Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 49
January 24, 2020
#FurkidFriday: Artemis The Hermann's #Tortoise
Hello everyone.
I'm new around here, so let me introduce myself.
I am a four and a half month old Hermann's Tortoise; according to my official records, I was hatched on September 6th 2019 (assuming the humans understand it correctly). But that's what I am. As for exactly who I am: my name is Artemis. At least, that has been my name for the past two weeks, which is how long I have lived with my adoptive human parents. I was simply "tortoise" before that.
Though Artemis is often considered a girl's name, due to it being the name of the Greek Goddess of the moon and the hunt, and twin sister of the Greek Sun God, Apollo, according to Greek mythology, Artemis is technically a unisex name. In fact, these days it's more often used for boys when it's used by Greek parents, as a hope the boy will either be blessed by the Goddess, or be strong and wise like her and able to provide for himself and his family. It's the fact it's technically a unisex name that I got the name.
You see, though fully matured Hermann's tortoises are easy to establish the gender of, when we are young, as I am, the task is all but impossible. I will be six years old before anyone can be 100% certain whether I am a male or female tortoise, though guesses can potentially be made in the meantime based on the speed of my growth. But they would only be guesses, since it's too difficult for you humans to tell before that. That's how it goes when you mature slowly and have a long lifespan, which is the case for me. Of course, I'm not about to volunteer the information.
So, with that in mind, and needing something more than "the tortoise" to call me in the meantime, my new human parents decided to pick a unisex name for me. Artemis was Daddy's favourite of the ones Mummy liked. So, I am Artemis.
I can only assume, since I eat mostly greens, it was the strength and wisdom of the Goddess the humans were thinking of.
Anyway, the humans - especially the female one known as Mummy - were apparently quite eager to get photographic evidence of my presence in their home. So, for those of you who would like to see them, here are some videos and photos the humans took of me exploring my new habitat when I first arrived here, which those of you following Mummy on YouTube or social media may have already seen.
It seems like a pleasant enough place to have ended up. The food is fantastic too...
As I mentioned above, I eat mainly greens, which Mummy is happy to share with me. I especially enjoy those things called, "Sprouts," Mummy sometimes gives me as my serving of greens for the day, which Mummy was pleased to discover, since she apparently loves those too. I also get some special pellets, which I'm not quite as fond of, but do at least like more than the powdery vitamin stuff Mummy says I have to have on my food to keep me healthy (something about making sure I have enough calcium and vitamin C). Needless to say, I eat the greens Mummy missed putting that stuff on first.
Despite the vitamin stuff, I think I like it here though. The greens are good, like I said, my habitat is a comfortable temperature so that I'm warm enough to move about well when I want to, and I think I like cuddles with Mummy too...
She's warm, and spends the whole time we're cuddling telling me what a great tortoise I am. I like that.
For anyone wondering how tiny I am: I measure 6cms (a little over 2ins) based on shell length, and weigh 50g (2oz). At least, I did when all these photos were taken, though since then I've gained a whole 2mm in length, and 5g in weight.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed getting to meet me today. But, if you don't mind, I'll be off. After all, I'm still a very young tortoise, which means I take a lot of naps, and I'm getting kind of sleepy...
Artemis the tortoise
P.S. I hope you don't mind me posting in a "Furkid Friday" segment when I, as a reptile, have no fur. Daddy says you shouldn't mind, since it's simply the name of the "pet" feature. Mummy and I hope that's the case. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter though. What do you think? Does it matter to you if a reptile posts as part of the "Furkid Friday" cast?
I'm new around here, so let me introduce myself.
I am a four and a half month old Hermann's Tortoise; according to my official records, I was hatched on September 6th 2019 (assuming the humans understand it correctly). But that's what I am. As for exactly who I am: my name is Artemis. At least, that has been my name for the past two weeks, which is how long I have lived with my adoptive human parents. I was simply "tortoise" before that.
Though Artemis is often considered a girl's name, due to it being the name of the Greek Goddess of the moon and the hunt, and twin sister of the Greek Sun God, Apollo, according to Greek mythology, Artemis is technically a unisex name. In fact, these days it's more often used for boys when it's used by Greek parents, as a hope the boy will either be blessed by the Goddess, or be strong and wise like her and able to provide for himself and his family. It's the fact it's technically a unisex name that I got the name.
You see, though fully matured Hermann's tortoises are easy to establish the gender of, when we are young, as I am, the task is all but impossible. I will be six years old before anyone can be 100% certain whether I am a male or female tortoise, though guesses can potentially be made in the meantime based on the speed of my growth. But they would only be guesses, since it's too difficult for you humans to tell before that. That's how it goes when you mature slowly and have a long lifespan, which is the case for me. Of course, I'm not about to volunteer the information.
So, with that in mind, and needing something more than "the tortoise" to call me in the meantime, my new human parents decided to pick a unisex name for me. Artemis was Daddy's favourite of the ones Mummy liked. So, I am Artemis.
I can only assume, since I eat mostly greens, it was the strength and wisdom of the Goddess the humans were thinking of.
Anyway, the humans - especially the female one known as Mummy - were apparently quite eager to get photographic evidence of my presence in their home. So, for those of you who would like to see them, here are some videos and photos the humans took of me exploring my new habitat when I first arrived here, which those of you following Mummy on YouTube or social media may have already seen.
It seems like a pleasant enough place to have ended up. The food is fantastic too...
As I mentioned above, I eat mainly greens, which Mummy is happy to share with me. I especially enjoy those things called, "Sprouts," Mummy sometimes gives me as my serving of greens for the day, which Mummy was pleased to discover, since she apparently loves those too. I also get some special pellets, which I'm not quite as fond of, but do at least like more than the powdery vitamin stuff Mummy says I have to have on my food to keep me healthy (something about making sure I have enough calcium and vitamin C). Needless to say, I eat the greens Mummy missed putting that stuff on first.
Despite the vitamin stuff, I think I like it here though. The greens are good, like I said, my habitat is a comfortable temperature so that I'm warm enough to move about well when I want to, and I think I like cuddles with Mummy too...
She's warm, and spends the whole time we're cuddling telling me what a great tortoise I am. I like that.
For anyone wondering how tiny I am: I measure 6cms (a little over 2ins) based on shell length, and weigh 50g (2oz). At least, I did when all these photos were taken, though since then I've gained a whole 2mm in length, and 5g in weight.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed getting to meet me today. But, if you don't mind, I'll be off. After all, I'm still a very young tortoise, which means I take a lot of naps, and I'm getting kind of sleepy...
Artemis the tortoise
P.S. I hope you don't mind me posting in a "Furkid Friday" segment when I, as a reptile, have no fur. Daddy says you shouldn't mind, since it's simply the name of the "pet" feature. Mummy and I hope that's the case. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter though. What do you think? Does it matter to you if a reptile posts as part of the "Furkid Friday" cast?
January 23, 2020
#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 23-01-20
You may have tangible wealth untold; caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be. I had a mother who read to me.
~Strickland Gillian
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.
Good news for those who post reviews on Amazon, as well as authors with books on Amazon: Amazon has amalgamated the US and UK reviews. Now, if they could just make it that reviews from Goodreads also show up on Amazon - after all, they do own that as well these days - it would make my life a whole lot easier, and my own review numbers a little bigger. Just saying!
Anyway... 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 read four books. So, here's what I read, along with my book reviews.
The Gate by D.L. CrossMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a fantastic fast-paced and action packed read, with some great characters, and a plot that explores some interesting legends and theories.
The Scout: Dark Crossings by D.L. CrossMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an excellent short read for fans of the kind of sci-fi stories involving aliens, with a delightful twist. Highly recommended.
Silvery Earth Kids and Related Short Stories by Barbara G. TarnMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
It was fantastic to get to read an accessable version of the strips I'd been hearing about on the author's blog, and I enjoyed them very much. The bonus stories were a great addition as well, and I also enjoyed reading those. I always love reading stories from this world, and meeting all the characters from the various races - magical and otherwise - and these were no exception.
Magical Friends by Barbara G. TarnMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an excellent book in its own right, but even better in my opinion for allowing us to find out what happens to the characters we learned to love in "Silvery Earth Kids" years later.
Watching:This week didn't involve quite as much time watching things as the past couple of weeks have, but I still watched a few things, and enjoyed what I watched. I watched some more episodes of "NCIS" season 12. I also watched some episodes of the "Bananas In Pyjamas" TV show, because I saw it was on Amazon Prime - I genuinely came across it accidentally when looking for a movie or TV show to watch next on there, and can only assume it came up as a suggestion because of me recently watching "Rugrats" on there - and just couldn't resist taking another little trip down memory lane by watching it, having watched at least many of the episodes when it originally came out, first by myself, and then with little ones I was babysitting (at least, that was always my excuse).
Listening:This week I've been listening to music most mornings again, so I have plenty of tunes I could pick from to share with you, and could easily share several. But I only want to be sharing one song in these posts, so here's "Meant To Be" by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line for your listening pleasure; a song I first heard when young Claire Crosby sang it with her Dad more than a year ago.
January 22, 2020
#WriterWednesday: WriterlyLinks And #WritersLife 22-01-20 - #AmWriting
To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.
~Kurt Vonnegut
The week started out badly as regards writing progress, but got better. I thought I was going to be saying I hadn't gotten much writing done during the past week, but I actually ended up finishing a rough - very rough, with more telling than showing, probably about a million typos, and no way am I going to be showing it to anyone - draft of the story I hope to be publishing in a couple of months (I'm hoping for a May release) as well as writing a few new poems. So, yeah. It turned out to be a very good writing week. I'd have been pleased with any kind of writing progress after how little I've made in the past couple of months, but I'm especially pleased with how much I managed to get done this week. I mean, I now have the rough draft of the story to work on revisions of, as well as about half a dozen new poems. Definitely can't complain about that.
Speaking of poetry, do you write poetry too? Then you may like to take a look at this post that demonstrates the difference between haiku and senryu poetry forms, as well as this one on rhythm and meter.
Also, if you write the kind of poetry that rhymes, or rhyming picture books, and are struggling to find the right word, don't forget you can find the perfect rhyme by using the rhyming dictionary.
Anyway, whatever you write, are you struggling to get motivated to write? Then perhaps you need to build a writing habit with YouCan TouCan.
One word after another. That’s the only way that novels get written
~Neil Gaiman
Next, here are some quick writing tips for beginners, and anyone returning from a long break - just in case you need those.
OK, let's assume you're writing regularly. So, it's stories you write? Do you write fantasy stories by any chance? If you do, you might want to take a look at these tips to putting robots in fantasy - in case you were kind of hoping to find a way to do that. You're welcome, though it's not really me you should thank, since I didn't write those tips. I think it's a neat idea though, if done right, so it feels believable for the story, of course.
Robots or not, no matter the genre you write in, and who' - or what - is in your story, how do you go about naming characters? Personally, I do something similar to the author of the post I just linked to, and find names with meanings that I feel suit the character for one reason or another. Like the name of the main character in my "Zeena Dragon Fae" series. If you're curious: "Zeena" is an African name meaning "Beautiful" - a name I felt suited the spirit of the kind-hearted fairy dragon. All you need is a bit of an online search, or some browsing time on baby name sites, and you can easily find the perfect name for your character, regardless of the genre you write in.
Regardless of the name of your character, think about how he or she might react in a situation; will your chracter fight, flee, or freeze? Not sure? Watch real people in real situations to help you decide how the type of character yours is might behave.
A good writer is always a people watcher.
~Judy Blume
By the way, don't forget to use suggestions like the ones in this sensible approach to senses for authors to set the scene for your readers, and help them feel like they're really there.
It's OK if you miss stuff out during the first draft though. After all, once you have your first draft written, you'll need to revise it, and you can add all that stuff then. Speaking of which, here's a writing workout to help you with that.
The first draft is a skeleton… just bare bones. The rest of the story comes later with revising.
~Judy Blume
Remember: while it's great if you can have characters from different backgrounds in your stories - assuming they fit with the story - and would be great if you could offer your books in other languages, you shouldn't rely on tools like Google Translate to translate your words for you. This post is a perfect example of why you should never use the Google translater to do your translations for you, and should check with someone who speaks the language if you want to use a language you aren't familiar with yourself, otherwise your story might be full of mistakes you don't even know you're making. So, use a professional translator, ask a native speaker of the language in question, stick with a language you know, or take classes to learn the language. Unless the words and phrases are in some kind of made up fantasy/alien language, in which case you can do what you want (though if you're making up a language, please make sure the words are pronouncible).
Speaking of potential mistakes though, it's time to think about editing, so here are some editing tips for writers, which you might find useful, especially if you're a self-published author who self-edits.
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.
~Pablo Picasso
No matter how you plan to do it, before you publish, you want to think about readability. Yes, even if you don't write for children. With that in mind, here are some reasons to consider readability.
Regardless of its reading level, before you can publish your book, you'll need a book blurb. So, check out these tips for writing a book blurb in 4 easy steps, and give your book baby the best chance you can at attracting readers.
The majority of book-babies grow slowly, just like human babies do. Their audience slowly expands, from family and friends and those in the know, to people their parents never met, to people they couldn’t have known as young book-babies, to people they’ve never met, to people they will never meet, to people who will outlive them.
~Kris Rusch
OK, I know we're already quite a way through January, but here are some possible resolutions for writers, and ideas for if you need a new writing goal in 2020, in case you wanted to be making some, and haven't yet. Or maybe you have? If so, what were they, and how are they going so far?
Do you really have to set writing goals? Technically, no. It's highly recommended you consider it though, especially if you want to achieve any kind of writing success. So, here are some lessons about setting goals, which might help you if you decide you are going to set any for 2020.
Regardless of what writing goals you may or may not have, beware of new projects. Especially if they might stop you working on existing ones, otherwise you're just going to get burned out, and never finish anything because of not having the energy to put in the work it needs. So, here's what to do with the new story idea you never asked to meet while you work on your current projects.
Naturally, when the shiny new feeling wears off, or you have other shiny ideas begging to have your time and attention instead, this is when you're most likely to lose interest in a writing project (and how to keep going).
Talent's cheaper than table Salt. What separates the Talented Individual from the Successful One is a lot Of Hard Work
~Stephen King
Remember though, when it comes to writing, love, and self care: you don't have to choose just two. You just have to figure out which will be your priorities today. I highly recommend making self care your priority more often than not though... Just saying. With that in mind, here's a reminder to care for your instruments.
A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.
~E B White
Despite the words of the above quote, it's possible you might be scheduling your writing time all wrong. Different routines work for different people, so figure out what works best for your own schedule, and don't try and force someone else's to work for you, no matter how many times they try to tell you it's the only way. It isn't. It might be the only way that works for them - in which case, good for them for figuring out what it is - but there's no one-size-fits-all in this situation. The only constant is that a writer needs a place to write.
January 21, 2020
The New Year Bookish Resolutions 2020 Tag, Via @tstrawberrypost - #AmReading
I know we're now about three weeks in to the year, but you can blame Cat for this one, since she posted this last week, and you know I have a weakness for these things.
Anyway, here's a fun tag for what I hope to be reading in 2020. As I say about all these tags, if you want to do it too, go ahead. Just make sure you tell me where I can find your answers, because I'd love to read them.
For now though, here are mine, which we'll look back on when I do my yearly reflections on the past year at the end of 2020, to see if I actually read what I said I'd like to. So...
1. An author you’d like to read that you’ve never read?
There are several, but I'm going to go with Darlene Foster. I've had her "Amanda Travels" books on my to-read list for a while, and I'd really like to get to those.
2. A book you’d like to read?
Where do I even start with this one? I've got a LOT of books on my to-read list, you know, and I wish there were more available reading hours in a day, because I want to get to them all (something I doubt I'll ever manage, but I'm sure going to read as many as I can in this lifetime). But, I'll try to pick just one which I'd like to get to this year, even though it's really tough to choose.
You know what? It's no good. I can't. The best I can do is to cheat a bit and pick too, but they're part of a series, so it's only kind of cheating. Either way, I'm going to go with "Laughter Lines: Life from the Tail End" and "Doggerel: Life with the Small Dog" by Sue Vincent. I've read "Notes from a Small Dog: Four Legs on Two" and really enjoyed it, so since I have the follow-up books, I'd like to read those too, especially since I love Ani's posts on Sue's blog, so am eager to read more from/about her. If you're a dog-lover, you might want to check them out too.
3. A classic you’d like to read?
There are several, as I'm sure you aren't surprised to hear. But, if I had to pick just one, I'd have to go with "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells, which I keep meaning to read, and not getting around to reading.
4. A book you’d like to re-read?
My copy of Jean Adamson's "Topsy And Tim" series. I don't think it's marked as having been read on Goodreads, but I read the books as a child, and loved them. I'm looking forward to getting to read those again. I'll wait until I do to rate and review the series on Goodreads though, especially since it's been so long since I read them.
5. A book you’ve had for ages and want to read?
All of them! Seriously, I could be here for ages listing titles for this one. But, if I had to pick just one I'd like to read this year, I think I'm going to have to go with "The Four Treasures of Eirean" by Ali Isaac, which I've been meaning to read for some time. I'd like to get to the other books in the series too.
6. A big book you’d like to read?
I'm going to have to go with my copy of "Leith's Vegetarian Bible" that my brother got me the Christmas before last. I've glanced through it once or twice, but I'd really like to sit down and give that a proper read, and maybe try some of the recipes (or veganized versions of them, if they contain eggs or dairy).
7. An author you’ve previously read and would like to read more of?
There are several I could list for this one too, but I'm going to go with Sally Cronin. I've read - and enjoyed - a few of her books, and have many others of hers, which I'd like to read very soon.
8. A book you got for Christmas and would like to read?
Even though it's technically going to be a re-read for me, it's got to be "The Animals Of Farthing Wood" by Colin Dann. I remember listening to it with my brother when I was younger, and used to love the TV series version, so am looking forward to getting to read this one again. I need to get, and read, the rest of the series too, but I'm not sure if I'll end up doing that this year. The first book, yes, but since I don't have the others in the series yet... We'll see what happens with them.
9. A series you want to read from start to finish?
There are several, but one that springs to mind is Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series, which I have the books for, but haven't gotten to yet. I'd really like to get to that one this year.
10. A series you want to finish that you’ve already started?
There are several, but the two I'm most eager to finish are Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl" series, and Amber Fox's "Mae Martin Mysteries" series, both of which I've read the first few books for, have the rest of them, and haven't had a chance to finish reading. I'd definitely like to fix that this year.
11. Do you set reading goals? If so how many books do you want to read in 2020?
I want to read 104 books in 2020. I usually read more than that (last year was the least I've read in the time I've been recording things on Goodreads, and it was 114 books) but I'd rather finish it early than be stressing about not having read enough books, so I'm keeping my reading goal set to 104 books.
12. Any other reading goals?
No. I often do have other reading goals, but not this year. I mean, there are certain books I'm hoping to read this year - as mentioned above - and I do have the ongoing hope that I'll actually read more books than I add to my to-read list. But I'm also realistic enough to know that's highly unlikely to actually happen, since I seem to find new ones I want to read faster than even I can read them, so don't bother adding it as a goal (though I have had goals for reading a certain number of books from those that have been on my to-read list for more than a certain amount of time in previous years). This year though I mostly want to just focus on enjoying reading the books I read.
13. Are there any reading goals from last year that you’d like to carry into this year?
No. My only goals for last year were to read 104 books and do the two versions of the A-Z reading challenge (titles and authors) and I did those things, so don't need to carry them forward. Though the number of books I hope to read this year is the same as it was last year, as you may have noticed.
Anyway, here's a fun tag for what I hope to be reading in 2020. As I say about all these tags, if you want to do it too, go ahead. Just make sure you tell me where I can find your answers, because I'd love to read them.
For now though, here are mine, which we'll look back on when I do my yearly reflections on the past year at the end of 2020, to see if I actually read what I said I'd like to. So...
1. An author you’d like to read that you’ve never read?
There are several, but I'm going to go with Darlene Foster. I've had her "Amanda Travels" books on my to-read list for a while, and I'd really like to get to those.
2. A book you’d like to read?
Where do I even start with this one? I've got a LOT of books on my to-read list, you know, and I wish there were more available reading hours in a day, because I want to get to them all (something I doubt I'll ever manage, but I'm sure going to read as many as I can in this lifetime). But, I'll try to pick just one which I'd like to get to this year, even though it's really tough to choose.
You know what? It's no good. I can't. The best I can do is to cheat a bit and pick too, but they're part of a series, so it's only kind of cheating. Either way, I'm going to go with "Laughter Lines: Life from the Tail End" and "Doggerel: Life with the Small Dog" by Sue Vincent. I've read "Notes from a Small Dog: Four Legs on Two" and really enjoyed it, so since I have the follow-up books, I'd like to read those too, especially since I love Ani's posts on Sue's blog, so am eager to read more from/about her. If you're a dog-lover, you might want to check them out too.
3. A classic you’d like to read?
There are several, as I'm sure you aren't surprised to hear. But, if I had to pick just one, I'd have to go with "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells, which I keep meaning to read, and not getting around to reading.
4. A book you’d like to re-read?
My copy of Jean Adamson's "Topsy And Tim" series. I don't think it's marked as having been read on Goodreads, but I read the books as a child, and loved them. I'm looking forward to getting to read those again. I'll wait until I do to rate and review the series on Goodreads though, especially since it's been so long since I read them.
5. A book you’ve had for ages and want to read?
All of them! Seriously, I could be here for ages listing titles for this one. But, if I had to pick just one I'd like to read this year, I think I'm going to have to go with "The Four Treasures of Eirean" by Ali Isaac, which I've been meaning to read for some time. I'd like to get to the other books in the series too.
6. A big book you’d like to read?
I'm going to have to go with my copy of "Leith's Vegetarian Bible" that my brother got me the Christmas before last. I've glanced through it once or twice, but I'd really like to sit down and give that a proper read, and maybe try some of the recipes (or veganized versions of them, if they contain eggs or dairy).
7. An author you’ve previously read and would like to read more of?
There are several I could list for this one too, but I'm going to go with Sally Cronin. I've read - and enjoyed - a few of her books, and have many others of hers, which I'd like to read very soon.
8. A book you got for Christmas and would like to read?
Even though it's technically going to be a re-read for me, it's got to be "The Animals Of Farthing Wood" by Colin Dann. I remember listening to it with my brother when I was younger, and used to love the TV series version, so am looking forward to getting to read this one again. I need to get, and read, the rest of the series too, but I'm not sure if I'll end up doing that this year. The first book, yes, but since I don't have the others in the series yet... We'll see what happens with them.
9. A series you want to read from start to finish?
There are several, but one that springs to mind is Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series, which I have the books for, but haven't gotten to yet. I'd really like to get to that one this year.
10. A series you want to finish that you’ve already started?
There are several, but the two I'm most eager to finish are Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl" series, and Amber Fox's "Mae Martin Mysteries" series, both of which I've read the first few books for, have the rest of them, and haven't had a chance to finish reading. I'd definitely like to fix that this year.
11. Do you set reading goals? If so how many books do you want to read in 2020?
I want to read 104 books in 2020. I usually read more than that (last year was the least I've read in the time I've been recording things on Goodreads, and it was 114 books) but I'd rather finish it early than be stressing about not having read enough books, so I'm keeping my reading goal set to 104 books.
12. Any other reading goals?
No. I often do have other reading goals, but not this year. I mean, there are certain books I'm hoping to read this year - as mentioned above - and I do have the ongoing hope that I'll actually read more books than I add to my to-read list. But I'm also realistic enough to know that's highly unlikely to actually happen, since I seem to find new ones I want to read faster than even I can read them, so don't bother adding it as a goal (though I have had goals for reading a certain number of books from those that have been on my to-read list for more than a certain amount of time in previous years). This year though I mostly want to just focus on enjoying reading the books I read.
13. Are there any reading goals from last year that you’d like to carry into this year?
No. My only goals for last year were to read 104 books and do the two versions of the A-Z reading challenge (titles and authors) and I did those things, so don't need to carry them forward. Though the number of books I hope to read this year is the same as it was last year, as you may have noticed.
January 20, 2020
#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 20-01-20
Live one day at a time... And make it a masterpiece.
~Dalai Lama
We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams.
~H.G. Wells
The first indication that we are killing our dreams is lack of time.
~Paulo Coelho
Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
~Carl Sandburg
Excuses are a time thief. Have a goal, accept responsibility, and take action!
~Steve Maraboli
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
~Michael Jordan
If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
~Jim Rohn
Live in the present, or die in your past; it's your choice.
~Bryant McGill
Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn. Work hard, and never give up on your dreams, even when nobody else believes they can come true but you.
~Phillip Sweet
Pause and remember— Every single event in your life, especially the difficult lessons, have made you smarter, stronger, and wiser than you were yesterday. Be thankful!
~Jennifer Young
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging.
~Will Rogers
Mistakes - call them unexpected learning experiences.
~Richard Bach
January 17, 2020
#FurkidFriday: Of #Dog Puzzles + Lilie The #Westie's Grooming Session And Logan The #Cavapoo's Vet Trip
Hi everyone. This is Logan the Cavapoo.
My big sister, Lilie, is real smart. She can do numbers, and doggy puzzles, and things like that. Even if Mummy and Daddy can't get her to do the numbers when they're pointing the flashy thing at her, which they keep trying to do so they can show you she can do them. They don't know why she won't do it when the flashy thing is pointed at her, because she does it real well when it isn't. They did manage to get her to do the puzzle for the flashy thing though, and she did it super fast too.
But not me. I can't do numbers at all, and find the puzzles real hard. I'm not so good with the thinking thing. It's not because I don't try neither. I try real hard. But I'm best at bouncing, and cuddling, and knowing when it's supposed to be toast and sweetie ball time. I still try though, and sometimes even manage to figure some of it out a little bit, like I'm doing in this video Mummy and Daddy did of me with one of Lilie's puzzles:
See... I try real hard!
Mummy and Daddy say they're proud of me for doing even as much as I did. But I kind of felt sad when I couldn't do it, and Lilie came over and got the sweeties out of the other three boxes quicker than I did the one I managed. But then Mummy filled our sweetie balls, and I can do those, so I felt better after that. She let me try again lots of times too. I still can't do the other boxes though. But Mummy says trying counts.
Anyway, the flashy thing got pictures of me and Lilie too. Not with the puzzle toy, but another time. So I thought you'd like to see them. Here you go:
All of those were taken before Santa Paws came, but I had to wait for my turn on this thing to post them. But I hope you enjoyed seeing all the photos, and watching me trying to do the puzzle, even though I didn't manage to do all of it. Like I said though, Mummy says trying counts. You agree, don't you?
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, me and Lilie were supposed to go to the groomer place. Except my tummy didn't feel good, so I stayed home with Mummy, and Daddy just took Lilie instead. Here's a photo of her that Daddy took after they got home:
My tummy was fine by bed time, but Mummy said I needed to be weighed and have a checkup anyhow, so she took me to the vet a couple of days later. Says she didn't rush, since I was fine other than the upset tummy; other than the upset tummy, I was acting normally, even eating and drinking fine, playing happily, etc. Mummy says since I was fine other than that, she wanted to give it a day or so to see if her suspicion that it was because I ate Lilie's treats as well as mine was the cause was correct. When she told the vet about it, the vet agreed with her, and said maybe I shouldn't eat so many treats. Shouldn't eat so many treats? You can never have enough treats! What is she thinking? I hope Mummy doesn't plan to listen to that nonsense!
They weighed me when I was there, and I weighed 14.75 Kilos (Mummy says she thinks that's about 33 lbs, for those who need it like that). The vet thought I'd be closer to 16 kilos, so was glad I was under 15 kilos. Ha! Take that vet! She did remind Mummy to be careful of me eating too many treats and getting too much extra padding on me though. I'm crossing my paws Mummy wasn't listening to that bit.
Don't worry, I'm not overweight. The vet says my weight is fine for my size, she just doesn't want me being any heavier than 15 kilos unless it's because I did some more growing, and since I love my food, that's why she said about being careful with the treats. Like I said, I'm hoping Mummy either ignores or wasn't listening to that part of what the vet said.
I am however, glad Mummy is planning on listening to the part where the vet said it's not a good idea to get me neutered yet, especially after how Lilie reacted when I told her about it after me and Mummy got home from the vet.
Apparently, though normally any time after about six or seven months is fine - bearing in mind, I'm nine months old now - because I'm two breeds in one, it's a good idea to let me be closer to my first birthday before it gets done. Something about making sure my bones are done developing. Whatever that means. So I'm going to get neutered in a few months time, instead of later this month like Mummy was planning.
I'm not sure what that neutering thing is all about, but Lilie says I had a lucky escape there, and found something funny about the fact I'd be having that done right before my birthday. She wouldn't tell me why it's so funny.
All I know is, the vet and Mummy agreed I'd get the neutering thing done at the start of April (my birthday is in the middle of April) so I had plenty of time to recover from it before I had to get my booster shot thing in June, but will be close enough to being a year old that the vet can be sure my bones are done developing. I know that because I heard Mummy and the vet saying so, and Mummy told Daddy that when we got home too.
I also know we were at the vet for lots and lots of time, but the lady who sits behind the desk there was very proud of me. Actually, the vet was proud of me and told me I was a good boy too. Everyone loved me and gave me praise. I like when that happens. Who am I kidding? I don't like it, I love it!
Anyway, I did cry some, especially when other dogs were getting attention and I wasn't. But I didn't cry much. Mostly I just sat by Mummy's feet and waited, like a good boy. Not only was it good I did that in general, but there were some of those cat things in there, and one was on each side of me, but I ignored them. Well, they didn't have any food, and weren't doing anything fun I wanted to be a part of, so why would I bother with them?
It was a very long wait though. We got seen a whole hour after we were meant to, because the vet had to deal with something the humans called a, "Medical emergency," which made those of us already there have to wait for lots more time than we should have needed to, and some animals that weren't there yet have to be asked to have their appointments another time. Mummy says to tell you the doggy involved was doing fine when we left though, which we're both glad about, and sure you will be too.
Anyway, before I end this, here's one last photo of me and Lilie, which was taken just a few days ago.
Lots of licks,
Logan
My big sister, Lilie, is real smart. She can do numbers, and doggy puzzles, and things like that. Even if Mummy and Daddy can't get her to do the numbers when they're pointing the flashy thing at her, which they keep trying to do so they can show you she can do them. They don't know why she won't do it when the flashy thing is pointed at her, because she does it real well when it isn't. They did manage to get her to do the puzzle for the flashy thing though, and she did it super fast too.
But not me. I can't do numbers at all, and find the puzzles real hard. I'm not so good with the thinking thing. It's not because I don't try neither. I try real hard. But I'm best at bouncing, and cuddling, and knowing when it's supposed to be toast and sweetie ball time. I still try though, and sometimes even manage to figure some of it out a little bit, like I'm doing in this video Mummy and Daddy did of me with one of Lilie's puzzles:
See... I try real hard!
Mummy and Daddy say they're proud of me for doing even as much as I did. But I kind of felt sad when I couldn't do it, and Lilie came over and got the sweeties out of the other three boxes quicker than I did the one I managed. But then Mummy filled our sweetie balls, and I can do those, so I felt better after that. She let me try again lots of times too. I still can't do the other boxes though. But Mummy says trying counts.
Anyway, the flashy thing got pictures of me and Lilie too. Not with the puzzle toy, but another time. So I thought you'd like to see them. Here you go:
All of those were taken before Santa Paws came, but I had to wait for my turn on this thing to post them. But I hope you enjoyed seeing all the photos, and watching me trying to do the puzzle, even though I didn't manage to do all of it. Like I said though, Mummy says trying counts. You agree, don't you?
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, me and Lilie were supposed to go to the groomer place. Except my tummy didn't feel good, so I stayed home with Mummy, and Daddy just took Lilie instead. Here's a photo of her that Daddy took after they got home:
My tummy was fine by bed time, but Mummy said I needed to be weighed and have a checkup anyhow, so she took me to the vet a couple of days later. Says she didn't rush, since I was fine other than the upset tummy; other than the upset tummy, I was acting normally, even eating and drinking fine, playing happily, etc. Mummy says since I was fine other than that, she wanted to give it a day or so to see if her suspicion that it was because I ate Lilie's treats as well as mine was the cause was correct. When she told the vet about it, the vet agreed with her, and said maybe I shouldn't eat so many treats. Shouldn't eat so many treats? You can never have enough treats! What is she thinking? I hope Mummy doesn't plan to listen to that nonsense!
They weighed me when I was there, and I weighed 14.75 Kilos (Mummy says she thinks that's about 33 lbs, for those who need it like that). The vet thought I'd be closer to 16 kilos, so was glad I was under 15 kilos. Ha! Take that vet! She did remind Mummy to be careful of me eating too many treats and getting too much extra padding on me though. I'm crossing my paws Mummy wasn't listening to that bit.
Don't worry, I'm not overweight. The vet says my weight is fine for my size, she just doesn't want me being any heavier than 15 kilos unless it's because I did some more growing, and since I love my food, that's why she said about being careful with the treats. Like I said, I'm hoping Mummy either ignores or wasn't listening to that part of what the vet said.
I am however, glad Mummy is planning on listening to the part where the vet said it's not a good idea to get me neutered yet, especially after how Lilie reacted when I told her about it after me and Mummy got home from the vet.
Apparently, though normally any time after about six or seven months is fine - bearing in mind, I'm nine months old now - because I'm two breeds in one, it's a good idea to let me be closer to my first birthday before it gets done. Something about making sure my bones are done developing. Whatever that means. So I'm going to get neutered in a few months time, instead of later this month like Mummy was planning.
I'm not sure what that neutering thing is all about, but Lilie says I had a lucky escape there, and found something funny about the fact I'd be having that done right before my birthday. She wouldn't tell me why it's so funny.
All I know is, the vet and Mummy agreed I'd get the neutering thing done at the start of April (my birthday is in the middle of April) so I had plenty of time to recover from it before I had to get my booster shot thing in June, but will be close enough to being a year old that the vet can be sure my bones are done developing. I know that because I heard Mummy and the vet saying so, and Mummy told Daddy that when we got home too.
I also know we were at the vet for lots and lots of time, but the lady who sits behind the desk there was very proud of me. Actually, the vet was proud of me and told me I was a good boy too. Everyone loved me and gave me praise. I like when that happens. Who am I kidding? I don't like it, I love it!
Anyway, I did cry some, especially when other dogs were getting attention and I wasn't. But I didn't cry much. Mostly I just sat by Mummy's feet and waited, like a good boy. Not only was it good I did that in general, but there were some of those cat things in there, and one was on each side of me, but I ignored them. Well, they didn't have any food, and weren't doing anything fun I wanted to be a part of, so why would I bother with them?
It was a very long wait though. We got seen a whole hour after we were meant to, because the vet had to deal with something the humans called a, "Medical emergency," which made those of us already there have to wait for lots more time than we should have needed to, and some animals that weren't there yet have to be asked to have their appointments another time. Mummy says to tell you the doggy involved was doing fine when we left though, which we're both glad about, and sure you will be too.
Anyway, before I end this, here's one last photo of me and Lilie, which was taken just a few days ago.
Lots of licks,
Logan
January 16, 2020
#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 16-01-20
I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.
~Jane Austen
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 read three books. So, here's what I read, along with my book reviews.
The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Power of Meow by David MichieMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another excellent addition to this series of books, which manages to be entertaining, while at the same time reminding you of the importance of mindfulness, regardless of whether you're a Buddhist, follow another spiritual path, or follow none at all.
The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Four Paws of Spiritual Success by David MichieMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another wonderful addition to this series, which I was eager to read after having enjoyed the experience of reading the previous books so much. It's an entertaining read, but also carries some serious and thought-provoking lessons, which anyone seeking to learn more about mindfulness may wish to take note of, whether you're a Buddhist, follow a different spiritual path, or follow no spiritual path at all. Not to mention, it's a great one for cat lovers in general.
Deceived by Katrina CopeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was already excitedly waiting for this book, having enjoyed the previous ones, and the eagerness to learn what would happen only increased when I started reading it. It's a gripping read, with a main character you can't help rooting for and feeling for, not to mention wonderful worldbuilding, and a whole load of other fantastic characters. Awesome ending to an amazing series, which fans of dragons and Norse mythology will love.
*NOTE: I was given a free advanced copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This fact has in no way influenced my opinion of the book, nor the contents of this review.
Watching:I watched a little over half of "NCIS" season 12, while enjoying some pet playtime over the weekend. I also watched a new to me movie during the past week, which I've read the book for a couple of times, but hadn't gotten around to watching. So, see below this paragraph for the review for the movie.
The Thirteenth Tale (2013 TV Movie):
As a movie in its own right, this was a pretty good movie - not amazing, but pretty good. The characters and plot are both intriguing, and I enjoyed watching it. However, as a representation of the book, it really doesn't do a particularly great job; there's more suspense in the book, and some of the story threads are changed or incredibly abbreviated. So, while I enjoyed watching it, I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I enjoyed reading the book. Still, I am glad I watched it, and would do so again. As to the rating: I give my movie reviews ratings based on the merits of it as a movie, rather than how it compares to the book. So, with that in mind, I give this movie four out of five stars.
Listening:This week I've been listening to a little country music, but mostly I've been listening to music that arrived in my inbox via YouTube notifications for people I subscribe to on there. With that in mind, here's "Once Upon A December" by seven year old Claire Crosby for your listening pleasure.
January 15, 2020
#WriterWednesday: WriterlyLinks And #WritersLife 15-01-20 - #AmWriting
In case you missed my post announcing it last week: "Puppy Poems And Rodent Rhymes" is now available in audio, narrated by Suzan K Hennen. You can find the purchase links for all available formats via the post I just linked to, or simply go buy the book from Audible.
If you'd like to get to know Suzan a little, you can check out her recent narrator interview, which went live on December 27th 2019.
As I mentioned would be the case in my first post for the year, with that announcement officially made, we're 100% caught up with everything involved in making all my books available in the various formats I offer. Which are multiple eBook formats, paperback, and audio, for anyone who might be new here. This means I'm free to let the publisher hat sit on the shelf for a bit while I work on producing new content. Something I'm glad to be able to do, let me tell you. After all, the writing is the best part of producing books. Well, actually, the best part is when someone reads the books, and then I find out they enjoyed them. That's why I do the less fun stuff required to publish my poems and stories after I'm done writing them. But the writing is the best part of the aspects of producing books I'm in control of.
I've booked a cover creation slot with one of my cover artists for April though, so I will have to start wearing my publisher hat again in a couple of months. For now though, I get to just focus on enjoying some writing sessions.
Anyway, I've been keeping an eye out for links for you between enjoying writing sessions and doing other things, so let's see what links I've managed to gather for you over the past couple of weeks, shall we?
First of all, does your workspace affect your writing? Short answer: it probably does, though perhaps more so for some than others. Check out the post I just linked to for ways you can make the energies of yours work for you rather than against you.
OK, so you have your writing space sorted out. Now, let's get writing!
What? You want to, but you're struggling to get motivated? Well, perhaps this guide to writing when you're feeling unmotivated, or this (almost) foolproof method for lifting yourself out of a writing slump, will help. If not, why not try these hacks to instantly finding the motivation to write, even when you don't feel like it. You're welcome.
Of course, sometimes you just need to hear more stories to make more stories.
Don't forget, if you're stuck for story ideas, there are plenty of great posts to help inspire you in among the posts for StoryStorm 2020. So, if you haven't done so, you should check those out.
When you have your idea and are ready to write, here's a simple writing exercise that might change your craft forever. It does work as well, so could potentially help you get that first draft written.
By the way, it doesn't matter when you're doing the first draft - and definitely doesn't if you're doing the stream of conciousness writing mentioned in the above paragraph - but when it comes to the revisions, don't forget, the start of your story needs these puzzle pieces to hook your reader. So make sure you include them.
Don't forget to make use of these laws of foreshadowing in your story, and build up suspense for your readers. But use them well, because they can be over used. Everything in moderation, after all.
Next, let's talk about character archetypes, complete with a trick to using them without over-populating your story.
Also, here's an interesting comparison between magical powers and psychic abilities. So, are they interchangeable? Feel free to share your thoughts on the matter.
No matter the kinds of abilities your characters may or may not have, remember that your stories are a mirror, so think about what you see when you look at what you have written, and what others will see when they read it.
Regardless of what your story is about, here's some advice for how to write a strong resolution.
No matter how your story ends, do you know what the hardest thing about being a writer is? The hardest part about being a writer is that you are not 'just' a writer, and have to be other things too. But that's a good thing. After all, what would you have to write about if you weren't those other things too?
Whatever you are besides being a writer, writers: find your light in the darkness, and remember you are not always going to love writing, but that's OK.
Another hard thing about being a writer - especially if you want to be a published author, and want people to buy your books - is marketing. It doesn't help that marketing trends are constantly changing, and what worked yesterday may not work today. So, if you're starting to think about what to do to market your book, you might want to take a look at this post on how to market your book in 2020, and these social media marketing tips for authors.
Finally, whether you're a writer or not, if you have a blog, don't forget to make your blog user-friendly. Though it doesn't say this in the post I just linked to, this should include making it accessable for disabled readers, such as visually impaired readers who may be using screen readers, for which things like pictures with no description, background music, etc, are a big issue. That's another argument for not using word verification... It's not easy - in fact, sometimes it's impossible - for blind people to do. The only reason one of those word verification things appears on my blog is it won't go away, even though I've told it not to have it on there. As I say in the comments section though, you should be able to ignore it and just hit "publish" for your comment to post anyhow. If I figure out how to actually make it go away, I'll get rid of it completely. Anyone else with a Blogger blog know how to do that? If so, I'd appreciate your help in doing so. Thanks in advance.
If you'd like to get to know Suzan a little, you can check out her recent narrator interview, which went live on December 27th 2019.
Poetry is subconscious conversation, it is as much the work of those who understand it and those who make it.
~Soniaa Sanchez
As I mentioned would be the case in my first post for the year, with that announcement officially made, we're 100% caught up with everything involved in making all my books available in the various formats I offer. Which are multiple eBook formats, paperback, and audio, for anyone who might be new here. This means I'm free to let the publisher hat sit on the shelf for a bit while I work on producing new content. Something I'm glad to be able to do, let me tell you. After all, the writing is the best part of producing books. Well, actually, the best part is when someone reads the books, and then I find out they enjoyed them. That's why I do the less fun stuff required to publish my poems and stories after I'm done writing them. But the writing is the best part of the aspects of producing books I'm in control of.
You have to simply love writing, and you have to remind yourself often that you love it.
~Susan Orlean
I've booked a cover creation slot with one of my cover artists for April though, so I will have to start wearing my publisher hat again in a couple of months. For now though, I get to just focus on enjoying some writing sessions.
Anyway, I've been keeping an eye out for links for you between enjoying writing sessions and doing other things, so let's see what links I've managed to gather for you over the past couple of weeks, shall we?
First of all, does your workspace affect your writing? Short answer: it probably does, though perhaps more so for some than others. Check out the post I just linked to for ways you can make the energies of yours work for you rather than against you.
OK, so you have your writing space sorted out. Now, let's get writing!
What? You want to, but you're struggling to get motivated? Well, perhaps this guide to writing when you're feeling unmotivated, or this (almost) foolproof method for lifting yourself out of a writing slump, will help. If not, why not try these hacks to instantly finding the motivation to write, even when you don't feel like it. You're welcome.
All you need to do is write one word after another. Don’t think about the whole novel, or about what you’ve written, just think about the next word.
~Karen Woodward
Of course, sometimes you just need to hear more stories to make more stories.
Don't forget, if you're stuck for story ideas, there are plenty of great posts to help inspire you in among the posts for StoryStorm 2020. So, if you haven't done so, you should check those out.
When you have your idea and are ready to write, here's a simple writing exercise that might change your craft forever. It does work as well, so could potentially help you get that first draft written.
By the way, it doesn't matter when you're doing the first draft - and definitely doesn't if you're doing the stream of conciousness writing mentioned in the above paragraph - but when it comes to the revisions, don't forget, the start of your story needs these puzzle pieces to hook your reader. So make sure you include them.
Don’t write it right, just write it—and then make it right later.
~Tara Moss
Don't forget to make use of these laws of foreshadowing in your story, and build up suspense for your readers. But use them well, because they can be over used. Everything in moderation, after all.
Next, let's talk about character archetypes, complete with a trick to using them without over-populating your story.
Also, here's an interesting comparison between magical powers and psychic abilities. So, are they interchangeable? Feel free to share your thoughts on the matter.
No matter the kinds of abilities your characters may or may not have, remember that your stories are a mirror, so think about what you see when you look at what you have written, and what others will see when they read it.
Whatever you describe to another person is also a revelation of who you are and who you think you are. You cannot describe anything without betraying your point of view, your aspirations, your fears, your hopes. Everything.
~James Baldwin
Regardless of what your story is about, here's some advice for how to write a strong resolution.
No matter how your story ends, do you know what the hardest thing about being a writer is? The hardest part about being a writer is that you are not 'just' a writer, and have to be other things too. But that's a good thing. After all, what would you have to write about if you weren't those other things too?
Whatever you are besides being a writer, writers: find your light in the darkness, and remember you are not always going to love writing, but that's OK.
Ask yourself in the stillest hour of the night: Must I write?
~Rainer Maria Rilke
Another hard thing about being a writer - especially if you want to be a published author, and want people to buy your books - is marketing. It doesn't help that marketing trends are constantly changing, and what worked yesterday may not work today. So, if you're starting to think about what to do to market your book, you might want to take a look at this post on how to market your book in 2020, and these social media marketing tips for authors.
Finally, whether you're a writer or not, if you have a blog, don't forget to make your blog user-friendly. Though it doesn't say this in the post I just linked to, this should include making it accessable for disabled readers, such as visually impaired readers who may be using screen readers, for which things like pictures with no description, background music, etc, are a big issue. That's another argument for not using word verification... It's not easy - in fact, sometimes it's impossible - for blind people to do. The only reason one of those word verification things appears on my blog is it won't go away, even though I've told it not to have it on there. As I say in the comments section though, you should be able to ignore it and just hit "publish" for your comment to post anyhow. If I figure out how to actually make it go away, I'll get rid of it completely. Anyone else with a Blogger blog know how to do that? If so, I'd appreciate your help in doing so. Thanks in advance.
January 14, 2020
Random Ramblings - January 14th 2020
Since very little has been happening around here, this post is just for me to share a couple of random things I wanted to mention that I haven't yet due to catching up on goal and holiday posts. Not that there's much, other than what I'll be catching you up on in upcoming "Furkid Friday" posts, but... *shrugs*
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Imbolc - which, for those who don't know, is the sabbat that heralds the dwindling of winter and the coming of warmth and new life, celebrating the Celtic fire goddess Brighid - is coming up in a couple of weeks (it falls on February 2nd, for those who don't know) and while trying to decide how to celebrate it this year, I decided to look online for some fun things to potentially do for it, in case something caught my eye that I'd like to do this year.
In my search, I found these Pagan craft projects, many of which sound fun. So I'm giving them a mention here, both for anyone else who might want to check them out, and for my own future reference.
I'm not sure if I'll do any of those this year, but new ideas are always welcome.
***~~~***
Did you know: on Imbolc this year, the date will be 02-02-2020. Take out the dashes, and you have a palindrome. In other words, for those who don't remember learning about those in school, without the dashes, the date will be one of those numbers you can read either way and it would be correct - the number version of words like "racecar" - since it would read 02022020. Just thought I'd mention that, for the benifit of anyone who might find it interesting.
Unlike the palindrome for 2021, which will either fall in February or December, depending on which way around you put the day and month when you write the date, the date it falls on is not in dispute, since it works whether you write the date as day-month-year (like most people in the UK do) or month-day-year (like most people in the US and Canada do). If you're interested though, the 2021 palindrome date falls either on February 12th or December 2nd, depending on whether you write the day or month first when writing the date as all numbers.
So, there you go. There's a random bit of information you probably don't care about. *wink*
***~~~***
My headache is mostly gone now. I'm just getting the odd twinge of mild pain - more discomfort than anything really - from time to time, which especially happens when I'm starting to get tired. Just thought you'd like to know.
Sticking on the subject of medical related stuff for a moment: Kelly's dentist appointment in December didn't go as planned.
Actually, it would be more accurate to say it didn't go at all, since he never had the appointment, despite them confirming over the phone only the day before it would be happening, and him arriving for it in plenty of time.
You see, he went for the appointment, as planned. No problem. At first all was fine, they got him all signed in, etc. Then they announced his appointment was going to be a bit late, and then a lot late. To cut a long story short, they gave him the choice of waiting there most of the day, after which they'd "hopefully," be able to see him, or making an appointment to come back another day. He wasn't happy, but made the new appointment. Personally, I'd have stayed there until they saw me on principle, especially since the reason for the delay was them making a private patient who didn't even have an appointment but demanded to be seen anyhow a priority. But Kelly didn't do that.
He came home with an appointment for January 8th. Meaning he spent the holidays in pain, and by the time he was seen had been trying to get something done about the toothache for two months.
I wish dentist choices for people who have to rely on the NHS and can't afford to be private patients weren't so limited, and we could go find a better dentist. But it is what it is, and this one is at least better than the first one we had in this area. So, all we can do is to be grateful we have the cover at all, while resisting the urge to rant about the unfairness of how the system works. Or at least resist that urge where they can hear us, in case it costs us what little 'care' we have from them, because no dentist access at all would be worse.
Anyway, Kelly's new appointment was this past Wednesday, and all went to plan this time, so he's sorted for a few months again.
I, however, will apparently have to go see the dentist again sooner than planned.
One of my front teeth has been capped since soon after it came through. It's the result of one of my adult teeth coming through before it should have, with part of the enamel not fully formed, because it wasn't really ready. It happened because I had my baby tooth knocked out when I was five and got in the way of my brothers fighting. Anyway, every half a dozen or so years, the cap comes off and needs replacing, which is exactly what it did this past Friday; on Friday, I bit down on something, and the cap came off.
So, back to the dentist I go, I guess. *sigh*
I wasn't able to deal with it at the time, so I called yesterday (Monday) to make an appointment. I hope they don't want me to come in and be looked at, only to come back another day to actually have it done. I hate when they do that! Anyway, my appointment is for next Tuesday (January 21st) at 4:35pm, because it was apparently the only appointment they had available for next week. Good thing I called when I did, or I might have been waiting several weeks.
***~~~***
Papa John's - the pizza place near us with the best vegan pizza options, even if they aren't the best pizza place for price - has some new vegan options. They've always had a couple, but they have a few new ones lately.
Now, I've tried several of their vegan sides, and enjoyed them. I love their vegan tater tots (vegan cheese on little potato pieces) and vegan marmite scrolls. I was brave enough to try their cauli wings (cauliflower with a crispy coating and dipping sauce) recently too, and those were pretty good, though the sauce is a bit hotter than I would generally want, so I won't be having those often, if I even do again. Although, I could add some vegan mayo to the sauce to cool it down... There would be more of it that way, but I could finish it off with something else...
Erm... Sorry... Where was I? Oh, yeah...
When it comes to pizza toppings, I'm more picky. Since I'm not a big fan of most of the meat replacements, generally I ignore the new options, opting to just stick to my vegan garden party pizza (vegan cheese with a selection of veggies).
But when I saw the jackfruit pepperoni, my love for jackfruit won out, and I decided to give it a taste.
I'm glad I did, because it was really good.
It's got enough of the smokey sort of flavour you'd associate with pepperoni to make it clear what it's trying to immitate, and give you plenty of flavour. But, at the same time, the sweetness of the jackfruit is there, making it easy to tell it's not pepperoni, and preventing you from having to deal with the "meaty" taste that puts me off most of the meat replacements.
So, a definite thumbs up from me, and one I'll be considering having again.
Or maybe I'll have the vegan garden party, but opt for some jackfruit pepperoni as an extra topping...
Not for a bit though, since I don't want to be having too much pizza, even if it does taste really good.
***~~~***
Imbolc - which, for those who don't know, is the sabbat that heralds the dwindling of winter and the coming of warmth and new life, celebrating the Celtic fire goddess Brighid - is coming up in a couple of weeks (it falls on February 2nd, for those who don't know) and while trying to decide how to celebrate it this year, I decided to look online for some fun things to potentially do for it, in case something caught my eye that I'd like to do this year.
In my search, I found these Pagan craft projects, many of which sound fun. So I'm giving them a mention here, both for anyone else who might want to check them out, and for my own future reference.
I'm not sure if I'll do any of those this year, but new ideas are always welcome.
***~~~***
Did you know: on Imbolc this year, the date will be 02-02-2020. Take out the dashes, and you have a palindrome. In other words, for those who don't remember learning about those in school, without the dashes, the date will be one of those numbers you can read either way and it would be correct - the number version of words like "racecar" - since it would read 02022020. Just thought I'd mention that, for the benifit of anyone who might find it interesting.
Unlike the palindrome for 2021, which will either fall in February or December, depending on which way around you put the day and month when you write the date, the date it falls on is not in dispute, since it works whether you write the date as day-month-year (like most people in the UK do) or month-day-year (like most people in the US and Canada do). If you're interested though, the 2021 palindrome date falls either on February 12th or December 2nd, depending on whether you write the day or month first when writing the date as all numbers.
So, there you go. There's a random bit of information you probably don't care about. *wink*
***~~~***
My headache is mostly gone now. I'm just getting the odd twinge of mild pain - more discomfort than anything really - from time to time, which especially happens when I'm starting to get tired. Just thought you'd like to know.
Sticking on the subject of medical related stuff for a moment: Kelly's dentist appointment in December didn't go as planned.
Actually, it would be more accurate to say it didn't go at all, since he never had the appointment, despite them confirming over the phone only the day before it would be happening, and him arriving for it in plenty of time.
You see, he went for the appointment, as planned. No problem. At first all was fine, they got him all signed in, etc. Then they announced his appointment was going to be a bit late, and then a lot late. To cut a long story short, they gave him the choice of waiting there most of the day, after which they'd "hopefully," be able to see him, or making an appointment to come back another day. He wasn't happy, but made the new appointment. Personally, I'd have stayed there until they saw me on principle, especially since the reason for the delay was them making a private patient who didn't even have an appointment but demanded to be seen anyhow a priority. But Kelly didn't do that.
He came home with an appointment for January 8th. Meaning he spent the holidays in pain, and by the time he was seen had been trying to get something done about the toothache for two months.
I wish dentist choices for people who have to rely on the NHS and can't afford to be private patients weren't so limited, and we could go find a better dentist. But it is what it is, and this one is at least better than the first one we had in this area. So, all we can do is to be grateful we have the cover at all, while resisting the urge to rant about the unfairness of how the system works. Or at least resist that urge where they can hear us, in case it costs us what little 'care' we have from them, because no dentist access at all would be worse.
Anyway, Kelly's new appointment was this past Wednesday, and all went to plan this time, so he's sorted for a few months again.
I, however, will apparently have to go see the dentist again sooner than planned.
One of my front teeth has been capped since soon after it came through. It's the result of one of my adult teeth coming through before it should have, with part of the enamel not fully formed, because it wasn't really ready. It happened because I had my baby tooth knocked out when I was five and got in the way of my brothers fighting. Anyway, every half a dozen or so years, the cap comes off and needs replacing, which is exactly what it did this past Friday; on Friday, I bit down on something, and the cap came off.
So, back to the dentist I go, I guess. *sigh*
I wasn't able to deal with it at the time, so I called yesterday (Monday) to make an appointment. I hope they don't want me to come in and be looked at, only to come back another day to actually have it done. I hate when they do that! Anyway, my appointment is for next Tuesday (January 21st) at 4:35pm, because it was apparently the only appointment they had available for next week. Good thing I called when I did, or I might have been waiting several weeks.
***~~~***
Papa John's - the pizza place near us with the best vegan pizza options, even if they aren't the best pizza place for price - has some new vegan options. They've always had a couple, but they have a few new ones lately.
Now, I've tried several of their vegan sides, and enjoyed them. I love their vegan tater tots (vegan cheese on little potato pieces) and vegan marmite scrolls. I was brave enough to try their cauli wings (cauliflower with a crispy coating and dipping sauce) recently too, and those were pretty good, though the sauce is a bit hotter than I would generally want, so I won't be having those often, if I even do again. Although, I could add some vegan mayo to the sauce to cool it down... There would be more of it that way, but I could finish it off with something else...
Erm... Sorry... Where was I? Oh, yeah...
When it comes to pizza toppings, I'm more picky. Since I'm not a big fan of most of the meat replacements, generally I ignore the new options, opting to just stick to my vegan garden party pizza (vegan cheese with a selection of veggies).
But when I saw the jackfruit pepperoni, my love for jackfruit won out, and I decided to give it a taste.
I'm glad I did, because it was really good.
It's got enough of the smokey sort of flavour you'd associate with pepperoni to make it clear what it's trying to immitate, and give you plenty of flavour. But, at the same time, the sweetness of the jackfruit is there, making it easy to tell it's not pepperoni, and preventing you from having to deal with the "meaty" taste that puts me off most of the meat replacements.
So, a definite thumbs up from me, and one I'll be considering having again.
Or maybe I'll have the vegan garden party, but opt for some jackfruit pepperoni as an extra topping...
Not for a bit though, since I don't want to be having too much pizza, even if it does taste really good.
January 13, 2020
#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 13-01-20
Learn from the past, prepare for the future, and perform in the moment.
~Mike Van Hoozer
What you seek is seeking you.
~Rumi
You have a clean slate every day you wake up. You have a chance every single morning to make that change and be the person you want to be. You just have to decide to do it. Decide today's the day. Say it; This is going to be my day.
~Brendon Burchard
A problem is a chance for you to do your best.
~Duke Ellington
If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything.
~John Wooden
The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.
~Malcolm X
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
~Jim Rohn
Opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming.
~Richard Branson
Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.
~Voltaire
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.
~Benjamin Franklin
Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are
~Bernice Johnson Reagon
Finish each day & be done with it. You have done what you could. Learn from it; tomorrow is a new day.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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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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