L.Y. Levand's Blog, page 31

The Money-Saver?

Maybe your resolution this year was to save money. That's hard to do sometimes, and for some people, it's even harder.

The first thing you can do to get started is to figure out just what you're spending. If you realize you've spent three hundred dollars on fast food in a month, you'll probably be more inclined to buy something that doesn't cost as much, or eat at home more.

That alone could save you money. So start by keeping track of what you're spending that you don't need to. This is called 'dispensable income.' Remove your dispensable income, and save the money in your bank account.

Just FYI, saving so you can splurge on something expensive does not equate to 'saving money.' That means you're saving for something. If your resolution was to save money, you're shooting yourself in the foot. Which is a bad idea.

This our last resolution post, so tell us how you're doing so far. Are you succeeding with your resolutions? Are you struggling? Have you overcome an obstacle? Let us know! :)

Can You See Your Little Piggies?

Weekly Challenge: Reach For Your Toes Every Day
To do this, keep your knees and back straight.

You don't have to actually grab your toes, but you DO have to reach that direction. (Lounging back on the floor does not count as a stretch!) You can do this from standing or sitting, whichever is easier for you.

Don't overstretch, and don't hurt yourself. A simple, easy stretch is good. It's not a competition to see who can hurt the most this week. We're building flexibility, not pain resistance.

Don't get frustrated if you can't reach as far as you'd like. It's a gradual process, and trying to go too fast could cause you injury.

Flexibility is something that diminishes as you age, so building it up is important, whether you're as flexible as a rubber band, or feel more like someone's trying to bend a steel girder.

Tell us about how you're doing with your stretches this week. Leave a comment! :)

January 27th, 2013

Well, this first month of the new year is coming to a close. And as it does, I wonder why we don't celebrate each new month.

Without the months, there wouldn't be a year, would there? And each month has as much of a new start as each year. A new year is a celebration of life; why not each month? Maybe we should appreciate the start of a new month the same way we appreciate a new year.

And I don't mean with all night celebrations. I mean with a great deal of thought about how to improve ourselves.

It's a shorter span of time, yes, but imagine if we all made a similar effort to improve ourselves for every month like we do for January. Wouldn't all of us be better people for it?

Tell us what you think. Leave a comment below! :)

January 26th, 2013

Beenie hurtled through the air, into the darkness of the woods beyond the tree tower. Below her, she could barely hear Troy scampering along on the ground. The gnomes were shouting, screeching, screaming for them to stop.

"Troy!" Beenie yelled. "Troy, where are we going?"

Beenie had realized, a little late, that she was completely dependent on Troy when it came to navigating the forest. She wasn't sure this was a good thing.

"This way!" Troy yelled back, panting. "We're going to the market square!"

"Why there?" Beenie asked. The clamor of the gnomes was dying out; but Beenie knew it was only a matter of time before they decided what to do. And then Beenie and Troy would be pursued. They needed help. Fast.

"Lots of homes off it," Troy said, panting. "Lots of people. We can get help."

"Do you know how to get there?" Beenie asked.

"Yes. I think so."

That didn't sound good.

"You think so?" Beenie asked, her voice rising in pitch. "You don't know?"

"It's dark," Troy complained. "I've never been this way when it's dark. Everything looks different at night."

"I hope we don't get lost, Troy," Beenie said, swerving under a tree branch. "Because if we get lost, there's no telling what might happen."

"I know," said Troy, sounding miserable. "They saw us. They'll figure out who I am, and then go to my house."

"They can't possibly know who you are," said Beenie. "They only caught a glimpse of us."

"Yeah," Troy said. "But who has a fairy visiting them?"

Harbinger, Tracts 1 and 2, By Angelica Whaley

The following flash fiction is written in a form the author calls 'poetic prose.' Since neither of us is sure of the technical term, that's what we're calling it! It's the story of DOE, a mechanical deer in search of life on a world that's seemingly empty.
TRACT I : Alone In a jungle dwelt a deer.
No ordinary deer, as one whose limbs were sinew and bone;
rather a deer of cords and pistons. DOE.

DOE's light flickered past the trees.
Colors of blue and gold, shades afleeting.
Her iron hooves kicked up and bound,
Carrying far, far, far, into the wilderness.

A single eye crowned her head, pierced the shadow.
"What will we find here?" "What will we find there?"
Nothing was ever found.

Seeking 'til memory forsook idea,
'Til days grew longer;
She crossed a deep valley.

Dusk gathered beneath trees,
But DOE labored on in silence.
Skipping over every knot and knoll,
She came across a peculiar climate.

There ground was as water to sink past the heels,
and tree roots twined a marsh basin.
"Peculiar, peculiar, peculiar, indeed!"
TRACT II : Life Mud grew solid nary a league beyond.
She trailed into a forest, serene and emerald,
With summertime flowers asleep in the night.

Beneath a stolid moon it came to her,
A darkening flash past the light of her gaze.
"What is this thing, all lit and alive?"
A winged creature floating idly by.

"Firefly, firefly, is that your name?"
No response could ever come.
A mechanical squeal and it was gone.

"Come Firefly, your threads are needed,
I'll recreate you better than before."
Then a joyful leap took DOE therefrom.

Spirits waxed high, she zipped and sped.
"Return home DOE, at last we may!
This bit of life will not live long.
Accelerate, accelerate!"

Thence DOE fled, a gleam under twilight,
Faster than any mortal leg could muster.
When all of a startle, shrieking from the deep.

Meet Patrick Carr, Author Of A Cast Of Stones!

A Cast Of Stones
Hosted By I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.
Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny. Purchase
Amazon * Barnes & Noble
Tour Schedule
Interview With Author Patrick W. Carr
1: When did you decide to write Cast of Stones, and why?

I’d always wanted to write. In fact, I’d written a YA series of three books before I started “A Cast of Stones.” I was reading through my Bible and came across the verse that says “God is in the lot.” That was the inspiration for the book. My imagination just took off with the idea. All these “what-ifs” started going through my head.

2: What would you say has been your favorite part of writing a book?

The feeling of creating something that no one’s ever seen before. I think that creative spark is something we all need whether it’s through writing, music, woodworking, cooking, or whatever. It’s such a gift. When I’m in the zone, the adrenaline rush is amazing.

3: Do you think your traveling as a child affected how you write?

I’m sure. Being an Air Force brat placed me in a lot of different situations, but it also forced me to say goodbye to a lot of friends along the way. I still miss some of them even now some forty plus years later.

4: What first inspired you to start writing?

I think it was all the books I read as a teenager. I was a late bloomer, didn’t even learn how to read until 3rd grade, but once I did, I read everything. The desire to write my own tales flowed from that.

5: I don't think a lot of people would associate a math teacher with a fantasy writer; what would you say to them?

People are complicated. I teach at a math/science magnet, but I tell my students to live a big life. Do things. Try things. You can never tell what you’ll fall in love with.

6: How did you come up with the idea for the plot of Cast of Stones?

I wanted to write a story around the theme that everyone is important. I started the book and got stuck after three chapters and shelved it for a few years. One day the idea for a different way to approach the story kind of exploded in my head. I wrote as much of the plot down as I could so I wouldn’t lose it. I know that’s not a great answer, but sometimes I have to let things gestate for a time in which it seems nothing is happening, but then all of a sudden it pops out.

7: Who is your favorite character and why?

Errol. He’s flawed and hurting and does the best he can to cope. There are times when he wants to give up, but somehow he keeps pushing on. I love his stubborn courage and honesty.

8: Is there a particular message you were trying to bring out in your book? If yes, then what was it?

Yes. The theme I most wanted to bring out was that everyone was important, no matter how unattractive they may appear. Author Patrick W, Carr
Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird. Website * Facebook

Taking A Journey? Start With An Open Mind!

"Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities." ~ William Throsby Bridges You could go through the most harrowing journey that would provoke thoughts and actions that never would have occurred to most people - but it is up to you to look at it that way.

If you go through that journey and learn nothing, it's not the fault of the journey. It's because you weren't paying attention, or refused to be moved. Beginnings start with the heart and mind of the person involved; not the journey taken.

Was Your Resolution To 'Be Nice'?

Perhaps your New Year's Resolution was to be nicer to people. Or kinder. Or more understanding.

But how do you accomplish that?

For me, this is relatively easy. Just imagine yourself in their place, and see what you would do or want if you were in their position.

If someone is being grumpy at a store, ask yourself if maybe they stayed up with a screaming baby all night. If you had done that, would you want to put up with whatever attitude you're giving that person now? Or would you maybe want a smile and sincere hello? You never know when that might make someone's day.

January 21st, 2013

Weekly Challenge: Don't complain

Complaining is as much a part of our lives as the food we eat. But it's generally a negative thing, and doesn't do us much good. I don't think any of us can get through a whole week without complaining once, but that's the goal. If you slip, don't beat yourself up about it (please. this is supposed to be a positive thing). Just try again later.

And remember to smile!

Check out the Weekly Challenge forum thread!

A Resolution Reminder!

Right about now, everyone is probably beating themselves up about not sticking to their resolutions. Either that, or they've thrown their hands up in despair or frustration, and said 'I'm never making resolutions again.' Unless you're the rare person whose willpower is standing the test of time. If you are, you're probably superhuman, and have my congratulations.

But most of you are just human. And this is for you. :)

In this new year, I wonder how many people made resolutions that have to do with losing weight, or something else like that. And I also wonder who made resolutions like wanting to help others, or be more selfless. I've been put under the impression that lots of resolutions are inherently selfish in nature - and even those often fail to last the whole year, let alone two months.

Perhaps we should all try to make a lasting resolution for others. Perhaps if we think about others rather than ourselves, the resolutions for this year will last longer. But even if it only lasts a few weeks, it's a good exercise for your selfless side.

You could try doing one nice thing every day. A good deed every week. Sending cards to the sick. It's easy, really. And fun, too!

Did you make a selfless resolution? Tell us about it!