Lydia Howe's Blog, page 47
February 17, 2015
101 Secrets for Your Twenties
101 Secrets for Your Twenties
By Paul Angone
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First personOne Point of ViewNon-fiction 208 Pages
About the book: (From the back cover)
Every twenty-something needs a little black book of secrets.Our twenties are filled with confusion, terrible jobs, anticipation, disappointment, cubicles, break-ups, transition, quarter-life crisis, loneliness, post-college what the heck, moderate success sandwiched in-between complete failure, and we need a worn, weathered guide stashed somewhere close by to help shed some light on this defining decade.This is that book. Expanded from the blog post, "21 Secrets for Your 20s" that spread like Internet wildfire with nearly a million readers in 190 countries, 101 Secrets for Your Twenties will encourage, inspire, prompt a plethora of LOLs, and kick-start your life forward with its witty, honest, and hilarious wisdom-stuffed-pearls to help you rock life in your twenties.
Why I choose this book:
I'm in my twenties. It seemed like the natural thing to do.
What I thought:
Let's just say it wasn't my cup of tea. The back cover blurb says the book is an expanded form of a blog post and that's what it felt like: a bunch of blog posts. Which is not a bad thing! It's just not my style and so reading the book was painful. Like, I will read three more pages before I let myself stop, kind of painful. I'm pretty sure it's a great book (it has 141 5-star ratings out of a total of 183 reviews on Amazon, that's amazing!), it just didn't click with me. I actually had a hard time retaining much of the information because I my mind just wouldn't focus with the style.
Conclusion:
I have a feeling that if I would have gotten this book and read it like a blog, one post each day, then I would have had a higher opinion of it. Sadly, I had to get it reviewed and so my fast-paced reading (which is what I always do) didn't work. The cover is pretty neat and even the way they formatted the inside of the book is interesting (in a good way), just not my style.
Rating:
I'm giving the book two stars. I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.
By Paul Angone
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First personOne Point of ViewNon-fiction 208 Pages
About the book: (From the back cover)
Every twenty-something needs a little black book of secrets.Our twenties are filled with confusion, terrible jobs, anticipation, disappointment, cubicles, break-ups, transition, quarter-life crisis, loneliness, post-college what the heck, moderate success sandwiched in-between complete failure, and we need a worn, weathered guide stashed somewhere close by to help shed some light on this defining decade.This is that book. Expanded from the blog post, "21 Secrets for Your 20s" that spread like Internet wildfire with nearly a million readers in 190 countries, 101 Secrets for Your Twenties will encourage, inspire, prompt a plethora of LOLs, and kick-start your life forward with its witty, honest, and hilarious wisdom-stuffed-pearls to help you rock life in your twenties.
Why I choose this book:
I'm in my twenties. It seemed like the natural thing to do.
What I thought:
Let's just say it wasn't my cup of tea. The back cover blurb says the book is an expanded form of a blog post and that's what it felt like: a bunch of blog posts. Which is not a bad thing! It's just not my style and so reading the book was painful. Like, I will read three more pages before I let myself stop, kind of painful. I'm pretty sure it's a great book (it has 141 5-star ratings out of a total of 183 reviews on Amazon, that's amazing!), it just didn't click with me. I actually had a hard time retaining much of the information because I my mind just wouldn't focus with the style.
Conclusion:
I have a feeling that if I would have gotten this book and read it like a blog, one post each day, then I would have had a higher opinion of it. Sadly, I had to get it reviewed and so my fast-paced reading (which is what I always do) didn't work. The cover is pretty neat and even the way they formatted the inside of the book is interesting (in a good way), just not my style.
Rating:
I'm giving the book two stars. I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.
Growing Up Social - Book Review
Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World
By Gary D Chapman and Arlene Pellicane Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First PersonTwo points of viewNon-fiction 241 Pages
About the book: (From the backcover)
In this digital age, children are spending more and more time interacting with a screen rather than a parent. Technology has the potential to add value to our families, but it can also erode a sense of togetherness and hinder a child's emotional growth. In Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World, you'll learn how to take back your home from an over-dependence on screens. Discover the five A+ skills needed to give your child the relational edge in a screen-driven world: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. Today's screens aren't just in our living rooms; they are in our pockets. Now is the time to equip your child to live with screen time, notfor screen time. Constant entertainment is not the goal of childhood. No phone, tablet, or gaming device can teach your child how to have healthy relationships; only you can. Growing Up Social will help you:
Equip your child to be relational rich in a digital worldReplace mindless screen time with meaningful family timeEstablish simple boundaries that make a huge differenceRead what's working for the screen savvy family down the streetPrepare your child to succeed down the road in relationships and lifeLearn healthy ways to occupy your child while you get things done
Why I choose this book:
I find this subject to be interesting. My parents have been what many people consider strict with our use of technology (no TV, Facebook only for those of us who need it for work, no cell phone's until we're twenty, etc...), and yet it's a huge part of my life as a writer. Plus, I appreciate Gary Chapman's work on the Five Love Languages.
What I thought:
Y'all, I have decided that I miss the most obvious things while picking out a book to read. I seriously didn't realize this book would be so much about child raising. I know, I know, duh. I thought it would focus mainly on how to raise kids in regards to using technology. Instead it talked about raising kids in general, in a screen-filled world. There were different studies, lots of well-thought out and researched information, real-life experiences and much more. They also had suggestions of how use technology to your advantage while making sure it doesn't control your life. It was easy to read and surprisingly enjoyable. I found myself very intrigued and wanting to read more each day. It also helped me take better note of how I'm spending my time and how much I've dedicated to "screen-time". Now that I'm more aware of how I've wasted time on my phone, computer, the internet, etc... I am working at making better choices.
Conclusion:
It was pretty cool for me to read this book while I was in Africa taking a two week break from computer, internet, texting and phone calls (with the exception of talking to my mom for a few minutes on her birthday). Plus, I was a little bit surprised to see how many of the ideas they talked about that I already put into practice (such as having one or two days a week with no internet or computer). Even though this book wasn't exactly written for people at my place in life, I really, really enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. I would recommend it strongly. There's probably something I didn't agree with, but nothing comes to mind right now.
Rating:
I'm giving it five stars.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.
By Gary D Chapman and Arlene Pellicane Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First PersonTwo points of viewNon-fiction 241 Pages
About the book: (From the backcover)
In this digital age, children are spending more and more time interacting with a screen rather than a parent. Technology has the potential to add value to our families, but it can also erode a sense of togetherness and hinder a child's emotional growth. In Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World, you'll learn how to take back your home from an over-dependence on screens. Discover the five A+ skills needed to give your child the relational edge in a screen-driven world: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. Today's screens aren't just in our living rooms; they are in our pockets. Now is the time to equip your child to live with screen time, notfor screen time. Constant entertainment is not the goal of childhood. No phone, tablet, or gaming device can teach your child how to have healthy relationships; only you can. Growing Up Social will help you:
Equip your child to be relational rich in a digital worldReplace mindless screen time with meaningful family timeEstablish simple boundaries that make a huge differenceRead what's working for the screen savvy family down the streetPrepare your child to succeed down the road in relationships and lifeLearn healthy ways to occupy your child while you get things done
Why I choose this book:
I find this subject to be interesting. My parents have been what many people consider strict with our use of technology (no TV, Facebook only for those of us who need it for work, no cell phone's until we're twenty, etc...), and yet it's a huge part of my life as a writer. Plus, I appreciate Gary Chapman's work on the Five Love Languages.
What I thought:
Y'all, I have decided that I miss the most obvious things while picking out a book to read. I seriously didn't realize this book would be so much about child raising. I know, I know, duh. I thought it would focus mainly on how to raise kids in regards to using technology. Instead it talked about raising kids in general, in a screen-filled world. There were different studies, lots of well-thought out and researched information, real-life experiences and much more. They also had suggestions of how use technology to your advantage while making sure it doesn't control your life. It was easy to read and surprisingly enjoyable. I found myself very intrigued and wanting to read more each day. It also helped me take better note of how I'm spending my time and how much I've dedicated to "screen-time". Now that I'm more aware of how I've wasted time on my phone, computer, the internet, etc... I am working at making better choices.
Conclusion:
It was pretty cool for me to read this book while I was in Africa taking a two week break from computer, internet, texting and phone calls (with the exception of talking to my mom for a few minutes on her birthday). Plus, I was a little bit surprised to see how many of the ideas they talked about that I already put into practice (such as having one or two days a week with no internet or computer). Even though this book wasn't exactly written for people at my place in life, I really, really enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. I would recommend it strongly. There's probably something I didn't agree with, but nothing comes to mind right now.
Rating:
I'm giving it five stars.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.
Writing Schedule
I've been pondering a very important idea in my head and have decided to take some action and make it more of my reality.
I need a writing schedule. I'm not even sure what all that entails yet, but I'm letting y'all know so as I begin to make my life more effective you can help keep me accountable.
A lot of my writing time is interrupted by dozens of little and not so little things: People, Cooking, Teaching, Emails, Blogs, Walks, Messy room, Texts, Research, Reading, Eating and just Life. And while all those things are a needed part of my life, it seems like I also use them as an excuse to not be as productive as I need to be.
It's hard for me to get into the "writing mode" when I only have a half an hour or so to write, so often times I decide it's not worth it and I use my thirty minutes to do research or answer emails or that kind of thing. Which of course is also needed. My problem is that I flitter from task to task like a butterfly in a meadow full of flowers. While that might keep a butterfly alive, it's not very good for my writing life.
What I need to do is pick an activity to focus on each time I have a portion of time to spend my writing entourage and then stick with it. These activities include, but are not limited to:
~Writing~Brainstorming & Plotting~Research~Answering Emails~Sending out emails in regards to publicity (guest blogging, book signings, speaking engagements, etc...)~Updating my blogs ~Updating my other social media ~Editing my work ~Working with my Beta readers~Beta reading~Reading in general
Photo credits go to my adopted mom
If I'm going to focus on writing then I'll leave the research for another time. If I'm going to focus on answering emails, I'll do that for a certain amount of time and then move on. I won't write half of a blog post and then flip around and take a stab at plotting. Make sense?
I'm still not sure how I'll decide what order to work on my different writing activities. You see, since I also have a non-writing related job I often don't get the same hours to spend up in my office. I guess I'll just have to spend this week in trial and error and then give y'all an update next week.
If any of you have suggestions, I'd be delighted to hear them. I hope y'all are having a wonderful, cozy, snowy Tuesday morning!
I need a writing schedule. I'm not even sure what all that entails yet, but I'm letting y'all know so as I begin to make my life more effective you can help keep me accountable.
A lot of my writing time is interrupted by dozens of little and not so little things: People, Cooking, Teaching, Emails, Blogs, Walks, Messy room, Texts, Research, Reading, Eating and just Life. And while all those things are a needed part of my life, it seems like I also use them as an excuse to not be as productive as I need to be.
It's hard for me to get into the "writing mode" when I only have a half an hour or so to write, so often times I decide it's not worth it and I use my thirty minutes to do research or answer emails or that kind of thing. Which of course is also needed. My problem is that I flitter from task to task like a butterfly in a meadow full of flowers. While that might keep a butterfly alive, it's not very good for my writing life.
What I need to do is pick an activity to focus on each time I have a portion of time to spend my writing entourage and then stick with it. These activities include, but are not limited to:
~Writing~Brainstorming & Plotting~Research~Answering Emails~Sending out emails in regards to publicity (guest blogging, book signings, speaking engagements, etc...)~Updating my blogs ~Updating my other social media ~Editing my work ~Working with my Beta readers~Beta reading~Reading in general
Photo credits go to my adopted momIf I'm going to focus on writing then I'll leave the research for another time. If I'm going to focus on answering emails, I'll do that for a certain amount of time and then move on. I won't write half of a blog post and then flip around and take a stab at plotting. Make sense?
I'm still not sure how I'll decide what order to work on my different writing activities. You see, since I also have a non-writing related job I often don't get the same hours to spend up in my office. I guess I'll just have to spend this week in trial and error and then give y'all an update next week.
If any of you have suggestions, I'd be delighted to hear them. I hope y'all are having a wonderful, cozy, snowy Tuesday morning!
February 16, 2015
Book Signing & Home!
I'm home! Happy, happy words. I'm so happy and amazed and excited (ya know, all those good kinds of things) to be back home. We planned on coming on tomorrow, but due to a winter storm we decided to cut our visit to my sister's family short. We arrived at their house around 8:30 yesterday evening and then left at 11:00 pm. After driving through the night we arrived at our house at 5:00 this morning. It was a last-minute change of plans and even though it was disappointing to not get to spend more time with my nieces and nephews, it is so good to be back home after 37 memory-filled days.
My book signing at the LaGrange Bookworm on Saturday oh yes, Happy belated Valentine's Day! was a wonderful experience. The store wasn't very busy but hey, it was a used bookstore. That of course means there were thousands of books to browse through while waiting for customers to come in.
I enjoyed getting to talk with the people who owned the bookstore (thank you for your amazing hospitality!) and they even gave me a cute little Valentine's Day bear.
I have been pondering the idea of having one of my character's aunt own a used bookstore, so I spent a lot of time asking questions and just wandering around the store, envisioning how I would incorporate such a setting into my book. Although come to think of it, maybe bookstores are a little over used in my writing since they're already in two of my books. I guess y'all can tell what kind of stores I like.
It was also wonderful getting to meet all the customers who came in. I had a lot of fun telling them about my books and hearing about the kids they were planning on giving the books to. It's rather thrilling to imagine kids across the United States actually reading my books and enjoying them.
The low amount of traffic at the bookstore, and hence the book signing, might have been discouraging except I knew what to expect. I went into the book signing with the idea of using it as practice and being a blessing to those who were there. I haven't set up many book signings on my own yet, but every time I do I get a little bit more comfortable with the process. Plus giving a succinct answer when someone asks what my books are about is something I'm still working on so it's helpful to practice when I'm not busy.
I'm excited to see what kind of book signings I'll end up doing during the rest of this year!
* * * And now that I'm back home I'm excited to dive back into the world of blogging and hopefully get back on schedule. Y'all, it's amazing to be sitting here in my office on my writing chair with my rat on my shoulder and connect with y'all again. I'd be delighted to hear about what you've been up to. :)
My book signing at the LaGrange Bookworm on Saturday oh yes, Happy belated Valentine's Day! was a wonderful experience. The store wasn't very busy but hey, it was a used bookstore. That of course means there were thousands of books to browse through while waiting for customers to come in.
I enjoyed getting to talk with the people who owned the bookstore (thank you for your amazing hospitality!) and they even gave me a cute little Valentine's Day bear.
I have been pondering the idea of having one of my character's aunt own a used bookstore, so I spent a lot of time asking questions and just wandering around the store, envisioning how I would incorporate such a setting into my book. Although come to think of it, maybe bookstores are a little over used in my writing since they're already in two of my books. I guess y'all can tell what kind of stores I like.
It was also wonderful getting to meet all the customers who came in. I had a lot of fun telling them about my books and hearing about the kids they were planning on giving the books to. It's rather thrilling to imagine kids across the United States actually reading my books and enjoying them.
The low amount of traffic at the bookstore, and hence the book signing, might have been discouraging except I knew what to expect. I went into the book signing with the idea of using it as practice and being a blessing to those who were there. I haven't set up many book signings on my own yet, but every time I do I get a little bit more comfortable with the process. Plus giving a succinct answer when someone asks what my books are about is something I'm still working on so it's helpful to practice when I'm not busy.
I'm excited to see what kind of book signings I'll end up doing during the rest of this year!
* * * And now that I'm back home I'm excited to dive back into the world of blogging and hopefully get back on schedule. Y'all, it's amazing to be sitting here in my office on my writing chair with my rat on my shoulder and connect with y'all again. I'd be delighted to hear about what you've been up to. :)
February 13, 2015
When Life Hands You Lymes #58 & Book Signing
Hey Everyone! Happy Friday!
I have some exciting news for y'all. Tomorrow (Saturday the 14th) I'll be doing a book signing at the LaGrange BookWorm from noon until 4:00 pm. I would be so delighted to see some of y'all there!
And of course since it's Friday it's time for the 58th segment of my fictional story, When Life Hands You Lymes. Enjoy!
It was a cloudless night and since everyone else in the house had gone to bed, most of the lights were turned off. Lying back in my hammock I gazed into the deep expanse overhead, amazed at how it went on and on. The longer I looked, the more my eyes became adjusted to what I was seeing and new layers of stars became faint glows. At last the peace of the night evaded my body, relaxing me. There was a stillness all around me that made breathing seem easier. I put my hands behind my head. Now that I had calmed down a little bit I had to agree that there was a bit of truth to what Katie had said. These nights were peaceful, if it weren’t for what followed in the morning and what I had to give up because of these nights, there was a chance I would really appreciate them. It was almost like I was beginning to live in a different world from the rest of my family and friends. My life consisted of a number of things unlike anyone else I knew. The doctor visits. The sleepless nights. The total change of pace. It’s not like these things were uncommon in the grand scheme of life, but in my limited sphere of influence they were pretty unique. After several hours I meandered into my music room, sat down at my piano, closed my eyes and let my fingers play out the melody of a deep, starlit night and a lonely girl begging for answers. Music was the vehicle that my mind sped away in, flittering in and out and somehow figuring out how to make sense of the confusing emotions that plagued my life and swallowed up my future. “I don’t know what to do any more, God.” At last I let my hands drop from the keys. “I guess there’s one good thing about staying up this late all the time, I don’t have anyone else to talk to beside You so I’m beginning to actually be smart and realize how much You mean to me.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “This kind of life is getting rather redundant. I wouldn’t be opposed to it changing back to how it used to be.” I played out a couple of cords. “You know, You could maybe help me actually feel well for a change? Maybe I could actually have the energy and brain power to hang out with people? You could even do something small like help me be able to sleep for a whole night?” I punched my fist into my open hand and cringed as my knuckles cracked. I hate the sound. Wandering over to my violin, I stroke the varnished, honey colored wood and close my eyes, letting the soothing melodies of past years wash through my memory. At one time I truly thought my music would be amazing; maybe even life changing in some spectacular way. Feeling my legs weakening, I sit down on the floor and then crawl into my bedroom and somehow hoist myself into bed, not worrying about brushing my teeth or washing my face, I have no energy left. Changing the world. I study the ceiling even though I can’t really see much in the darkness and remember what I used to believe as a little girl. I thought my life was going to make a difference. I thought what I did was going to be useful for humanity. That my fingerprint would be left on the canvas of a multitude of lives, making them better. My days were full, my life was brimming, my heart was bursting. I was playing music for charities, church or in nursing homes several times most weeks and I loved it. I felt useful. I felt needed. I felt loved. Now I’m doing good to drag myself out of the house for the Ashburg Symphony and I’ve dropped the rest of my engagements, trading them for the drudgery of sleepless nights and a hopeless future. The ceiling slowly brightens as the dawning sun streams through my open windows and I hear the smooth purr of a car starting up and then the low rumble as it leaves; probably Dad heading to work. I drag myself out of the hollow I’ve created in my bed and stumble into my kitchenette to gag down my morning dosage of remedies. “You’re awake.” Mom comes in, still in her jogging clothes and gives me a quick hug. “How was last night?” I shrug, too despondent to answer. “We need to leave for the Health Department to get your blood drawn as soon as breakfast is over, do you need help getting ready?” I eye the brimming counter in front of me, full of disgusting-tasting herbs and vitamins. “I’ll be ready.” My voice comes out dull. After I take my shower and get dressed I’m so exhausted I can’t even do my hair. I stand in my dressing room and eye the bed across the hall but can’t imagine walking all of the way into it. Instead I ball up some of my clothes to use as a pillow and lie down right there, thankful for the thick carpeting. “Madalyn.” Mom’s gentle shake wakes me up and I peel my eyes open with a groan. “I’m sorry, but we have to go get your blood drawn now.” She continues shaking me until I sit up and nod. “Ok.” I’m not sure how, but I drag myself out to Mom’s car where she helps me buckle up then hands me a ham and cheese croissant and a bottle of water. I take several bites, knowing she’ll harp on me about low blood sugar if I don’t. Sitting in the waiting room twenty minutes later I lean my head on Mom’s shoulder and fall into a troubled sleep while waiting for the nurse to call my name. The first time I got my blood drawn it wasn’t so bad, but after they poke me time and time again, repeatedly filling little containers with my life blood, I’ve begun to despise the process. It doesn’t help any that sometimes they can’t get a vein on the first try and have to stab the little needle into me several times before they succeed.
I have some exciting news for y'all. Tomorrow (Saturday the 14th) I'll be doing a book signing at the LaGrange BookWorm from noon until 4:00 pm. I would be so delighted to see some of y'all there!
And of course since it's Friday it's time for the 58th segment of my fictional story, When Life Hands You Lymes. Enjoy!
It was a cloudless night and since everyone else in the house had gone to bed, most of the lights were turned off. Lying back in my hammock I gazed into the deep expanse overhead, amazed at how it went on and on. The longer I looked, the more my eyes became adjusted to what I was seeing and new layers of stars became faint glows. At last the peace of the night evaded my body, relaxing me. There was a stillness all around me that made breathing seem easier. I put my hands behind my head. Now that I had calmed down a little bit I had to agree that there was a bit of truth to what Katie had said. These nights were peaceful, if it weren’t for what followed in the morning and what I had to give up because of these nights, there was a chance I would really appreciate them. It was almost like I was beginning to live in a different world from the rest of my family and friends. My life consisted of a number of things unlike anyone else I knew. The doctor visits. The sleepless nights. The total change of pace. It’s not like these things were uncommon in the grand scheme of life, but in my limited sphere of influence they were pretty unique. After several hours I meandered into my music room, sat down at my piano, closed my eyes and let my fingers play out the melody of a deep, starlit night and a lonely girl begging for answers. Music was the vehicle that my mind sped away in, flittering in and out and somehow figuring out how to make sense of the confusing emotions that plagued my life and swallowed up my future. “I don’t know what to do any more, God.” At last I let my hands drop from the keys. “I guess there’s one good thing about staying up this late all the time, I don’t have anyone else to talk to beside You so I’m beginning to actually be smart and realize how much You mean to me.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “This kind of life is getting rather redundant. I wouldn’t be opposed to it changing back to how it used to be.” I played out a couple of cords. “You know, You could maybe help me actually feel well for a change? Maybe I could actually have the energy and brain power to hang out with people? You could even do something small like help me be able to sleep for a whole night?” I punched my fist into my open hand and cringed as my knuckles cracked. I hate the sound. Wandering over to my violin, I stroke the varnished, honey colored wood and close my eyes, letting the soothing melodies of past years wash through my memory. At one time I truly thought my music would be amazing; maybe even life changing in some spectacular way. Feeling my legs weakening, I sit down on the floor and then crawl into my bedroom and somehow hoist myself into bed, not worrying about brushing my teeth or washing my face, I have no energy left. Changing the world. I study the ceiling even though I can’t really see much in the darkness and remember what I used to believe as a little girl. I thought my life was going to make a difference. I thought what I did was going to be useful for humanity. That my fingerprint would be left on the canvas of a multitude of lives, making them better. My days were full, my life was brimming, my heart was bursting. I was playing music for charities, church or in nursing homes several times most weeks and I loved it. I felt useful. I felt needed. I felt loved. Now I’m doing good to drag myself out of the house for the Ashburg Symphony and I’ve dropped the rest of my engagements, trading them for the drudgery of sleepless nights and a hopeless future. The ceiling slowly brightens as the dawning sun streams through my open windows and I hear the smooth purr of a car starting up and then the low rumble as it leaves; probably Dad heading to work. I drag myself out of the hollow I’ve created in my bed and stumble into my kitchenette to gag down my morning dosage of remedies. “You’re awake.” Mom comes in, still in her jogging clothes and gives me a quick hug. “How was last night?” I shrug, too despondent to answer. “We need to leave for the Health Department to get your blood drawn as soon as breakfast is over, do you need help getting ready?” I eye the brimming counter in front of me, full of disgusting-tasting herbs and vitamins. “I’ll be ready.” My voice comes out dull. After I take my shower and get dressed I’m so exhausted I can’t even do my hair. I stand in my dressing room and eye the bed across the hall but can’t imagine walking all of the way into it. Instead I ball up some of my clothes to use as a pillow and lie down right there, thankful for the thick carpeting. “Madalyn.” Mom’s gentle shake wakes me up and I peel my eyes open with a groan. “I’m sorry, but we have to go get your blood drawn now.” She continues shaking me until I sit up and nod. “Ok.” I’m not sure how, but I drag myself out to Mom’s car where she helps me buckle up then hands me a ham and cheese croissant and a bottle of water. I take several bites, knowing she’ll harp on me about low blood sugar if I don’t. Sitting in the waiting room twenty minutes later I lean my head on Mom’s shoulder and fall into a troubled sleep while waiting for the nurse to call my name. The first time I got my blood drawn it wasn’t so bad, but after they poke me time and time again, repeatedly filling little containers with my life blood, I’ve begun to despise the process. It doesn’t help any that sometimes they can’t get a vein on the first try and have to stab the little needle into me several times before they succeed.
February 11, 2015
Salt and Light Conference - Some of my Notes
Day two of the Salt and Light conference left me with about twelve pages filled with amazing notes. I wanted to be able to share this extraordinary experience with y'all, so I thought I'd post some of the thought provoking quotes I wrote down. It's a mis-mash of ideas from various speakers; I hope you enjoy!
* God wants us to succeed in every aspect of our life. Work hard and diligently then turn it over to God and let Him multiply it
* If you don't value people, you will use people
* God strips us of the things we would use in our own strength so we have to rely on Him
* The greatest battles are the ones within us
* Sometimes we say we value people when really we just use them to validate ourselves
* Success means nothing until it's attached to a God-sized significance
* I must value every person the same as Christ values them
* I must be intentional in reaching out to people
* I must give up my rights for the higher order of unity
* I must learn to seek to understand rather than be understood
* I must learn to love people in spite of how they treat me
* Mass movements don't start with the masses, they start with a small group moving in the right direction
* It doesn't take much light to dispel darkness
* Be careful, not fearful
* Don't have a good day, make it a good day!
* I need to think and live with intentionality
***
I'm so excited about everything I've been learning and the people I've been able to talk to. What about you? Which of these quotes seem to jump out at you the most? I'd be delighted to hear. :)
* God wants us to succeed in every aspect of our life. Work hard and diligently then turn it over to God and let Him multiply it
* If you don't value people, you will use people
* God strips us of the things we would use in our own strength so we have to rely on Him
* The greatest battles are the ones within us
* Sometimes we say we value people when really we just use them to validate ourselves
* Success means nothing until it's attached to a God-sized significance
* I must value every person the same as Christ values them
* I must be intentional in reaching out to people
* I must give up my rights for the higher order of unity
* I must learn to seek to understand rather than be understood
* I must learn to love people in spite of how they treat me
* Mass movements don't start with the masses, they start with a small group moving in the right direction
* It doesn't take much light to dispel darkness
* Be careful, not fearful
* Don't have a good day, make it a good day!
* I need to think and live with intentionality
***
I'm so excited about everything I've been learning and the people I've been able to talk to. What about you? Which of these quotes seem to jump out at you the most? I'd be delighted to hear. :)
February 10, 2015
Salt and Light - John Maxwell Conference
Hey y'all! I'm excited to be at the Salt and Light John Maxwell conference in Atlanta, GA. It's so amazing to be learning leadership principles with around 600 people from over 90 countries!
Last night we were very privileged to get to get to hear from John Maxwell and Chris Hodges speak.
I was amazed at how many good notes I was able to get. Here are some of the quotes I found especially inspiring:
- Become a "Why Not" person
- You can't accomplish anything with a person who doesn't believe it can be done
- A different world cannot be built with indifferent people (Peter Marshall)
- You cannot imprison greatness
Last night we were very privileged to get to get to hear from John Maxwell and Chris Hodges speak.
I was amazed at how many good notes I was able to get. Here are some of the quotes I found especially inspiring:
- Become a "Why Not" person
- You can't accomplish anything with a person who doesn't believe it can be done
- A different world cannot be built with indifferent people (Peter Marshall)
- You cannot imprison greatness
February 6, 2015
When Life Hands You Lymes #57
And... I just barely made it, but I do have the story posted before midnight! Please enjoy the 57th segment of my fictional story,
When Life Hands You Lymes:
“This is a peaceful existence.” I continued gazing at the stars, not bothering to give Katie a glance. “I wish I could stay up all night sometimes and just enjoy the quietness.” Katie’s words made me clench my jaw, but she didn’t notice. Breath, Madalyn, breath. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on anything other than freaking out. There was no way I was going to be able to explain to Katie how much her words hurt me when I was in the middle of the pain. It would be better to calm down and then try to explain it to her at another time. I wish I could stay up all night sometimes. After Katie goes inside I don’t bother to block the words from turning over and over in my brain any more. Lying back, I wish the tears would come that I’d been keeping at bay while Katie was still with me. Sadly, my eyes are dry now. Dry and burning. I glance at my phone, hoping it’s not too late to text one of my friends. I hate being alone. I hate feeling forgotten. I hate thinking of the long night that will continue on and on until I see the sun rising. I want to be like everyone else. I want to sleep at normal hours and get up in the early morning and work all day and be around people. I want my life to be back to normal. I want, I want, I want, and yet I’ve discovered it doesn’t really matter what I want. It’s more about what I get. And I have to learn to be happy with what I get, even when that is so crazy hard that I feel like biting the world and kicking and screaming and throwing a huge fit. So mature of me. Yes, Katie is right, spending a night under the stars, just gazing at them would be a wonderful, relaxing, memory-making venture. Trading my perfectly good, people-filled, worth-while days in for the loneliness of scores of sleepless nights is not cool. Nor is it something for the faint of heart and recently I’ve been feeling quite faint of heart. I want to go back to my normal. I want to go back to what my life used to be. I can’t even enjoy the ‘normal’ moments that I have now, because I’m so upset at how uncommon they are. It’s like I’m stuck in a vortex of pain, loneliness, misunderstandings and heartache. The more dramatic side of me wishes it was still a common practice to go into mourning like they did in the olden days so I could dress all in black and openly declare the great loss I feel over the death of my dreams and normalcy. The more practical side of me goes overboard to ensure I act as ordinary as possible when I’m around people outside my family so no one will suspect I’ve changed. Sure, I hardly go out any more, but people can easily imagine that’s because my music is consuming more of my time.
“This is a peaceful existence.” I continued gazing at the stars, not bothering to give Katie a glance. “I wish I could stay up all night sometimes and just enjoy the quietness.” Katie’s words made me clench my jaw, but she didn’t notice. Breath, Madalyn, breath. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on anything other than freaking out. There was no way I was going to be able to explain to Katie how much her words hurt me when I was in the middle of the pain. It would be better to calm down and then try to explain it to her at another time. I wish I could stay up all night sometimes. After Katie goes inside I don’t bother to block the words from turning over and over in my brain any more. Lying back, I wish the tears would come that I’d been keeping at bay while Katie was still with me. Sadly, my eyes are dry now. Dry and burning. I glance at my phone, hoping it’s not too late to text one of my friends. I hate being alone. I hate feeling forgotten. I hate thinking of the long night that will continue on and on until I see the sun rising. I want to be like everyone else. I want to sleep at normal hours and get up in the early morning and work all day and be around people. I want my life to be back to normal. I want, I want, I want, and yet I’ve discovered it doesn’t really matter what I want. It’s more about what I get. And I have to learn to be happy with what I get, even when that is so crazy hard that I feel like biting the world and kicking and screaming and throwing a huge fit. So mature of me. Yes, Katie is right, spending a night under the stars, just gazing at them would be a wonderful, relaxing, memory-making venture. Trading my perfectly good, people-filled, worth-while days in for the loneliness of scores of sleepless nights is not cool. Nor is it something for the faint of heart and recently I’ve been feeling quite faint of heart. I want to go back to my normal. I want to go back to what my life used to be. I can’t even enjoy the ‘normal’ moments that I have now, because I’m so upset at how uncommon they are. It’s like I’m stuck in a vortex of pain, loneliness, misunderstandings and heartache. The more dramatic side of me wishes it was still a common practice to go into mourning like they did in the olden days so I could dress all in black and openly declare the great loss I feel over the death of my dreams and normalcy. The more practical side of me goes overboard to ensure I act as ordinary as possible when I’m around people outside my family so no one will suspect I’ve changed. Sure, I hardly go out any more, but people can easily imagine that’s because my music is consuming more of my time.
February 4, 2015
Rewarding Moments
As an author I write with the intent of people reading my books. I know there are some people out there who write just to write. They write because they love it so much that they can't imagine doing anything else. There are times when I feel like that, over all though, I write to be read.
This week I'm not focusing on writing because I'm at a business conference in Florida. I love my non-writing job and this is a week-long conference we look forward to all year long. Most of the time I do behind the scenes work and that's the way I like it. This week though, I'm spending a lot of time interacting with the people who work for our company.
I have been blown away and so very delighted, blessed and rewarded by how many people have come up to tell me that they bought my latest book, Action Kids' Club , to give to either their children or their grandchildren. Several people even bought multiple copies to give out to friends. I've also been introduced to guests as "Oh yes, she's the author" several times, which pretty much makes my day.
So often we can spend weeks, months, years or even a lifetime working on something with little or no recognition. This week helped remind me that what we do really does matter. We are making a difference. Whether for good or bad, everything we do effects the future. I want to make sure I live my life in such a way that it impacts eternity for the better.
What about you? What are some ways you are living your life with the future in your sights? I would be delighted to learn from you.
This week I'm not focusing on writing because I'm at a business conference in Florida. I love my non-writing job and this is a week-long conference we look forward to all year long. Most of the time I do behind the scenes work and that's the way I like it. This week though, I'm spending a lot of time interacting with the people who work for our company.
I have been blown away and so very delighted, blessed and rewarded by how many people have come up to tell me that they bought my latest book, Action Kids' Club , to give to either their children or their grandchildren. Several people even bought multiple copies to give out to friends. I've also been introduced to guests as "Oh yes, she's the author" several times, which pretty much makes my day.
So often we can spend weeks, months, years or even a lifetime working on something with little or no recognition. This week helped remind me that what we do really does matter. We are making a difference. Whether for good or bad, everything we do effects the future. I want to make sure I live my life in such a way that it impacts eternity for the better.
What about you? What are some ways you are living your life with the future in your sights? I would be delighted to learn from you.
February 3, 2015
January 2015 in Review
What I focused on in January
1. Getting my book, Where Dandelions Grow to my editor for the final edit2. Getting ready and going to Africa and Florida 3. Helping our friends in Africa 4. Getting ready for our business meetings in Florida
Birthday Challenge and Dream List Update
Birthday Challenge: 1. Read 23 Non-fiction books - I read 2 11. Read the Proverb of the day 3 months (not in a row) - I missed one day, but then read it the next day13. Go to bed before 10:30 23 times (not in a row) - I need to count it up, but I'm pretty sure I did this about 7 or 8 times15. No texting for 23 days (not in a row) - 15 days
Dream List: Go to Africa
Reading Update Fiction: 8Non-Fiction:2Reviews:None
Traveling I was gone 22 nightsCountries & States: The Ivory Coast (layover) and Ghana (14 nights) Traveling (2 nights) New York (layovers) Pennsylvania (traveling) Florida (6 nights)New Countries & States: The Ivory Coast and Ghana
What I've been Learning
*Making my life count now. When we were in Africa we received the news that one of our friends from back home had drowned. The shock and sadness were mixed with the feeling of He lived his life well. Peter was just a few years older than me, yet he made an eternal difference during his short time on earth. He had run the race set before him and he had finished his course. No matter how long I live I want the same to be said about my life.
* I had a fantastic time learning tons about the Ghanian way of life and their unique qualities and quirks. Wes and Charity, our friends who we were visiting, have lived in Ghana for around twelve years and they're very knowledgeable about the culture. They were happy to answer hours and hours of questions.
* January was a month greatly void of energy for me, which was really hard. It did give me a chance to continue learning a lesson that I've been working on for about eight years now: My self-worth is not determined by what I can accomplish. It is so crazily hard for me when I can't look back at the end of the day and have a huge list I've accomplished. I'm still working on learning to rest in God and be ok with what I can and can't do. My worth is determined by the fact that I'm created in God's image and I'm His child, not by how much work I can get done in a twenty-four hour period. So simple to write, so hard to actually believe and put into practice.
Other Things
And I saved the best for the last. On Monday the 26th I was in an elevator when my phone rang and I missed a call from my cousin Alexa. I called her back after I was in my hotel room to be greeted with the wonderfully exciting news that just a few short hours before her amazing boyfriend had proposed and she had happily said Yes!
Growing up Alexa, Aubrey (her sister), Helena (my sister) and I did everything together. Since we are all fairly close in age, one of the questions we had over the years was which one of us would get married first. Our predications always placed Alexa close to the top of the list and I guess we were right. It's exciting entering this new phase in our cousinhood.
Alexa and Zach, I'm so excited/happy/thrilled/antispation-filled/delighted/joyful and all that good stuff for y'all!
1. Getting my book, Where Dandelions Grow to my editor for the final edit2. Getting ready and going to Africa and Florida 3. Helping our friends in Africa 4. Getting ready for our business meetings in Florida
Birthday Challenge and Dream List Update
Birthday Challenge: 1. Read 23 Non-fiction books - I read 2 11. Read the Proverb of the day 3 months (not in a row) - I missed one day, but then read it the next day13. Go to bed before 10:30 23 times (not in a row) - I need to count it up, but I'm pretty sure I did this about 7 or 8 times15. No texting for 23 days (not in a row) - 15 days
Dream List: Go to Africa
Reading Update Fiction: 8Non-Fiction:2Reviews:None
Traveling I was gone 22 nightsCountries & States: The Ivory Coast (layover) and Ghana (14 nights) Traveling (2 nights) New York (layovers) Pennsylvania (traveling) Florida (6 nights)New Countries & States: The Ivory Coast and Ghana
What I've been Learning
*Making my life count now. When we were in Africa we received the news that one of our friends from back home had drowned. The shock and sadness were mixed with the feeling of He lived his life well. Peter was just a few years older than me, yet he made an eternal difference during his short time on earth. He had run the race set before him and he had finished his course. No matter how long I live I want the same to be said about my life.
* I had a fantastic time learning tons about the Ghanian way of life and their unique qualities and quirks. Wes and Charity, our friends who we were visiting, have lived in Ghana for around twelve years and they're very knowledgeable about the culture. They were happy to answer hours and hours of questions.
* January was a month greatly void of energy for me, which was really hard. It did give me a chance to continue learning a lesson that I've been working on for about eight years now: My self-worth is not determined by what I can accomplish. It is so crazily hard for me when I can't look back at the end of the day and have a huge list I've accomplished. I'm still working on learning to rest in God and be ok with what I can and can't do. My worth is determined by the fact that I'm created in God's image and I'm His child, not by how much work I can get done in a twenty-four hour period. So simple to write, so hard to actually believe and put into practice.
Other Things
And I saved the best for the last. On Monday the 26th I was in an elevator when my phone rang and I missed a call from my cousin Alexa. I called her back after I was in my hotel room to be greeted with the wonderfully exciting news that just a few short hours before her amazing boyfriend had proposed and she had happily said Yes!
Growing up Alexa, Aubrey (her sister), Helena (my sister) and I did everything together. Since we are all fairly close in age, one of the questions we had over the years was which one of us would get married first. Our predications always placed Alexa close to the top of the list and I guess we were right. It's exciting entering this new phase in our cousinhood.
Alexa and Zach, I'm so excited/happy/thrilled/antispation-filled/delighted/joyful and all that good stuff for y'all!
