writing when you'd much rather do other things10 ways to feel like a real writer when you can't write thanks to CoronavirusWriting under duressPace yourself12 gentle reminders for struggling writersThere is hope in every story10 survival tips for writers watching all their friends and idols succeedAll you wanted was to tell a story that changed the world12 signs you're not ready to start a new writing project right nowBeing productive can be self-careProductivity Vs. chaos: how to hit a balance8 challenges (and solutions) when writing from home4 ways writing helps you relaxA constant stream of interruptionsHow to get some writing done: discipline Vs. enthusiasmHow to boost focus ahead of a writing sessionHow to stay creative in challenging times
Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes.
~Benjamin Franklin
Poetry writing:
Figurative language in poetry writing
I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.
~Flannery O’Connor
Characters:
Character archetypes: the guardianHow to keep your mystery villain a secret to surprise your reader at the end7 tips to having villains team upWhen villains go hero
Random writing tips:
10 tips for book openings9 ways to originalize your story ideaShould I use contractions in dialogue?
The novel is an event in consciousness. Our aim isn't to copy actuality, but to modify and recreate our sense of it. The novelist is inviting the reader to watch a performance in his own brain.
~George Buchanan
Editing and formatting:
Punctuation marks: the comma7 mistakes to weed out when editing your writingGeneral formatting necessitiesEBook conversionPaperback formatting
I think what I love is not the writing itself, but the rewriting, the editing, the correcting
~Mario Vargas Llosa
Audiobook production:
An update to Audio Analysis
We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.
~J. K. Rowling
Cover creation:
How to use colours in your coversImage software for making book coversUsing Amazon's cover creator tool for eBookMaking your own eBook cover to upload to AmazonUsing Amazon's cover creator tool for paperbackMaking your own book cover PDF to upload to Amazon
My aim is to put down on paper what I see & feel in the best and simplest way.
~Earnest Hemingway
Marketing:
Dual-use of meta content, pt 6: the marketing planSsmorgasbord cafe and bookstore - free book marketing - new series 2020 - share an extract
The business side of writing:
Don't become a social media ghost: why you need a social media executor
Write your goddamned book now. The world awaits.
~Dave Eggers
Don't forget: the "Authors Give Back" sale is still happening on Smashwords, and my books are still all enrolled in it, with multiple eBook formats available, and prices of $2.00 or lower; some of them are even completely free! So, pop over to my Smashwords author page, check out my books - which are a wide selection of poetry and children's stories - and grab yourself some eBook bargains. The sale runs through May 31st 2020, and is exclusive to Smashwords.
Remember: other authors have their books on sale too. So, don't forget to go to Smashwords and see who else is offering free or discounted books in this sale. Be sure to check formats though, since - while most people do offer all formats Smashwords makes available - not everyone takes advantage of the multiple formats option.
There are people offering free and discounted books elsewhere too, so watch out for posts elsewhere talking about books that are listed as free or discounted to help those stuck at home during the pandemic lockdown who may potentially be short on funds. For example, here are some great reads at low prices to escape your worries.
Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul.
~Anne Lamott
April 28, 2020
12 #SelfCare And #Mindfulness #Quotes
The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.
~Tara Brach
The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness.
~Jon Kabat-Zinn
The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.
~Thích Nhất Hạnh
The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are moments when we touch one another.
~Jack Kornfield
Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.
~Pema Chödrön
We cannot force the development of mindfulness.
~Allen Lokos
Open the window of your mind. Allow the fresh air, new lights and new truths to enter.
~Amit Ray
Step outside for a while – calm your mind. It is better to hug a tree than to bang your head against a wall continually.
~Rasheed Ogunlaru
Your breathing is your greatest friend. Return to it in all your troubles, and you will find comfort and guidance.
~Unknown
Self-discipline is self-caring.
~M. Scott Peck
When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.
~Benjamin Franklin
The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.
~Walt Disney
Zigler News
Author and book news for children's author and poet, Victoria Zigler, as well as general news from the life of the Zigler family; furry and otherwise!
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