H.A. Larson's Blog, page 73
September 15, 2015
Dealing with Criticism
I'm no stranger to criticism. As a writer who's done a myriad of work--including editing, writing for blogs, writing for magazines, and publishing my own paranormal fiction novellas--I'm used to receiving criticism for that work.
Typically, when I get critical feedback I take a moment to sit back and really reflect on what was said. I'll deconstruct their words and delve into the meaning behind them. More often than not, I am upset with what I hear, and that prevents me from grasping the true intent. I'll find that what they've said is actually constructive so I'll try to take away something significant from it. I understand that they were trying to give some solid advice and not trying to be a jerk.
I also try to remind myself that usually I'm upset, not at what they've said, but with my expectations of how I thought they would respond. I'll pump myself up by thinking, "Surely they will think it's just as awesome as I do!" so when I don't get the reaction I'm expecting, I get upset. Again, I remind myself that they're not really trying to be a jerk, but rather that my expectations were too high.
Other times, it's just that they don't look at my work the way that most other people do. In these instances, then, I simply acknowledge their words and then throw them away in my mental trash can. Not everyone is going to 'get it'. In other words, not everyone is going to see what I'm trying to do with my work or where I'm going with it.
Recently, I had a different kind of criticism. I employed all my above tactics with it, and while I understood that some of it was the 'they don't get it' kind of criticism, it really was a calculated attempt to completely undermine my work and make me feel bad. It was a rough blow. I actually cried, something that I've always tried very hard not to do when it comes to my craft. I know that I can't let things get to me or I'll never be able to make it in this business without losing it and/or giving up.
So how, then, should I deal with such cruel words? After giving myself some time to 'grieve', I let it go by recognizing it for what it truly was. I'm not going to let one bitter person's words derail my career and all the hard work I've done towards that end. I'm going to take it as a learning experience in dealing with a whole new level of criticism, and, of course, I'm going to share it with you.
You are the reason I keep doing what I do. This website gets a lot of traffic, and while I don't get many comments, I am humbled and uplifted by your presence. I believe in me, and I know you do too. So thanks. Thanks for being here, believing in me, and 'getting it'.
Have a fantastic day,
H.A.
September 13, 2015
Vegan-style Bacon-Jack Jalapeno Poppers
Recently, I've been craving jalapeno poppers. It was one of my favorite snacks when I was still an omnivore, and I admit, I was missing them. I had a block of Daiya Jack cheese that I wasn't fond of...at all. I love the Daiya Cheddar, but the Jack has that aftertaste I disdain in vegan cheese.
When I concocted the idea to make vegan jalapeno poppers, I had a bag of jalapenos and that block of jack cheese to use up. So here's how I did it.
Ingredients:
10 jalapenos
For the bacon:
1/2 block tempeh, crumbled up2 T. Bragg's liquid aminos (soy sauce or tamari is fine)1 t. liquid smoke 1 splash of lemon juice1/2 t. garlic powder
For the rest of the filling:
1 container of vegan cream cheese1 T. salt-free seasoning (any works)1/2 c. grated vegan jack cheese
For the topping:
1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.2. Add the bacon ingredients to a bowl, mixing well. Set aside for 15 minutes.3. Mix up the rest of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and put into the refrigerator.4. Cut the tops off the jalapenos. Cut them in half and take out the seeds and the veins.5. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and brush a tablespoon of canola oil on it. 6. Heat two tablespoons of oil (any kind will do) on medium-high heat in a frying pan. Add the marinated tempeh bacon pieces and fry until crisp. Remove from pan onto a plate lined with paper towels until cooled, about 5 minutes.7. Take the filling out of the fridge and add the cooled bacon pieces. Mix well.8. Fill your jalapeno halves and set on the lined cookie sheet. They will look like this:
9. When you have filled all the jalapeno halves, sprinkle the tops of them generously with the bread crumbs.10. Put them in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. After that, turn the oven to broil, leaving the poppers in the oven, and broil for just a couple of minutes, until the tops are nice and brown. Don't burn! (Skip if you might forget and burn. lol)
These poppers are addictively good. Give them a try today!
When I concocted the idea to make vegan jalapeno poppers, I had a bag of jalapenos and that block of jack cheese to use up. So here's how I did it.
Ingredients:
10 jalapenos
For the bacon:
1/2 block tempeh, crumbled up2 T. Bragg's liquid aminos (soy sauce or tamari is fine)1 t. liquid smoke 1 splash of lemon juice1/2 t. garlic powder
For the rest of the filling:
1 container of vegan cream cheese1 T. salt-free seasoning (any works)1/2 c. grated vegan jack cheese
For the topping:
1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.2. Add the bacon ingredients to a bowl, mixing well. Set aside for 15 minutes.3. Mix up the rest of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and put into the refrigerator.4. Cut the tops off the jalapenos. Cut them in half and take out the seeds and the veins.5. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and brush a tablespoon of canola oil on it. 6. Heat two tablespoons of oil (any kind will do) on medium-high heat in a frying pan. Add the marinated tempeh bacon pieces and fry until crisp. Remove from pan onto a plate lined with paper towels until cooled, about 5 minutes.7. Take the filling out of the fridge and add the cooled bacon pieces. Mix well.8. Fill your jalapeno halves and set on the lined cookie sheet. They will look like this:
9. When you have filled all the jalapeno halves, sprinkle the tops of them generously with the bread crumbs.10. Put them in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. After that, turn the oven to broil, leaving the poppers in the oven, and broil for just a couple of minutes, until the tops are nice and brown. Don't burn! (Skip if you might forget and burn. lol)
These poppers are addictively good. Give them a try today!
September 10, 2015
I'm giving 20 people a chance to read The Melody for free!
"Jessie is twenty and feels stuck living with her parents in the Nebraska countryside after a failed year of college. Her mom is always brooding and angry, and they just can't seem to get along. Things begin to change when she runs into Matt, who graduated high school the year before Jessie, and they begin a romance.
After their first date, she wakes up with a melody stuck in her head. Lovely at first, it becomes a constant source of frustration and a true menace at times as she struggles to deal with its persistence and the constant tension within her family.
One day, a stranger comes into the cafe where she works and recognizes the song as she hums it. Could it have something to do with Christie Anderson, who's been missing for twenty years, and who just happened to be her mom's best friend?
Can she unravel the bitter threads of her life and solve a mystery before it's too late?"
Do you like a good mystery? Does this sound like a book you would be interested in reading? Could you read it in three weeks and review it promptly afterwards? If you answered yes to all three of these questions, then I would be interested in doing a swap. I give you a free PDF file of my book The Melody, and in exchange you promise to read it in three week's time and then review it on amazon. It's that simple.
If you answered no to any of these questions, or do not think you can read and review it in three weeks then this giveaway is not for you! As an indie author, I count on reviews to help boost my author profile and bring more notice to my work. As I near the finish of my third book, The Station (my best yet!), I really want to get more exposure for my second book to elevate my author profile in preparation. Can you help me out?
If you are interested (please, please, serious inquiries only), email me at halarsonwriter@gmail.com and we'll talk about how we can have a mutually beneficial relationship. ;)
Warmest regards,
H.A. Larson
September 9, 2015
Dishing the Truth about Tofu
Invariably, I see images like the one below on a regular basis. While not always the same, they're very similar in message: "Tofu sucks!"
Well, I'm here to tell you it doesn't. Have you ever taken a piece of chicken, cooked it plain, and then eaten it? Probably not, but if you ever have I can tell you that it sucks. How about hamburger? You ever just cooked up some hamburger meat and eaten it plain? I can bet your answer is no. Why? Because the truth is, cooked foods need to be seasoned and cooked properly in order to taste good. When omni people see a block of tofu, they see a square white blob and think, "No way!" I bet they never picked out some chicken breasts and said, "I'm going to take these home and broil them just like they are and eat them! Yum!" It was probably more like, "I'm going to marinate these in a bit of oil, marinade dressing, and/or seasoning, etc., and grill them!" or something similar. That's how you make it taste good. Guess what? The same applies to tofu!
The great thing about tofu, like chicken for you ominvores, is that it is a blank slate. You can do a million things with it, but unlike chicken, it can substitute for so many protein items. Let me show you a few examples of dishes I've cooked recently with tofu.
Here we have a delicious meal of braised brussel sprouts, roasted potato wedges, and a slice of crispy fried tofu slathered in BBQ sauce.
Here we have the makings of a delicious 'egg', 'bacon', and 'cheese' breakfast sandwich. I dredged and fried up some pressed tofu slices in a mixture of cornstarch, rice flour, and seasonings. The bacon was also homemade out of tempeh.
Here was a delicious sweet Thai chile stir-fry I made out of pieces of tofu that were dredged and fried beforehand, combined with vegetables & cashews, and covered in a spicy-sweet Thai chile sauce.
Here are some tofu nuggets. They were marinated, dredged, baked until crispy, and served with a side of sweet potato fries and some sweet & sour sauce for dipping.
These are just a few examples of deliciousness I've cooked up within the past few months. How you might ask? Here's the easiest, quickest way.
1. The first thing you need to do is press your tofu to get out the excess moisture. I lay a towel on a plate, put the block of tofu on it, cover it with another towel, put another plate on top of that, and then stack a bunch of cans from my pantry on it. It only takes about 15-30 minutes to get the tofu ready for the next step.
2. What are you wanting to make? What you make determines the size of the pieces and how you will cut it. Take cues from my pics above for an idea. Cut it up as desired.
3. Make a dredge mixture of cornstarch/flour/or cornstarch & flour, and your desired seasonings. Coat the tofu pieces evenly on all sides and either fry or bake until crispy on the outside.
4. It's now ready to dip, coat, slather, and devour.
Tofu is not just for dredging and frying, but it is an easy, tasty way to eat it. Tofu can also be frozen, thawed, and then pressed. Frozen tofu has a tendency to soak up marinades so you can press, cut, marinade, and then cook your preferred method. One good idea is to marinade in smoky, salty type liquid (liquid smoke, soy sauce, garlic powder, and some oil) and bake until it is "smoked". Tofu can also be easily grilled. A quick internet search or a visit to your favorite recipe site (Yummly on your phone is fantastic) will yield some great recipes!
Don't be scared of the tofu! It's much better than you think, so give it a try. You won't be disappointed!
Well, I'm here to tell you it doesn't. Have you ever taken a piece of chicken, cooked it plain, and then eaten it? Probably not, but if you ever have I can tell you that it sucks. How about hamburger? You ever just cooked up some hamburger meat and eaten it plain? I can bet your answer is no. Why? Because the truth is, cooked foods need to be seasoned and cooked properly in order to taste good. When omni people see a block of tofu, they see a square white blob and think, "No way!" I bet they never picked out some chicken breasts and said, "I'm going to take these home and broil them just like they are and eat them! Yum!" It was probably more like, "I'm going to marinate these in a bit of oil, marinade dressing, and/or seasoning, etc., and grill them!" or something similar. That's how you make it taste good. Guess what? The same applies to tofu!
The great thing about tofu, like chicken for you ominvores, is that it is a blank slate. You can do a million things with it, but unlike chicken, it can substitute for so many protein items. Let me show you a few examples of dishes I've cooked recently with tofu.
Here we have a delicious meal of braised brussel sprouts, roasted potato wedges, and a slice of crispy fried tofu slathered in BBQ sauce.
Here we have the makings of a delicious 'egg', 'bacon', and 'cheese' breakfast sandwich. I dredged and fried up some pressed tofu slices in a mixture of cornstarch, rice flour, and seasonings. The bacon was also homemade out of tempeh.
Here was a delicious sweet Thai chile stir-fry I made out of pieces of tofu that were dredged and fried beforehand, combined with vegetables & cashews, and covered in a spicy-sweet Thai chile sauce.
Here are some tofu nuggets. They were marinated, dredged, baked until crispy, and served with a side of sweet potato fries and some sweet & sour sauce for dipping.
These are just a few examples of deliciousness I've cooked up within the past few months. How you might ask? Here's the easiest, quickest way.
1. The first thing you need to do is press your tofu to get out the excess moisture. I lay a towel on a plate, put the block of tofu on it, cover it with another towel, put another plate on top of that, and then stack a bunch of cans from my pantry on it. It only takes about 15-30 minutes to get the tofu ready for the next step.
2. What are you wanting to make? What you make determines the size of the pieces and how you will cut it. Take cues from my pics above for an idea. Cut it up as desired.
3. Make a dredge mixture of cornstarch/flour/or cornstarch & flour, and your desired seasonings. Coat the tofu pieces evenly on all sides and either fry or bake until crispy on the outside.
4. It's now ready to dip, coat, slather, and devour.
Tofu is not just for dredging and frying, but it is an easy, tasty way to eat it. Tofu can also be frozen, thawed, and then pressed. Frozen tofu has a tendency to soak up marinades so you can press, cut, marinade, and then cook your preferred method. One good idea is to marinade in smoky, salty type liquid (liquid smoke, soy sauce, garlic powder, and some oil) and bake until it is "smoked". Tofu can also be easily grilled. A quick internet search or a visit to your favorite recipe site (Yummly on your phone is fantastic) will yield some great recipes!
Don't be scared of the tofu! It's much better than you think, so give it a try. You won't be disappointed!
September 7, 2015
Ghost Hunting - Pleasant Hill Cemetery
One of the things on my bucket list (yes, I do have an actual bucket list) is ghost hunting. I've been fascinated with ghosts since I was a kid, which should come as no surprise considering that I write books about ghosts. I've watched many ghost hunting shows, but I never really liked any of them except Ghost Hunters on the Travel Channel. While I don't want to make a life out of it by any means--with the exception of writing about it--I think it sounds like a lot of fun. I mean, c'mon. You go to creepy places at night when it's dark, making it more creepy. I like creepy. Creepy and I are friends.
I ordered a simple ghost hunting equipment kit that has your basic equipment and comes in a handy, lockable, carrying case. I got mine on amazon here if you're interested. I bought mine for just under $100, which was a great deal and came with a motion sensor, a Gauss meter, an infrared thermometer, three LED finger lights, a digital EVP recorder, a geo-phone, and a book about the science behind ghost hunting. Like I said, it was a bargain!
My son is my ghost hunting companion and we're getting some practice in by going to local areas. In April we are going with friends to get locked down overnight in a reputedly quite haunted old asylum in Northeastern Iowa, so we're trying to get familiar with what we're doing before we go for the big one. Our first night we tried to go to Ball Cemetery in Springfield, NE, a site well-known to local and national ghost hunting groups. We should have checked first because it's a no-trespassing kind of place at night and there was a clear warning to stay off the property. A quick search of the internet assured us that any trespassing would be met with the owners chasing us off with guns. We left feeling dejected, but did a search for cemeteries in our area. I mean, if you're going to ghost hunt, a cemetery is the place right?
We ended up at a cemetery in Papillion, NE, that was small and fairly newish, but there was a lot of noise pollution. I thought I might have gotten a few EVP phenomena but with the background noise, it was hard to be sure. We also got a few good Gauss readings.
This last weekend we tried again. First we tried Prospect Hill, another well-known haunted cemetery, but if you know anything about Omaha you know that it's not in the safest of areas. We drove through the cemetery and we didn't see any of the riff-raff that also reportedly haunt the place but thought we'd be safer elsewhere. In hindsight, we should have just stayed there because our second choice, while another infamous haunted spot, was scattered with cars at night doing who-knows-what. Hummel Park has a good reputation for ghosts but another bad reputation for people hanging out at night up to no-good. We had reservations about it with just two of us and after we saw a couple of cops drive through we decided to try elsewhere.
We ended up out in West Omaha at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. It had a lot less noise pollution than the Papillion cemetery so we got to work.
We also brought our camera so we could get some visual evidence. I forgot about it having a video camera on it, lol, so I will remember that for next time. See, practice is good. I would like to get a good camcorder down the road...sometime before our lock down.
A shot of the EVP recorder. You can see that it's our second recording, the first was the first cemetery we went to the weekend before. Makes sense.
Here is a shot of me holding the Gauss meter. We got a good reading here and spent a few minutes prompting any spirits to talk into the EVP recorder.
A good shot of the cemetery. The orbs were just dust spots, that much we knew. ;)
This photo shows the best evidence we got that night. I was using the Gauss meter on the more sensitive setting and received a 6 milligauss reading, which was very high. We hadn't gotten one that high yet, so we were pretty excited. The phenomenon continued for a few minutes and then disappeared. I've made a precursory listen to the EVP but have to listen again more closely to see if we got anything.
So, there you have it. Our ghost hunting adventure, while not yielding much was a lot of fun. It was an interesting, fun, and different way to spend some quality time with my oldest child too!
I ordered a simple ghost hunting equipment kit that has your basic equipment and comes in a handy, lockable, carrying case. I got mine on amazon here if you're interested. I bought mine for just under $100, which was a great deal and came with a motion sensor, a Gauss meter, an infrared thermometer, three LED finger lights, a digital EVP recorder, a geo-phone, and a book about the science behind ghost hunting. Like I said, it was a bargain!
My son is my ghost hunting companion and we're getting some practice in by going to local areas. In April we are going with friends to get locked down overnight in a reputedly quite haunted old asylum in Northeastern Iowa, so we're trying to get familiar with what we're doing before we go for the big one. Our first night we tried to go to Ball Cemetery in Springfield, NE, a site well-known to local and national ghost hunting groups. We should have checked first because it's a no-trespassing kind of place at night and there was a clear warning to stay off the property. A quick search of the internet assured us that any trespassing would be met with the owners chasing us off with guns. We left feeling dejected, but did a search for cemeteries in our area. I mean, if you're going to ghost hunt, a cemetery is the place right?
We ended up at a cemetery in Papillion, NE, that was small and fairly newish, but there was a lot of noise pollution. I thought I might have gotten a few EVP phenomena but with the background noise, it was hard to be sure. We also got a few good Gauss readings.
This last weekend we tried again. First we tried Prospect Hill, another well-known haunted cemetery, but if you know anything about Omaha you know that it's not in the safest of areas. We drove through the cemetery and we didn't see any of the riff-raff that also reportedly haunt the place but thought we'd be safer elsewhere. In hindsight, we should have just stayed there because our second choice, while another infamous haunted spot, was scattered with cars at night doing who-knows-what. Hummel Park has a good reputation for ghosts but another bad reputation for people hanging out at night up to no-good. We had reservations about it with just two of us and after we saw a couple of cops drive through we decided to try elsewhere.
We ended up out in West Omaha at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. It had a lot less noise pollution than the Papillion cemetery so we got to work.
We also brought our camera so we could get some visual evidence. I forgot about it having a video camera on it, lol, so I will remember that for next time. See, practice is good. I would like to get a good camcorder down the road...sometime before our lock down.
A shot of the EVP recorder. You can see that it's our second recording, the first was the first cemetery we went to the weekend before. Makes sense.
Here is a shot of me holding the Gauss meter. We got a good reading here and spent a few minutes prompting any spirits to talk into the EVP recorder.
A good shot of the cemetery. The orbs were just dust spots, that much we knew. ;)
This photo shows the best evidence we got that night. I was using the Gauss meter on the more sensitive setting and received a 6 milligauss reading, which was very high. We hadn't gotten one that high yet, so we were pretty excited. The phenomenon continued for a few minutes and then disappeared. I've made a precursory listen to the EVP but have to listen again more closely to see if we got anything.
So, there you have it. Our ghost hunting adventure, while not yielding much was a lot of fun. It was an interesting, fun, and different way to spend some quality time with my oldest child too!
September 5, 2015
Hiking on a hot day
This past week was my first week out of my training schedule at work and in my regular schedule. I elected to work four 10-hour shifts as opposed to five 8-hour shifts and I'm glad I did. I really love working three days, having a full weekend (Fri and Sat), working one day, and then having one more day off. It's also nice to have days off during the week in case I need to take care of things that just can't be done on the weekend.
So yesterday was the first day of my weekend and the kids happened to have Friday and Monday off for Labor Day weekend so I drug them out to do my favorite activity: hiking. One of my favorite spots is Hitchcock Nature Center, a quick drive out of Omaha across the border in Iowa. Nestled into the Loess Hills, this place affords miles of hiking and gorgeous scenery. No matter what season, this place is beautiful.
It was close to 90 degrees yesterday so we didn't hike far, but just getting away from the city and being surrounded by the lushness of the woods is intoxicating. Is it any wonder that hiking is one of my favorite activities?
A side path to the outdoor education area.
A view of Nebraska in the distance from the boardwalk.
Wildflowers bloom alongside thistle flowers: a beautiful feast of colors against the trail of green.
A view from the deck of the lodge. One can view a 180 degree panorama from this spot with views of the Loess Hills, the forest, and Nebraska in the far distance.
So yesterday was the first day of my weekend and the kids happened to have Friday and Monday off for Labor Day weekend so I drug them out to do my favorite activity: hiking. One of my favorite spots is Hitchcock Nature Center, a quick drive out of Omaha across the border in Iowa. Nestled into the Loess Hills, this place affords miles of hiking and gorgeous scenery. No matter what season, this place is beautiful.
It was close to 90 degrees yesterday so we didn't hike far, but just getting away from the city and being surrounded by the lushness of the woods is intoxicating. Is it any wonder that hiking is one of my favorite activities?
A side path to the outdoor education area.
A view of Nebraska in the distance from the boardwalk.
Wildflowers bloom alongside thistle flowers: a beautiful feast of colors against the trail of green.
A view from the deck of the lodge. One can view a 180 degree panorama from this spot with views of the Loess Hills, the forest, and Nebraska in the far distance.
August 31, 2015
Best Vegan Biscuits and Gravy
One of my favorite dishes from way back in my omni days was biscuits and gravy. I've gone through a few trials and errors trying to get my vegan version to taste as good as the original, and I've succeeded!
Vegan Biscuits and Gravy
Baking Powder Biscuits:
1. Sift together 2 cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 5 teaspoons of baking powder.2. Cut in 5 tablespoons of refined coconut oil. 3. Add 2/3 cup of unsweetened cashew milk (any unsweetened vegan milk would work fine) and mix together until it just comes together. 4. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for only a minute. 5. Roll out and cut to desired size/shape. 6. Bake at 450 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned on the outside.
The Gravy:
1/4 c. refined coconut oil (unrefined works well also)1/3 c. flour1 1/2 - 2 c. unsweetened vegan milk*1 t. salt2 t. pepper1 T. steak seasoning (any kind is fine)3 T. nooch (nutritional yeast)1/2 - 2/3 c. TVP sausage crumbles - recipe here
Melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a frying pan with high sides or a sauce pan. When the oil is melted add the flour immediately and whisk until smooth. As soon as it starts to bubble add the milk and whisk to incorporate. Add the seasonings and nooch, as whisk continuously, but lightly, until it thickens. When it's the desired thickness, remove from heat so it doesn't burn. Add the sausage crumbles and stir to incorporate.** Serve with the biscuits.
Enjoy!
*You can use any vegan milk, that's fine. Start with the 1 1/2 cups and then add as much as desired after that to achieve the desired consistency. You can add more than 2 cups if preferred or less. This is just a ballpark estimate based on my own preferences. You can always start with 1 c. of milk as well and work your way up. It's better to start with less and go up than start with too much and try and figure out how to get it thicker without adding lumps! ;)
**Do NOT add the TVP until the gravy is done and off the heat, even if the crumbles are cold. The gravy will warm them right up! Otherwise, the tvp will enlarge and lose it's form, and we don't want that!
August 30, 2015
Gel Eyeliner Review
As most of you know from previous posts, I had been really wanting to try gel eyeliner since the beginning of the year. I'd always used a combination of a felt-tip eyeliner accentuated with liquid eyeliner. Gel eyeliner looked liked a quicker and easier way to achieve the look I wanted using only one product. In one of my previous make-up haul posts, I had purchased a gel eyeliner from Love My Eyes. Remember them? Back in the 80s, I used to buy their cheap pencil eyeliners and eyeshadows.
I honestly didn't even know Love My Eyes was still around when I spotted their inexpensive version of a gel eyeliner. Unsure of how well I'd like gel eyeliner, I decided I would give this one a try before spending a lot of money on some. This is their pot along with the brush that came with it. I could tell right away that I wasn't going to like that brush.
Instead, I opted for one of my detail artistic brushes. I had gotten a multi-pack of these awhile back for use with more intricate eye applications, so I used this particular brush, the smallest and finest of the pack. Honestly, none of the artistic brushes, or any other brush I own for that matter (and I have a lot of brushes), worked very well in application. I could tell right away that the gel eyeliner had potential, but after using it a few times I realized that the brand I was using was just not very good. I still had to use liquid eyeliner to correct the ragged way it ended up on my eyelids. It was also kind of dry and dried quickly, making applying it even more of a challenge. Admittedly, after using it a couple of times then, I gave up using it.
I hadn't, however, given up on using gel eyeliner so I decided to purchase a better quality version and a gel eyeliner-specific brush. One day while I was perusing Amazon, I decided to look for some. I settled on the NYX gel eyeliner as it had decent reviews, and I also purchased the daVinci gel eyeliner brush. Needless to say, this version was a HUGE improvement over the Love My Eyes version. It goes one smooth and easily, and gives great coverage in one quick step. One word of caution though, don't flub it up or you have to remove all your eye makeup and start over or it doesn't look right! I speak from experience on that one.
Overall, if you like a nice precision eyeliner on your top lids, then get this!
August 25, 2015
Switching up the book cover for The Station
So, as you know, a few months back I revealed the cover for my third book, The Station. For those who need a reminder, here it is:
I liked it, but I felt it was a little off from what my vision was, so I made a second cover. This one, I feel, more accurately represents the story line of my book:
What are your thoughts? Comment here or give me a shout out on facebook, twitter, email, or google+ using the links on the sidebar!
I liked it, but I felt it was a little off from what my vision was, so I made a second cover. This one, I feel, more accurately represents the story line of my book:
What are your thoughts? Comment here or give me a shout out on facebook, twitter, email, or google+ using the links on the sidebar!
August 24, 2015
This thing we call Life
When I was young, I always pictured my adult life to be a certain way. I imagined that I would be either a college professor or a professional musician in an orchestra; living in a big city; taking up residence in a fabulous brick house in a bucolic suburb that was covered every fall in gold, brown, and red leaves; and taking vacations every year to exotic locations. That vision never really varied much, and stayed constant throughout my 20's. When my 30's beckoned, and then became a reality, I realized that I hadn't done much of anything I had imagined myself doing, but still held firmly to this idea that I had plenty of time to accomplish those things.
Then, somewhere around age 35 I became acutely aware of my own mortality, and when the dawn of my 40th birthday was upon me I was overtaken with melancholy. At that moment, I understood the truth about myself: I had wasted away half of my life. I had totally blown all my prime years, and that truth was a devastating blow. How could I have failed myself so much? I looked at what my life was. Far from the fabulous life I had imagined, I was poor (and had been my whole adult life up until that point), had saved nothing, flitted around from one worthless job to the next, lived in a crappy apartment, drove a crappy car, and had never been anywhere except for a couple of trips to see my mom in Texas (that she paid for).
What should have been a milestone in my life--one to look back on the years before with a smile and to look towards the future years of my promising future--became a depressing day filled with misery and tears. What came next were a few crazy years of trying to do everything at once and having just more trying days. After that, I finally figured myself out. I knew who I was, and what I wanted. More importantly, I started making the necessary changes in my life that I needed in order to move forward in all aspects of my life.
Time isn't permanent for us, and we've only got a limited amount of it. Once I understood that, I was finally able to start doing what I needed to do in order to take charge and start living my dreams. I needed an attitude adjustment first and foremost. I needed to kick bad habits to the curb and begin adopting good ones. I needed to take responsibility for my shortcomings and make peace with it. Lastly, I needed a plan.
I've now realized a few of my dreams, but I have an actual bucket list that I'm working on. I've also realized that the vision I had of my future self back when I was young is not the vision I have of myself now. Future me doesn't desire the same kind of life that younger me did. So, while I'm traveling a different path than I had imagined all those years ago, it's still pretty great none-the-less.
I've also come to the conclusion that the old adage "It'd never too late to realize your dreams" isn't just a dumb old saying. I might be in the second half of my life, but that's still half of a life to do the things I want, and as long as I take care of myself, I should be able to keep on keepin' on well into my twilight years. Two things I know for certain: 1. I'm not taking my life for granted anymore, and 2. I'm not going to sit back and let the rest of my life just pass me by. Wiser, older me is taking over for naive, not-so-wise, younger me, and we're going full throttle from here on out.
Let's get busy living shall we?
