The Alternative 52 Week Money Saving Challenge for 2015

So, I'm sure that most of you have seen the 52 Week Money Saving Challenges out there on the internet.  I've decided to use an alternative style.  I had come across this idea a few years ago, but for the life of me, I can't find it again, so I drew it up myself for this post.  It basically alternates from the low end of the savings to the high end and back again.  So on the first week (I'm starting on Jan 3rd) you put aside $1, then on the second week you put aside $52, on the third week, $2, on the fourth week, $51 and so on.  You get the idea.  Here's a visual for you.

Download Here

(This is my first time making a downloadable link, so please let me know if you're unable to download.  Thanks!)

I like having the amounts staggered rather than having all the large amounts together.  If we have an unexpected bill or something comes up, then it won't be so hard to save $52 one week and $2 the next, but saving $52 then $51 the next week is a little harder to do.  This alternating between the larger and smaller amounts just makes things a little easier.  Saving the larger amounts all at one time (either at the beginning or the end of the year) is tough when you're living paycheck to paycheck.  Doing it that way would be $202 in one month.  I don't know about you, but that's a little bit much when I have to buy groceries!

Also, having the bigger amounts toward the beginning of the year is easier (in my opinion) than having them at the end when Christmas is coming.  To me, it's harder to save around the holidays.  By then, I'm wishing I'd have been saving all year and with the holidays, my hubby gets time off, so the pay's not as big (not getting overtime makes a big difference) so it's a little harder on the wallet.

I think I'm going to start something with my 4 year old as well.  We're just starting to learn about money, so this might help him.

Download the Children's version Here

Of course he doesn't have a "job" but he's going to start "earning" this money by doing his chores.  We've been a little slack in the chore department.  He has them and does them, but we haven't been as consistent as we had planned to be.  Don't judge.  It's the least of my worries right now.  But hey, New Year, New Plans! Part of the New Year's Resolutions list.  (We might get the 2 year old in on it too, but that would be more for fun than teaching at this point.  He is so cute when he giggles and claps his hands at the "plunking" the money makes in his see-through bank that he got for Christmas!)

I suppose one of the biggest thing on my list (every year) is to be more organized and this money saving plan falls right into place with that particular resolution.  There are many subcategories to that resolution, but that's a whole other post!

So, who's with me on the challenge?  If you don't like my take on it, you don't have to use my particular schedule... or you can make your own.  Just Google "52 Week Money Saving Challenge" and you'll instantly become overwhelmed with spreadsheets of all kinds, shapes, colors, etc.

I'd love to know what you think of my plan(s) above.  Do you like it?  Hate it?  Want to give it a try?  What do you think of the children's version?  Let me know in the comments below.  Thanks and Happy New Year!

Homeschool Ramblings and FREEBIES for you!

I've been busy lately at homeschooling my Little Ones... Well, really just the 4 year old, but the 2 year old likes to participate also... especially coloring.  For a little while, anyway, until he's bored and then he's gone. But with the 4 year old, I've started unofficial PreK, meaning that I'm getting my feet wet, hoping to get a feel for it and make sure I can do this before it actually needs to become official.  So far, things are going quite chaotic well. We have our good days and our bad days.  Sometimes lessons show up on their own from the back yard. (I'm talking about bugs and other icky creatures, but hey, I've got boys... good thing I was a tom-boy growing up, or this stuff would really freak me out. LOL)

We've come across quite a few interesting things, such as a giant caterpillar (I really need to keep my camera handy) that I looked up and saw that it will turn into a gigantic moth, (we're talking a half of a foot across... yes, that's right, I said a half foot, 6 inches!  That's just an insane size for a bug!) the likes of which I've never seen around here, so I'm not sure where the creature came from... and I'm not sure I want to!

All in all, it's been quite an adventure, but to see the light bulb come on and see the wonder in my son's eyes as he "gets it" during a lesson, is one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced!  Those are the moments where I realize that it's all worth it, that I made the right decision, and that I'm going to be able to really do this thing!  

Buggaboo loves his cut and paste lessons!

One thing that we don't have quite set up yet, is a designated area.  I want to get the spare room set up as a play room / homeschool area.  That way I can keep everything centrally located and not have to keep using the kitchen table.  But, you use what you have at your disposal. 

Freebies!!

Anyway, while I was looking for homeschooling ideas and getting distracted going through a bunch of stuff online, I came across some free kindle downloads.  I'm not sure how long they'll be free, nor have I read any of them.  I thought they looked interesting and figured I'd pass along the good tidings of "free".  As of this posting, they are currently free for Kindle download, but please be sure to check the price before downloading to make sure they're still free for you when you actually click on them.  I take no responsibility for changes in price or status.  If you do decide to download and read them, let me know what you think about them.  I'd love to hear from my readers if you enjoyed getting this little tip.  All that said, here are the freebies I found:
(By the way, I get nothing from you clicking on any of these, I just felt like sharing some free books I came across.)

Backyard Farming for Beginner's

(I'm really wanting to grow my own garden, so I'm looking forward to reading this one!)

Easy Recipes for Back to School

Organic Micro Gardening Hacks

Prepper's Survival Pantry

Slow Cooker Chicken

Hearty Soups

Slow Cooker Recipes

Quick Tricks to Help You Tighten Up Your Writing

I have a wonderful treat for you for Valentine's Day! It is my honor to offer a very informative guest post by the fabulous C. S. Lakin!

Enjoy her post and please be sure to read to the bottom as we're having a fun Give-Away!

Quick Tricks to Help You Tighten Up Your Writing

Guest Blog Post 

by C. S. Lakin

Writers often think about tightening their writing. Just what does that mean? And how is it done? Is there a way that writers can tighten writing without losing their voice or compromising their writing style?

Like sneaky calories, many unwanted words and phrases find their way into our writing unnoticed and bog it down. The goal should be to write in a concise fashion so that our meaning is clearly understood. It’s not all that tricky to do. And don’t worry—this can be done without adversely cramping a writer’s style.

That’s not to say these tips are a cure-all for major flaws in a story, article, or book. But similar to the get-in-shape-fast programs, here are some simple things writers can do to tighten sentences, shed unwanted words, and tone and shape the whole “body” of work.

1.      Eliminate fatty words from your “diet.” Make a list of your weasel words. Those are the words you throw in out of habit. Often they are pesky adverbs like very and just. Or phrases like began to or started to. Grab a random page of your document and see if you can eliminate at least one or two words from every sentence. It may not be possible, but it’s a good exercise. If the word doesn’t add importance to a sentence, it should go. Then attack the rest of your novel.

2.     Reword passive voice where possible. Whether referring to general passive (“The food was eaten by me” instead of “I ate the food”) or present progressive passive (“The food is being served” instead of “the waiters served the food”), most of the time a sentence will be stronger if the passive voice is avoided. An easy way to seek and destroy unwanted passive construction is do a “Find” for ing, was, is, it was, and there was, to name a few.

3.      Avoid circumlocution. I just love that word, so I have to use it. Don’t use two words when one will do. Don’t use four when three will do. If two adjectives are similar, pick the best one and toss the other.

4.      Ditch the extraneous speaker and narrative tags. If you are writing fiction or narrative nonfiction, you may have dialog in your piece. Be aware that if the reader knows who is speaking, you don’t need to tell them over and over—especially in a scene with only two characters. And remove all those flowery verbs that stick out, such as quizzed, extrapolated, exclaimed, and interjected. Just use said and asked, and maybe an occasional replied or answered. Really. Less is more . . . effective.

5.      Search and destroy repetition. We tend to repeat words, phrases, or ideas in the same paragraph. Sometimes that’s a good thing to do, to drive home a point, perhaps in summary at the end of a section or subheading. But writers often try to say the same thing in a different way, and instead of adding new material they are essentially rehashing what they’ve already said. One great way to catch those repetitive words is to hear your piece read aloud using a  software program like Natural Reader.

6.      And a word about backstory . . . Yes, the dreaded backstory, which novelists have been told to shun in the first chapters of a novel. But really, do you need it? Take a look at all the places you have backstory and boil down just a few lines of the most important information you feel the reader must know to “get” the story. Then see if you can have a character either think or say these things instead of going into lengthy narrative. Look for any passage that feels like author intrusion or an info dump and find another way to impart the information.

If you’re the kind of writer that needs to “add weight” to your skimpy book, you have a different challenge, and the problem won’t be solved by ignoring all the above tips. Remember, it’s the unwanted fat you want to eliminate. Be sure what you add to a skimpy novel is muscle, not fat. And for the rest of us who overwrite, be reassured that by implementing these easy tips, you can help trim those unwanted “pounds” from your pages and tighten your writing.

BIO: C. S. Lakin is a multipublished novelist and writing coach. She works full-time as a copyeditor and critiques about two hundred manuscripts a year. She teaches writing workshops and gives instruction on her award-winning blog Live Write Thrive. Her new book—Say What? The Fiction Writer’s Handy Guide to Grammar, Punctuation, and Word Usage—is designed to help writers get a painless grasp on grammar. You can buy it in print here or as an ebook here.

Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Now for the Give-Away part! We have a grammar question for you. The first person to answer correctly in the comments below will get a free book from C. S. Lakin! Be sure to put your email address in your comment as well so if you're the winner, we can contact you for your mailing address.

Question: How would you do a plural possessive for a family of people named Jones. Write a sentence talking about this family's car.

Last Day to comment for a chance to win is 

Friday February 28th, 2014!

Resolution Amendment

So, I've been doing a lot of thinking these first few weeks into 2014 and have already thought of some amendments to my New Year's Resolution List...

I want to add the following:

12. Start Couponing... really hard core coupon cutting. I've seen some people do some amazing saving with coupons and I want some of that action.
13. Work on my Documented Life Project. I still have a LOT of "prepping" that still needs done; Month pages (I'm only done through April,) Weekly pages (I'm only done through Feb,) and I haven't done any "tip-ins" yet, except for a few of the projects that I've done already. I'm not sure if I'm going to put them in ahead of time or just do them as I go. I also got some medical paper tape that I want to make my own washi tape out of. It's quite see-thru and I like that because I tend to draw/write/doodle/etc. right to the edge of the page.

14. Plan meals better. But this probably should fall under the whole "get organized" portion of the list. But I've been wanting to get going with proper meal planning and cooking in bulk so I can have frozen meals that can just be heated up throughout the week.
15. Read the scriptures daily. I had been doing fairly well at this a while back, but I've slacked severely recently. Now, I've been back at a daily scripture read this whole week and it feels good.
16. Spend more time with my boys. Pay more attention to them and add in some new and fun activities throughout the week. I already spend a TON of time with my boys, being a Stay-at-home-Mom, but I feel like I can give more "Quality" time to them than I do currently.
17. Not waste so much time. Pinterest is a great source of ideas and inspiration, but let's face it, it's a time sucker. (As is Facebook and all other social media, but that's a whole other post!) I get on the laptop to do a couple things and hours later I realize that I've wasted the day.
18. Stop procrastinating. This kind of goes along with #17, but expands it a bit. I tend to wait until the last minute to do... well, everything. And then I'm rushed to finish. I usually do my best work in the Eleventh hour, but I shouldn't have to for absolutely everything. Plus, I tend to underestimate how long it will take me to do something, so that gets me more stressed out. I usually finish and usually by my deadlines, but I just don't need to do that to myself.

So, have you kept any of your resolutions so far? Or have they fizzled out early? Or have you done as I have and added/amended to your list?

Happy New Year 2014!

Happy New Year!

Wow, it's 2014! Is it really the first of the year?

Well, I said I would meet you back here and go over some New Year's Resolutions, didn't I? In all honesty, I haven't had much time to think about my resolutions. Oh, they've flitted through my head while doing other things, sure. But I haven't actually had time to sit and write them down.

Let's start by understanding what a New Year's Resolution is supposed to be. It is something that one decides to do or change about themselves over the course of the next year. Typically, these are things to help one improve oneself such as; lose weight, quit smoking, quit drinking, get organized (a standard for my list,) etc.. Yet many of us make these lists, but never seem to be able to keep them.

Are we making unrealistic goals? Are we just too lazy to keep up with them? Are we not ready to turn over a new leaf on the first of the year? Maybe we make too long of a list and it gets too daunting and overwhelming or too many things to try to remember to do/not do all at once.

Whatever it is, I still like to make out my list at the beginning of the year and see how far I get. One idea I had was to make a list, but start only one of them in January, then start the second one in February, the third in March, well, you get the idea. Since it takes 21 days to make something a habit, I thought that would be a good way of instilling each individual item on the list into my life. Make each a habit, one at a time. Although, now that I'm going through my list in my head, some things aren't under the category of "habit" and are just things that need to be done.

Now, for the list:

1. Organize the house (this may actually take more than one month LOL it actually needs it's own list of different areas)
a. My desk/office area
b. Master bedroom
c. Master bath
d. Guest bath
e. J's bedroom
f. B's bedroom
g. Kitchen
h. Living room
i. The garage (that is a whole entire project in and of itself that will take many months to complete, but leads me to my next main list item)
2. Go through a box a day from the garage
3. Get published!
4. Finish the books that I have started (I've got quite a few in the works and really need to finish them, a few are in a series of their own)
5. Lose weight (I've actually already started on this, having lost 9 pounds recently, but I want to get into regular sized clothing, rather than the "plus" sized stuff)
6. Start exercising (this should take care of the item above)
7. Start a garden (we've been trying, but can't seem to get anything to really "take" in our crappy sandy Floridian yard)
8. Get into major couponing
9. Finish the afghan I'm working on right now as well as one other I have planned as a gift
10. Write daily
11. Keep the van clean (I've got kids, what can I say?)

I've been working on a few of these things for a while, but really want to focus on them this new year, so that's why I've added them to the list. For example, this past November, I did NaNoWriMo, but now have to finish editing and getting the book ready to publish. Also, the afghan I'm working on is a project that I tend to only work on when going on long trips (a drive that will last at least an hour+) when my husband drives because I hate his driving and he hates me screaming at his driving, so crochet. Why don't I just drive instead of him? Well, I'd rather not and it gives me time to crochet when the kids are strapped in their child seats and can't come running up to me and climb all over me and my yarn with sticky fingers and drool. Enough said.

The main "habits" I need to establish are rite daily, exercise and going through a box a day from the garage. Now it's just a matter of prioritizing my list and getting started. The main thing I really need to do is get more organized. I still have Christmas cards that need to be sent out because I lost them! I had them, we got ready for Christmas Day, moved a few things around and *POOF* gone! Totally disappeared. I don't know if the little green men who live in the walls came out and took them or what. (That's something my Dad always said if we lost something; the little green men must have taken it.) So, better organization is my number one priority. With that, everything else should fall into place.

The main problem(s) is(are) that this house is too small (and I'm a packrat) and has no decent storage space. There are hardly any cupboards in the kitchen for pots, pans, glasses and dishware, there are only a few very small closets and the rooms themselves are small, so there's not a lot of space for our furniture. So, organization is a necessity that I've been putting off for waaaayyyy too long.

Starting a garden is also something that I want up at the top of the list because that could save us a ton of money in groceries. We'd still have to buy some produce from the store, obviously, but if I could grow my own bell peppers, lettuce, celery, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc., that would be a huge help! I've grown celery, but it only grows for a little while (about 3-5 inches tall) and then dies off. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with it.

Anyway, that's my New Year's Thoughts and Resolutions. What are yours?

Snickerdoodles

In spirit of the holidays (albeit a bit on the late side) I'm posting a recipe from my mother-in-law for Snickerdoodles.  I'd never eaten a snickerdoodle before, let alone baked one. Now, I have a new favorite cookie! Hope you enjoy! (Thanks Cyndi H.!)

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

3 C. Flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 C soft butter (2 sticks) at room temp.
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten first before adding
1/4 C milk
Cinnamon-Sugar mixture (for coating)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.
Put butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream well.
Stir in vanilla and eggs and cream well again.
Add the milk, stir.
Add dry ingredients to mixture, mix well, then cream all together well.
Roll one teaspoon of dough in a cinnamon-sugar mixture to fully coat and place on greased cookie sheet (use a sheet with little or no lip) and bake for 10-11 minutes. (time may vary from oven to oven)

Makes approx. 36 cookies.

High altitudes: increase flour by 1/4 Cup and oven temp to 380°

Tip: If you don't have soft, room temperature butter, but need it for a recipe and don't have time to wait for it to soften up, grate it with your cheese grater. Works wonders and it creams up in your recipe well. I did it with this recipe as well as others and it worked great!

Brains —It's what's for dinner

Intelligence is not defined by one's educational level, but by one's own actions, awareness, ability to work through problems, and much more.

Ok, so this post isn't about eating brains for dinner, but it is about intelligence and a little self-discovery in the brain department.

My mother was a very intelligent woman, but had to leave school in 9th grade to take care of her mother who was bed-ridden for 36 years. My mother took care of her, her first two children, her first husband and held a job as a waitress.  Amazing woman.  She continued to be amazing with her second marriage as well as me (I'm the baby of the family and her third child and the only child to her second husband.)  And in her 60's, she went on to become a Certified Nurse's Aide (CNA) and we were all so proud of her.  Yet, unfortunately, since she had never made it through middle and high school nor received a diploma, she thought she was stupid.  I told her over and over again that she was very smart and that just because she didn't have the "book smarts" that she thought she needed; that didn't mean she wasn't smart.

She was the one who taught me long division when my father, who was an electrical engineer, had me on page 3 of a division problem and still didn't have an answer!  Brilliant man with absolutely no common sense whatsoever.

My Mom was the one who helped me through mathematical word problems, history books, studying for spelling tests, etc.  She was more than book smart, she was amazing!

Why am I rambling on about my mother when it's not even close to Mother's Day?  Well, today's Google page is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Crossword Puzzle.  Well, my mother used to do the crossword puzzle in the paper every week and did it IN PEN!  And she never made a mistake!  Ok, well, maybe once, but that's it.  I'm working on Google's crossword puzzle and I've gotten 11 so far that I think are correct.  And I cheated on gave up on two more.

My disastrous attempt at this crossword puzzle has made me realize just how smart my mother was and how much I've let myself go —mentally, that is.  (Ok, truth be, I've let myself go physically as well, but that's a whole other comparison to my mother, who was in tip top shape until I came along.)

So now what? I have a BA in English, yet I can't finish a simple crossword puzzle. I have been reading on the web about proper grammar and have found many things have changed and there are many things that I –have forgotten.  There's the -hyphen vs the –en dash vs the —em dash, comma splices (which I am dreadfully guilty of,) the Oxford comma, leaving one space after the period instead of two (that's new and very hard to get used to doing. It's more like 'space space backspace RAWR!' It nearly kills me to only do one space after 40 years of knowing it's supposed to be two spaces, which is what I learned back in the day,) and many more grammatical rules to learn and relearn.  Not to mention my loss of spelling ability.  I used to be amazing in my spelling abilities.  Even words I had never come across I could usually guess correctly.  Now, if it wasn't for auto-correct, and that ugly squiggly red line on the computer screen, I would make even more of a fool out of myself than I already do. (Ugh, see, there's that stupid single space that makes my hands nearly convulse.) But times change and I suppose I need to change with them.

So, many of the grammatical advice I've recently received has been from The Write Practice, which is, in my opinion, a wonderful site that has certainly shown me my terrible ways. I'm not sure how I like some of it, such as the single space vs double space after a period, or the comma splice theory, but I do like the blog and enjoy relearning my grammar and they also have wonderful writing prompts and helpful information on honing your craft as a writer. Of course, if you're not into writing, then you might not care for the site, but if you enjoy writing in any form, then I would suggest checking it out.

There's also Lumosity to help my brain out. I enjoy the site, but can't afford to pay for it, so I just visit once in a while (when I remember... ha! ironic, isn't it?) and get the few free activities it will allow. It helps to get the brain going again —or at least, that's what I tell myself.

With the new year coming so quickly, I find myself wanting to make tons of resolutions, but I know they won't last very long. (And I'm sure I'll be doing a New Year's Resolutions post soon.) Which leads me to the need to prioritize my hobbies, my goals, my dreams, etc.. (Does that get a second "." after the "etc."? Hmm, I think so, but again, there's my brain not remembering.)

Many times, I just feel like I'm overloaded and over-worn. Too many hobbies that I want to enjoy, too much housework, then there are the kids, the husband, the... everything! And no time to do any of it. Oh, I get a few things done, but between my two little ones always tugging at my, climbing on me, wanting me to hold them, etc., I don't get much done. And I'd rather enjoy time with them than worry about the dishes. Know what I mean?

So, what's the point in my rambling on in this blog post? Well, the new year is approaching fast. I want you to join me in prioritizing your New Year's Resolution list. We all know we won't keep them —at least, not all of them, but let's see who can keep the most the longest! A challenge. Let's make our lists and meet back here at the first of the year to share them. Then, at the end of the year, let's see who had kept any. Maybe we'll even meet up in the middle of the year and do a "list check" and see what we've accomplished and what we may need to re-try. It's never too late to start again. My mother getting her CNA license in her 60's was proof of that.  And I need to start getting my brain back into shape, before it's not worth anything —except maybe dinner for zombies!

Some Goodies for my readers

Hello and Merry Christmas!

I've been trying to get some goodies for you and I finally have a moment to upload them...

First a Christmas Wallpaper... What do you think?

Free Christmas Wallpaper
Enjoy!

And here are some more Alphabet pages that I've made.

I'd love to know what you think of them.  Let me know!  Enjoy and check back for more!

I'm a NaNoWriMo 2013 Winner!

Oh my gosh, I haven't made a post in quite a while... Since September!  October was such a hectic, crazy month and is thankfully over now.  Then came November, which, for those who really know me, means NaNoWriMo!  (National Novel Writing Month for those who don't know.)  And I was totally obsessed with my novel.  Well, I "won" NaNoWriMo, which means I wrote 50,000 words in 30 days!  But my novel is in no way complete.  I've got quite a bit more work to do on it before it's finished.  There are a ton of scenes that I still need to write, then there's the editing process to go through.  Eventually, I hope to get it published... either by self publishing or by traditional methods.  Either way, I'm hoping it's something that others will want to read.  We shall see.  In the meantime, I'm excited to say that I did it!  I wrote 50K words in 30 days!  50,272, actually, according to the official NaNoWriMo validator.

It was amazing, hard, insane, and there were quite a few times that I thought I was going to throw in the towel because I was so far behind and it looked impossible, but I did it!  @NaNoWordSprints and #NaNoWordSprints on Twitter were definitely a big help too.  Great source of inspiration!  And it was so fun to tweet with fellow WriMo's!  Anyway, I just wanted to toot my own horn and explain why I haven't been around on the blog here.  I'm hoping to get back to normal now and finish up on some of the projects I was working on previous to Hectober (Get it?  Hectic + October = Hectober) and NaNoWriMo.  The ABC Book that I'm making for the boys, some crocheting, of course, I need to finish up my novel and work on some editing, decorating for the holidays (we've got a tree and a few things up, but still got a lot to do) and there are a few others that have been left undone.

Well, that's all I have at the moment.  Now to go figure out something for dinner.  I have a ton of great recipes for side dishes, but I really need to expand my main meals section of my recipe book.  I'm getting tired of the same old same old, ya know?

ABC Book continued

So, after my recent post about ABC's and Reading, I got inspired to make a few more pages.  They're simple, really, but when you have two little ones and you're baby sitting a newborn, it gets a bit challenging to get anything done.  So, I figured I'd post the first four letters for your enjoyment.  I hope someone else gets some good use out of them as well.

I'm not sure about the cursive on the C, it looks a lot like a lower case "e" if you ask me.  What do you think?  I might change it before I actually print it out.  I'll post an updated one if I do.

ABC's and Reading

Ok, so I've been a total slacker on this one... I started this ABC book for the kiddos forever ago and I may get it done by the time the kids are in college LOL.  But seriously, now that my 3 year old is really getting into the alphabet (he actually knows the whole alphabet... in order!) and is learning to identify the letters, I'm realizing that there is an issue with the different styles of font. He can identify most of the letters in a sans serif style of font, but when you add the little squigglies and stuff with serif fonts, he's still a little confused.  It throws him off.  So I've decided to change up my ABC book a bit and have a serif, sans serif and cursive font on the letter page.  Here's what I've come up with for the A page to show you what I mean:

Since they don't teach cursive writing in school anymore (at least, not around here) I feel it necessary to teach my child how to write in cursive.  It's a lost art, really.  And I don't want my two little ones to be like my stepson whowriteswithoutspacesoranypunctuationtothepointwhereyoucan'tbarelyreadhiswritingatall.  I had a hard time typing that, I automatically put spaces in without even thinking.  I don't know how he can write without spaces or any punctuation to the point where you can't barely read his writing at all.  UGH, it drives me nuts.  But, he's 19 and has moved out, so I don't have to go over anymore of his homework, thank goodness!  But I'm going to work with these two little ones of mine, like my mother worked with me.  Thankfully, the 3 year old really likes books.  I'm hoping the 1 year old will too.

Feel free to use these ABC pages that I make for your own personal use.  I'll post more as I get them done.  And if you want to link back to my blog, that would be super nice, but not necessary.  Although I'd love to hear if you like what I've done on here.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  Speaking of learning your letters, which leads to reading... how's your Banned Books Week going?  Did you pick a book?  Which one did you pick?  I'm working on Moby Dick.  It's a book I never got a chance to get through, but have always wanted to read.  

It's almost here... Banned Books Week!

So, have you chosen a book yet?  It's not too late.  Banned Books Week is next week, so choose one of your favorites for a re-read, or choose a book you've never read before.  Celebrate the freedom to read!  

You may not agree or like certain books, but that doesn't mean they need to be banned.  However, I recently found out that 50 Shades of Grey is in my stepson's school library.  I've never read it, I don't intend to.  But I've heard what it's about from numerous sources and I certainly don't agree with that being in a school with children, but that's my opinion.  I had to really reevaluate my stand on banned books.  I'm still not happy with it and I'm irritated that books such as Moby Dick and Where the Wild Things Are are banned, yet something like 50 Shades of Grey can be allowed in a school.  (Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?!)  But I suppose I would be a hypocrite if I wanted that book banned.  Or are there legitimate reasons to ban a book?  And if so, where do you draw the line?  To me, it seems that the line has been drawn, scribbled out and redrawn so many times that it's all kind of fuzzy on what should be allowed and what is questionable.  

I haven't contacted my stepson's school yet... I'm not even sure I will.  What I can do is trust that we have taught him right and that he makes a good decision about whether or not to read that book.  But he's an adult now and it's his choice.  I am concerned about the younger students there, such as 7th and 8th graders who aren't mature enough, at least, in my humble opinion.  

What do you think?  What is your stand on banning books?  Have you read the 50 Shades of Grey book?  Would you want it in your child's school library?  What about the other banned books that are out there?

Click here for a list of banned books.

Click here for a Pinterest list of banned books.

Banned Books Week Coming Next Month

Banned Books Week

Sept 22nd - 28th

Read a banned book!

Let's be a little controversial for a moment... While wasting time surfing around the internet, (ie. lost in a sea of Pinterest pictures,) I came across a notice regarding Banned Books.  Being a complete book nerd, I took notice of such an atrocity.  How could anyone ban a book?!  Honestly, if you don't like a book, no one's forcing you to read it.  Leave it alone and move on.  As for required books in school, well, there are reasons for certain books to be read, lessons to be learned, and intellects to be utilized.  But there are options other than banning books.

Looking into it more, I found out that many of my favorite books, including ones that I had to read in school, have been banned or challenged numerous times over the years.  Seriously, if a parent is so adamant against a certain book being read by their child, for whatever reason, then write them a note and tell the school that your child will not be reading that book and needs a different one assigned.  Most schools, (granted, in only my own personal experience) I would imagine, be accommodating, providing the parent(s) could give a logical reason.

So, you may be thinking that the books are very controversial books with lots of sex, drugs and whatnot, that you wouldn't want your child exposed to.  Well, chances are, by the time these books are available to them for reading, they've probably already been exposed to even worse than the books have in them.  And if you deny that, then it's probably high time you search your child's room and backpack when they aren't expecting it... check their history on the internet too, and see where they've been surfing around!

But, anyway, before any parents out there get their knickers in a twist, I'm sure your diddykins is not "one of those" kids and is the perfect little angel.  I'm sure there are a few out there.... they aren't in my house, that's for sure!  But I'm certain that someone's home has a decent child out there.... somewhere.

Now, just to show you how ridiculous this list is... here are a few of my favorite classics that have been banned/challenged:

Where the Wild Things Are (A childhood favorite)
Red Badge of Courage (some seriously awesome symbolism in this book)
Moby Dick
The Great Gatsby

Click here for a list of many more.
Click here for a Pinterest list of banned books.

On Banned Books Week, everyone is encouraged to read a banned book.  Find one of your old favorites or pick up one you always wanted to read, but never found the time.  Enjoy it, savor it, understand it, and relish in the written word and the freedom to do so.

And the next time you hear the words, "Banned Books" think of all the great classics (and many contemporary books as well, such as The Hunger Games) that have been unjustly banned.  Which banned book will you read?

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Toolbox for the Creative

The Writer's/Artist's Toolbox

I recently read an article online about having a "toolbox" handy.  It was full of amazing and very helpful links and tips.  Well that got me to thinking... What is in MY toolbox?  What does a writer/artist NEED?

A notebook/sketchbook- this is essential, of course, and really shouldn't need stating, but we're starting with the basics.  keep this handy at all times.  Both if you must.  I'm looking for the perfect combo of a sketchbook/journal to use... The search continues.  I also keep a sketch pad and pen in every room (yes, even the bathroom!)  As for me, I have a terrible memory and if I don't jot things down when they pop into my head, they'll be forever lost.

Pens & pencils - Again, obvious, and they go with the first item, but just having one single pen or pencil on hand is like only ever eating vanilla ice cream.  Sure, it's great, but it makes a better foundation to add lots of other goodies.  I like to have variety because I never know when inspiration will strike for a good sketch/doodle/etc.  Inspiration for a good doodle?  Oh, you bet!  A good doodle can be a great catalyst for just about anything... The shapes, colors, style... You just never know.  And sometimes I do a quick doodle just to relax my mind. 

Camera/camera phone - personally, I carry both about 99% of the time (yes, my purse is huge and heavy, but I never know what I'll come across and what I'll need) and I've begun a collection of some amazing photos... Sunsets, sun rises, animals, bugs, flowers and other plants, etc.  And one of the best thing to photograph is textures.  You can use these for your art, book covers, crafts, and much more.  Start noticing the world around you and capture it!

Recording device - If you're driving or have your hands full, but need to get an idea out before you forget it, then a recording device is a must.  I believe many of the cell phones nowadays have some way of recording your voice.  If yours doesn't, then call yourself and leave yourself a voice-mail.  Leaving yourself a voice-mail is a great tool, especially for work the next day.  When I would leave work and remember something important that I would need to do the next day, I would call my extension and leave myself a message.  Then I was able to "forget it" for the evening and relax without worrying all night.  And there are also plenty of Apps for recording devices on your smartphone, if you have one.  Some are even free.

A good writing application - And I don't mean an "App" on your phone.  I mean something along the lines of Microsoft Word, WriteWay, Scriviner, or something as simple as Notepad.  Personally, I use WriteWay, but I've heard many good things about Scrivener as well.  I used to use Word until I came across WriteWay.  What I like about something like WriteWay or Scrivener is that they allow you to break up your story into sections, so you're not scrolling down and down and down, for infinity, just to find one small scene.  Sure, you can use Ctrl "F" but it can become quite a hassle if you're looking for something vague.

A great imagination and a sense of wonder - You need to have curiosity and the ability to look outside the box, maybe even throw out the box completely.  Ask lots of questions especially "What if?"  That question is a great catalyst for any story of any genre.  What if?  Take something ordinary and ask yourself the question, "What if...?" and see where it takes you.  What if my cat had special powers?  What if the South had won the war?  What if you had done this over that?  And be sure to search out the beauty in even the most ordinary items.  I've seen some of the most amazing photography and art pieces of some of the most mundane objects.  Don't just look at the lighting, but look at the shadows as well.  Negative space is one of the best artistic tools we can use.

 So, what's in your toolbox?

Character Collecting for Stories Part II

Characters

Character Collecting for Stories Part II:  In my last post I talked about Character Collecting.  Well, after re-reading my post, I tried to read it from a reader's point of view and thought someone might think, "That's all well and good, but how exactly do you collect characters for stories?"

Good question!  Here are my steps in "collecting characters" for Character Creation later on:

Tools.  First of all, always keep a notebook with you.  I keep a notebook and a camera with me at all times, you never know when inspiration will hit.  Then, be sure to transfer it somewhere safe and easily accessible  such as your computer or in a filing cabinet, etc., whatever you prefer for record keeping.

Be observant.  One of the most important things we can do as writers/artists/creative beings, is to be observant, but in this day and age, with all the technology we have at our fingertips, we tend to stay in our little bubbles, even when we're out and about.  Let's break that down even more...

Pay attention to what's going on in the world, rather than just in that little bubble of yours.  So many times we are so caught up in our own little world, worrying about bills, school, kids, work, etc., that we miss little interesting things going on around us.  So, take the blinders off for a moment, put down the smart phone/iPad/handheld device (scary, I know) and hold still, close your eyes.  Take a deep breath, what do you smell?  What do you feel?  Is is chilly?  Humid?  Feel the ground beneath your feet, is it gravel, grass or pavement?  What about sounds, what do you hear?  Now, open your eyes and write down whatever stood out to you, what made you "feel" where you are.

People Watch.  Now that you have a feel for your surroundings, look around at the people.  Who catches your eye?  Does anyone stand out?  Once you find someone who peaks your interest, for whatever reason, write down a few things about them.  What do they look like?  Who are they with?  What are they doing?  It's important to get all the details, almost a sketch of the person, but in words.  And if you can draw, even better, go ahead and sketch the person out.

What's the history?  Now, make up some of their background.  You obviously don't know them, but you can still make up something.  Are they late for a meeting?  Are they waiting for someone?  Where did they come from and where are they going?  Imagine what's going on inside their little world and jot down those details.  Sometimes, when I look up at a plane flying overhead, I imagine a passenger on that flight and wonder about what exotic locale they are headed for.  Maybe they're a spy or headed to a dense jungle, looking for.... Well, you get the idea.

What's in a name?  Finally, give your character a name or at least, a description of some sort.  Naming is one of the more difficult tasks, if you ask me, so you don't have to name them right now, if you don't want to.  i usually like my character's names to have meaning.  But whether you name them or not, give them a designation when saving their information. such as the header:  "Girl running past fountain."

So, next time, when you need a story, or a character for a story, just pull out your collected characters and see if one of them can help you out by giving you a scenario or just simply by doing whatever it is that they were doing when you first noticed them.  Then, just write whatever you see and let your muse free.

Character Collecting for Stories

Character Collecting

People Watching for Stories

I like to "People Watch" looking for my next Main Character.  For example, one day, years ago, I was working at a T-shirt shop, downtown St. Augustine, and saw a little girl run past the fountain outside.  She was smiling and having fun, but it struck me as interesting for some reason (probably because she looked so care free and I was stuck working on a beautiful sunny day) and I quickly got a pen and paper and jotted down some stuff:

Little girl, about 8 or 9, green dress, running... Those thoughts led to:  "She ran past the fountain..." and that instantly got my muse's attention, "...frantically searching..." searching for what?  Her parents? Her brother? Her dog? An escape route?

Oooohh, that's good!  Escape from what?

She then became the goal, the Damsel in Distress, if you will, for a story that is turning into a novel that I'm working on.  I started it during NaNoWriMo in November 2011, the first year in which, I was a winner.  I still have much work to do on it, many hours of writing, (I made it to 50K words, to "win" NaNoWriMo, but the story's not done) editing and tweaking to complete before it's worthy of publishing, but still, a whole novel from one moment in time when I noticed a girl run past a fountain.

It's taken on a life of its own and is nothing like I had originally envisioned.  I know I should outline my story, but that just seems too rigid for me.  They characters in my stories rarely follow the outline, anyway, making their own paths.  I just let the scenes play out in my head and I write what happens.  I'm called what is termed a "Pantser" -- an author who writes by seat of their pants, rather than using an outline to guide the story.

If you need the structure of an outline, by all means, sketch one out after the initial Character Collection or Inspirational Epiphany.

Just be sure to collect those characters.  There are so many out there who are unique, you can't miss them.  They're in the line at the bank, walking on the side of the road, sunning themselves at the beach, wherever people are, you'll find a character for your next novel.  I saw a very strange couple walking on the sidewalk one day, they looked so out of place, I had to pull over to write down the details.  I've got them saved on my hard drive and they might possibly become the main characters come this November's NaNoWriMo or maybe this summer's Camp NaNoWriMo.

Just be observant and open to anything.  You never know, a "character" that you find may not work for anything you're writing now, but down the road, you may find that you need the special flavor that only they can bring to a story.

Happy Easter!

Earth Hour 2013

Saturday, March 23, 2013 is EARTH HOUR

Remember to turn off your lights for an hour tonight at 8:30pm.  Earth Hour is a world wide event that has gotten a really huge following around the globe.  It's good for the environment, it's good for your electric bill and wallet, and it's a good statement of support for our planet and it's conservation.  Please join me and thousands of others by turning your lights off for one hour this evening.  And don't forget to share the idea with your friends and family.

Will you participate?

Project & Photo of the Day

Project of the Day:

Worked on the guest bathroom today.  Our son "cleaned" it this past weekend, but it still needs a lot of work.  A teenage boy and a parent definitely have two very different opinions on what counts as "clean."

Not that I"m the best at being a Domestic Engineer, far from it.  But when the dirt and grime get to me, then I know it's time for an overhaul!  LOL

So, I broke out the Magic Eraser and went to scrubbing down a couple of the walls and the door.

Much better!

And he actually noticed!  Remarkable.

Photo of the Day:

Project & Photo of the Day

Project of the Day:

Worked on my novel again.... just basically doing some research, but it sometimes takes a while.  And I always seem to wait until the last minute.  This time, I'm going to be ahead of the game for NaNoWriMo and do my outline and research (or at least, most of it) before November when it's time to do the actual writing.

Photo of the Day:

Guess we weren't the only ones to want Chick-Fil-A for lunch!