Category: Spilled Beans

The Baker’s Dozen: Just for Fun

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A Writer’s Life, Spilled Beans
To celebrate the completion of my fantasy manuscript, I went online to ask for possible book-related questions that I could organize into a blog post. I had no idea how or if it would work, so I crossed my fingers and waited.

Let’s just say the exercise was less successful than hoped. Kinda hard to ask questions about something you have no information about, whatsoever. That’s on me. Note to self: Stay in touch with people. Keep them in the loop—jeesh, girl. Get with the freaking program. (Don’t worry. I never listen to my inner critic, but she still likes to butt in sometimes.)

Ignoring Miss Bossy, I went back to the drawing board in search of questions that I could answer and maybe have a little fun in the process. I ended up finding more questions than I could ever answer in a blog post. The hardest part was choosing which questions to include.

I narrowed my choices down to the baker’s dozen. I should probably mention that none of the following questions are book-related. Cause you know, sometimes we just need to hang out (or above like Ginger), relax and take a moment to smell the flowers (or coffee like me).

I’d also love to read your answer(s) if you feel like sharing. And in case you do (needy alert), don’t forget to tag me on your blog or social media. Or, feel free to share in the comments section. 😉

My Baker’s Dozen

What are some of your Pavlovian responses? Coffee and carbs!!! Did they say coffee?

What song do you feel compelled to sing along with when you hear it, even if you don’t totally know all the words? We Will Rock You by Queen. And now you’re singing along. Am I right or am I right?

What’s the weirdest thing about modern life that people just accept as normal? Social media. Our phones get out more than we do, globetrotting from post to post to post and back around they go. No wonder our phones wear over time.

What word do you always mispronounce? Ubiquitous. I trip over the third syllable, pick up an extra one along the way and add it to the fourth.

Where’s the line between soup and cereal? Pepper. Banned by the Worldwide Association of Fruit Loops, or WAFL for short.

What would be the most unsettling thing to keep occasionally finding around your house? Unidentified socks. Did someone put a sign on our house, visible only to lost socks?

What’s better broken than whole? Eggs. Useless fact: I love fried egg sandwiches with lettuce and tomato.

What question would you like to ask a time traveller from 200 years in the future? Need some company?

If someone narrated your life, who would you want to be the narrator? Sam Elliott – that voice!

What’s the longest rabbit hole you’ve been down? Writing my first full-length story. It became my home away from home. At some point, I painted the walls, decorated to my heart’s content, and settled in for the long haul. I even added a couple of new rooms. Fellow booklovers will be pleased to know that I included a bookcase. Not to toot my own horn, but the place turned out pretty good, I must say. The rabbits have come to accept me and I pay the caretaker in carrots. It works.

What word is a lot of fun to say? Swish swished Swishy Swishes, said Ginger the cat. And now you know.

If magic was real, what spell would you try to learn first? How to induce sleep. I could buy some more carrots.

In the past people were buried with the items they would need in the afterlife, what would you want buried with you so you could use it in the afterlife? A laptop or notebook and pencil.

Thank you for reading!

The site where I found my questions: https://conversationstartersworld.com/good-questions-to-ask/

A quick history of the baker’s dozen: https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-a-bakers-dozen-13

Until next time, be kind to yourself. You’re worth it!✨
Wishing Everyone a Very Happy Halloween !

by

Spilled Beans

💀The skeletons on my street
dance beneath a full moon
as werewolves howl and gather round
to celebrate their favorite night.

🎃Halloween is here!🎃

Witches brew sticky potions
simmering in cauldrons
👻while ghosts and goblins
wait their share.

“Achoo!” went the tooth fairy.

👹Scary monsters and silly ones too👺
ring spooky doorbells
in their quest for candy🍬
and other sweet treats.

“Brains!” said the zombie.

🤠Cowboys and cowgirls alike load
their most prized loot in pumpkins🍫
alongside pirates and vampires – for on this night,
the scariest of nights, monsters, goblins and the like roam free!

“Boo!” said the ghost.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

Happy Halloween! If you’re like me, you’ll be enjoying the treats along with the trick-or-treaters this evening. Here the trick-or-treaters will be roaming along white streets and around tall snowbanks.

An early winter has already covered our tiny community with a thick blanket of snow. But you can’t stop those ghastly ghosts, goblins, and all the other Halloween creatures from celebrating the scariest night of the year!

A Quick Dose of Halloween Humor

Why is the Boogeyman always invited to Halloween parties? Because he can boogey!😹

What were the ghosts dancing to? Soul music, of course!

What happened when one ghost asked for a whiskey? The bartender said “Sorry sir, we don’t serve spirits here.”

What did the zombie order? That’s a no-brainer. A shot of To-Kill-YA! What else?

What did the zombie say to his date? I just love a woman with BRAAAINS!

What kind of music did the mummies like most at the party? Wrap music! It’s how they roll.

What was the monster’s favorite song of the night? Monster Mash – no dah!

What did the werewolf play on the jukebox? Dancing in the Moonlight. Admit it – you weren’t expecting that, now were you? But he was feeling a little warm and fuzzy as he reminisced about the good old days.

Why didn’t the skeleton dance at the Halloween party? He had no body to dance with.🙀

What did the vampire sing before the night was over? Bad to the Bone. He fancied himself a lady killer.

Except for my own two, the jokes were curated from this fun si te. I tweaked a few for the purpose of this post.

In celebration of Halloween last year, I wrote Murder on Birch Street. It’s a flash fiction story that features Max, the family dog. It also represents my first attempt at flash fiction. Please feel free to check it out. 😉

And as you know, I love music. So, I thought I’d share some spooky (and some not so spooky) music with you to help celebrate this Halloween. From what I can tell, you need to listen on Spotify to hear the full playlist – which means that I just learned something new. Until next time, be kind to yourself. You’re worth it!
Happy Thanksgiving to My Friends in Canada!

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Spilled Beans
In last week’s post I shared part 1 of The Seekers. I wrote that I’d share the second and final part this week, but I forgot that it would be Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. We celebrate a lot earlier than our American neighbors.

As I write this post, the turkey is roasting in the oven. I’ll be serving it with the usual potatoes, veggies, gravy, and cranberry sauce. I’ve been told that I make a delicious gravy. I’ll admit that it isn’t bad. 😉

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, so I’ve created a list of the top five things for which I’m grateful. I won’t include my husband, two beautiful daughters, other family members, and friends. Those are all a given.

The Things I’m Grateful For:

My health. Now is good time to mention that my mammogram results came back negative, so I could live to be a hundred, after all.

My online community of friends. We now live in a world where we have friends that we communicate with every day, but we’ll never meet. Nonetheless, we support and cheer each other on.

The people who take the time out of their busy lives to read my caffeinated ramblings, such as yourself. Thank you!

The moments that make life beautiful. Life is the most precious gift we will ever receive.

The roof over my head, because not everyone has one.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to share that I’m still working on Becky’s story. I even have an editor. That’s right, I have an editor! She’s a very talented lady, and with her expertise, I’m hoping Becky’s story will be something worth reading when it’s complete.

As I read over what I’ve written so far, I noticed a lot of technical mistakes. Ah well – as long as those mistakes don’t show up in the final draft, I should be good. That’s why an editor is so important. Self-publishing doesn’t mean we have to go it alone.

Becky’s story represents my first time writing outside of poetry, blogging, and flash fiction. I’ve discovered that a full-fledged story requires a whole different set of writing muscles. And with practice, I’m hoping to strengthen those muscles. As the saying goes, anything worth doing is worth doing well. A saying that I’ve always believed in.

I have to go now and check on the turkey. But before I do, I’d like to wish my Canadian friends and readers a very happy Thanksgiving. And to my other friends and readers, I’d like to wish you a very happy Sunday.

Until next time, be kind to yourself. You’re worth it!
We Can’t Enjoy the Sunshine Without the Rain

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Spilled Beans

Before the Rain

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, so I decided to come clean and share why I’ve been absent – aside from my road trip. It was a nice trip by the way. We were gone for a week, making it one of our shorter trips. We usually go for about a month. This year’s trip was short and sweet. We did a little sight seeing. I squeezed in some shopping. And presto, we were home again. So it doesn’t account for my monthlong absence from blogging.

Now, as some of you may remember, last fall an abnormality showed up during my routine mammogram. I then had a follow-up mammogram and ultrasound. The results being inconclusive, they recommended I have another mammogram screening in February. Through the jigs and reels, I didn’t have the recommended mammogram.

I wasn’t too worried though. My doctor and I couldn’t feel anything. So why worry unnecessarily, right? Then in late June or early July, my hand froze. I felt a lump – a very tiny lump, but a lump nonetheless. At the time, my doctor was due a leave of absence, giving me the perfect excuse to ignore my discovery. And I was busy with other stuff as well – like summer cleaning, getting ready for that road trip, etc.

My doctor was back by mid-August, and after three days of wondering whether I ought to set up an appointment, I found the courage to call. In making that call, I finally had to acknowledge the previously ignored discovery. I was also forced to confront my concerns. On the one hand, I told myself that there was no way breast cancer could happen to me. On the other hand, I knew full well that women are diagnosed with breast cancer every day.

August Rains

This compelled me to devour all the information I could about breast cancer. You name it, I’ve probably googled it. I was trying to determine whether I had a legitimate reason to be concerned, and whether or not such an unassuming lump could be cancerous. Of course, there’s absolutely no way of determining that through online research – the prognosis best left to professionals who actually know what they’re doing. But I couldn’t stop myself. I was a woman on a mission.

During this time, I got lost inside my head. I disappeared from social media and my blog, questioning my priorities and spending as much time as possible with my husband. I evaluated my life – again. In so doing, I wondered if the time spent writing is really worth it or not. So I stayed as far away from writing as possible. I tackled everything else but writing. As a result, all the little things that I’ve been putting off are now done. I’ve always been able to find a silver lining.

But at some point, I realized that I couldn’t stay inside my head forever. Nor could I continue to obsess over something that will most likely never come to be. Did I mention that it’s the teeniest of lumps? I’m beginning to hate that word. However, should it come to be, I can now deal with it in an informed manner, thanks to all that research – another silver lining.

Sunshine After the Rain

For now, I’ll continue spending time with my husband and getting back to the other things I love – like writing, of course. You see, during the time inside my head, I came to accept that it doesn’t matter how many or how few read my words – for real this time. All that matters is my love of the craft. If it makes me happy (and it does), then it’s worth doing – enough said.

I should also mention that I have an ultrasound appointment for Thursday, September 6. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on how it turns out. Tempted to gloss over and downplay my experience these past couple of weeks, I decided to take a more honest approach. While still lost inside my head, I also concluded that the opinion of others means diddly squat. What matters is my opinion of me – better late than never, I suppose. And I’m fine with who I am – weird bits included.

I do suspect there’s an unspoken pressure on us to always appear as though we have everything together. But none of us have it all together all the time. And that’s OK, don’t you think? It’s an important part of what makes us human. And what more can we ask of ourselves, but to accept our own humanity?

So what’s my takeaway from this?

First of all, never take chances with your health. Since my initial mammogram scare, I’m much more diligent when it comes my health. Because our health isn’t a game of chance.

Secondly, mammograms are an important screening tool for the detection of breast cancer. I’m not convinced that I would’ve found anything without my mammogram screening. Although the results were inconclusive, I was on greater alert, which allowed me to detect a lump early on. A woman should never ignore a lump in her breast, no matter how tiny. This goes back to never taking a chance with our health.

Lastly, arm yourself with yourself with knowledge. Know the facts about breast cancer. Through my research, I learned that women with dense breast tissue have a greater chance of developing breast cancer. So ladies, know if you have dense breast tissue. It can affect mammogram results. If you would like to learn more, just click on this link.

A last note before I forget.

In my next post, I’ll be sharing a conversation with Becky that I enjoyed during my absence from writing. It’s been a while, so in case you’ve forgotten, she’s the main character in a short story I’ve been working on. I guess it just goes to show that you can take a writer away from writing, but you can’t take the writing away from a writer.

One final thought before I let you go. If you haven’t checked out the page dedicated to my book yet, I hope you’ll take a minute to click on the link below. On my book page, you’ll find book reviews, links to my book, and a book trailer made by me. It’s a simple trailer, but people seem to like it. The book itself isn’t bad either if I’m to trust the reviews.

I don’t often promote my book on a blog post, but I figure once every blue moon is reasonable.

My Debut Poetry Book

Well, that’s it for now. Until next time, be kind to yourself.

Enjoy the moments that make life beautiful.
My Happiness Manifesto – The Key to My Success

by

Spilled Beans

Another school year has ended and now comes the much awaited summer vacation by teachers and students alike. I had the honor of spending my last day of school with a beautiful group of grade 12 students, who will be moving on next year to find their own path to success.

As we know, the path to success is different for everyone, as is the meaning of success . For some it might mean the accumulation of wealth and material possessions, or it might mean working at that job we love – which may or may not pay well. It might mean raising our children, so they achieve whatever it is that we hope for them.

In any case, what we consider to be the mark of success tends to involve a combination of factors dependent on what we want in life, where we are in life, and what we value. And our idea of success will help determine the path we choose to get there.

So this got me to thinking about what success means to me at the tail end of my forties, and whether I’m on the right path. I make a point of checking in on myself every now and then to see how I’m doing.

The first thing that came to mind when I considered the idea of success, was the concept of happiness. First and foremost, for me, success now means that I’m happy – especially with myself. And as I take a quick look back, I realize that I was searching for happiness all along. It was during my search for happiness that I found success.

It would seem that Albert Schweitzer had it right when he said “Happiness is the key to success.” A smart man.

[easy-tweet tweet=”Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. ~Albert Schweitzer ” user=”CyberneticBlond” hashtags=”#happiness #success #inspiring”]

I did make the practical decision to become a teacher, thereby gaining financial security. But I could’ve chosen any number of careers based on my strengths and interests. I chose teaching because I wanted to make a difference and have a positive impact on teenagers. My decision has made me very happy over the years.

And for me to be happy with myself, I need to stay true to who I am. I can’t and won’t compromise my values and morals for the sake of some perceived greater purpose. There is no greater purpose than my integrity.

So what else makes me happy? Easy – respect as a mother, wife, teacher, colleague, author, etc. How do I achieve that respect? By earning it through my words and actions, and showing the same respect to others. We can’t expect others to respect us if we don’t return the favor. It’s a two-way street.

Next, learning and growing brings me happiness. But just how am I to keep learning and growing as a person? By embracing each challenge with open arms and seeking new growth opportunities whenever possible – like creating this blog and self-publishing. It means stepping outside my comfort zone – which I don’t do enough, and furthering my understanding of what I already know.

And you’ll notice the changes on my blog. Nothing dramatic, just enough to fulfill the need to learn a little something new, while spicing things up a little. However, the difference those small changes made to my mindset were well worth the effort. I’ve been wanting to create a landing page for a while now, and although it’s a very simple page, I’m happy with it. During another need for change, maybe I’ll gussy it up a little – and again, learn something new.

Happiness for me also means cultivating positive relationships with family and friends. I do this by taking time to connect with my husband, daughters, sisters, mother, friends, etc., when I can. It might not always be much, a quick text to ask how someone is doing, for example. My daughters know I’m there for them at the drop of a hat if need be. My husband and I clear our schedules every evening to spend time together.

Last but not least, as I’m fond of saying, true happiness means loving myself enough to spend time with me as well. Spending time with myself doesn’t need to be complicated. It can be as simple as my evening bath, a walk while listening to my favorite playlist, or reading the next novel calling my name. The point being is that I take the time to care for myself. This in turn, gives me more energy for other aspects of my life. A win-win in my book.

Remember that success equals happiness for me. It also equals enough money to pay the bills, save for tomorrow, and take the scatter holiday. By my standard, I’ve achieved much of the success I want.

Most of what I’ve mentioned so far has come up on one blog post or another, which goes to show how important these topics are to me.

As a teenager, I learned about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in biology class. It struck a cord with me. At the top of the pyramid is the need for self-actualization – the achievement of our full potential. Somewhere within my sub-conscious, I’ve always wanted to reach the top of that pyramid, and I’ll keep climbing until I get there. And when I do get there, I’m sure to find another road. My journey is far from over.

During my climb to the top of Maslow’s pyramid, I’ll continue to establish myself as an author by sticking to my value of hard work and desire to keep learning.

I should probably step out of my comfort zone more often as well, if I’m to know greater success as an author.

I didn’t realize that I wasn’t stepping outside my comfort zone nearly enough until writing this post. The next question is why. But that would be the subject for another time.

To conclude, because writing this post was a bit of an eye opener for me, I’d like to suggest that you write your own success/happiness manifesto. You never know what you might discover about yourself…

Well that’s it for this week. Until next time, be kind to yourself. And don’t be shy, I love hearing from you.
A Few Quick Thoughts

by

Spilled Beans

Well, it’s that time of year again. My brain is officially mush. You could mash it with a plastic spoon at this point. The June by-product of being a (substitute) teacher.

It’s been a busy school year for me. In addition to work, I’ve spent every available minute from November to February putting my book together and publishing it. Then came marketing, networking, and on and on it goes.

In reference to the marketing, I did a short online marketing course yesterday, which taught me how poorly I’m promoting my book. When I’m back to myself, I’ll have to see what else I learned and hopefully apply some of that knowledge.

Although I love my job, I am looking forward to summer vacation. Most summers, I take a road trip with my hubby. We usually plan it out well in advance, but this year we’ve decided to see what happens. It’s just the two of us these days, so planning isn’t as necessary as when we traveled with our children.

During summer vacation, I’m also hoping to continue writing, of course. With that in mind, I purchased The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I plan to read it this summer. I know how boring the idea of sitting down to read a grammar book might sound, but I figure if I’m going to commit as a writer, I need to refresh my memory on the rules of writing. It never hurts to review what we know, and this book came recommended by someone I trust. And judging by the preview, the book is written in a highly readable manner. I’ll let you know when I’m done. I’m actually looking forward to reading it. Now there’s something I’d never thought I’d say.

Because I am tired, I’m keeping this post short and sweet. I should also mention that I’ve updated my privacy page to comply with the new GDPR and you’ll notice the new cookie notification at the top of this site.

In case you’re wondering what the GDPR is all about, you can check out this link. I’m hoping that I now have everything in order.

Anyways, before I go, I thought I’d share the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi below. We are the sum of our choices. And while we will continue to make mistakes, we can always try our best.

Well, that’s it for this week. Until next time, be kind to yourself.
A Look Back to Count My Blessings

by

Spilled Beans
As we navigate our way through life, we’re bound to make a mistake, maybe two, maybe more. It goes with the territory and it’s called being human. I have to yet to meet someone, anyone, who has never tripped up. Often times, those mistakes teach us our most valuable lessons – etched into our consciousness by way of hard knocks, failed attempts, bruised egos, and the occasional sore spot. What’s an imperfect person suppose to do?

Also inevitable are the regrets that come with time and age. Not to be downer, but that got me to thinking about my own regrets. I don’t spend time tracking my mistakes because it would prove to be a never ending endeavor. At least my list of regrets is a bit more manageable.

And to be honest, when I first thought of what regrets I might have, I couldn’t think of any. I don’t tend to dwell in the past. This means that I’ve never really thought about the subject of my own regret.

But after a slow start, I was able to compile the following list. While it’s not a complete list, it does include the first regrets that come to mind. So, here goes nothing…

Those Almighty Regrets

I didn’t learn to swim or skate. I have a fear of the water, which causes me to hyperventilate if either body of water reaches my waist. An irrational reaction that I’ve never overcome. I did begin learning how to skate, but a friend of a friend, who owned the skates, requested her skates back. I’ve never put on another pair of skates. Those things cost money and now I’m 48 without the inclination to buy or learn.

I will always curse the day I started smoking as a teenager. I was seventeen and didn’t know any better. In the 80’s, people still smoked in public buildings and it was the cool thing to do among my peers. I tried to quit once a few years back, but it resulted in six months of severe sleep deprivation, leading to some scary hallucinations. In a desperate need of sleep, I started smoking again. I know what a bad habit it is, so please don’t judge me for it.

Oh, how I wish that I’d learned to play the guitar. And although I’m not quite ready to rule out the possibility, the odds get slimmer and slimmer as time goes its merry way.

Even though I couldn’t afford to stay in university a day longer, I still regret not getting my Special Education degree. But I needed to get out into the real world and make some money. I had two beautiful daughters counting on me.

I would’ve loved to meet my husband sooner. I was 33 when we met in the tiny community I now call home. However, we can’t change the past, so I’m grateful for our future together.

Like I’ve mentioned, this list is by no means comprehensive, but they’re probably my five biggest regrets ( I could dig deeper, but nah). And as I look back, I’m reminded of my greatest blessings and success stories – for which I’m grateful every day.

My Shining Stars

My two daughters are at the top of the list, of course. I’m so proud of the young ladies they’ve become. And despite my parenting mistakes, they are amazing. So if you have children, don’t knock yourself up over every little blunder. Our children are a lot more resilient then we might think.

My husband, proving everything follows its own timeline – including love. Speaking of my husband, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish him, all the other fathers out there, and my own dad who now lives in our hearts and memories, a very happy Father’s Day.

My job as a substitute teacher and the students I interact with. They hold the future in their hands. It’s up to us as parents and educators to lead them into that future by our best example, ensuring a brighter future for everyone.

The self-publishing of my first book. It represents the realization of a once distant dream. Never give up on what makes your soul sing to its favorite song. Now is probably a good time to share the book trailer that I put together last weekend. I’ll admit to being a little surprised by the positive response. And to save file space, I’m simply sharing the link from YouTube.

Finding Their Way Home

Finally, I’m blessed to have a group of family members and friends who support me in my dreams. No one can follow our dreams for us, but it’s always nice to have company as we travel the next highway.

Well, that’s it for now. Until next time, be kind to yourself.💜
Embracing the Unknown

by

Spilled Beans

Hi everyone! I hope this week’s post sees you well and in good health.

This week was slow for me on the substitute teaching side of things as the school year begins to wind down. Many teachers will be starting their yearly review soon in preparation for final exams. Teachers want their students to succeed and will go out of their way to make that happen.

I was in a replacement position last year and went so far as to personally deliver any missed assignments to one student’s home. The completed assignments were passed in with a smile and words of gratitude.

I went back to substitute teaching this year by choice. I love the challenge and ever changing environment that it provides my nomadic soul. I moved around a lot growing up, which means that I became use to moving from place to place – to place. And as an adult, I now crave the same change.

During my university years, I’d periodically change around the furniture in my living room. It satisfied that need for a new environment. But I haven’t changed around my living room in years. I don’t need to anymore. I’ve found a profession that provides all the change I need. What’s not to love?

Writing on the other hand, provides me with an ever changing mental landscape. I’m also noticing less need for change in my physical world as I continue to write. The act of writing gives me a since of inner peace and balance.

And this week, I was able to write a couple of poems toward my next full-length poetry book. Two themes are beginning to emerge so far. I’ll see where it goes as I continue to follow the words. They’re even more stubborn than I am – and that’s harder than you might think. I’m about as stubborn as you’ll ever find.

But what’s most exciting is the series I’m now working on. If you followed my first blog, you may remember Autumn. She’s the teenage runaway who received so much positive feedback from readers. I’ve decided to edit her story, fill in the initial blanks, and finish it.

As I begin work on the series, there’s also some philosophical inclinations creeping in. I can’t say with absolute certainty, but it’s looking like the final product will be a mixture of poetry, story telling, and social commentary – I can only hope it works.

The series began as an effort to lend my voice to an under represented group of people. And my greatest fear is not doing justice to the issues treated within my series. The reader will be the final judge of course. It always comes down to the reader.

Anyhow, at this point in the series, I really want to hug Autumn and tell her that it’s going to work out. Although I don’t think she’s ready to hear those words, so I resist the urge. I’m more than happy listening to what she has to say instead.

Right now, I’m hoping to publish a chapbook which shares the beginning of Autumn’s journey. And I’m hoping to publish at least one more chapbook about this gutsy young girl who refuses to give up. But time remains our greatest source of knowledge. So I’ll see what happens.

I seem to be in a perpetual state of not knowing. But that’s fine with me. It’s nearly impossible to keep growing if we only stick to what we already know. And I’ve discovered that in addition to coffee and music, I’m also addicted to learning.

I wanted to keep this post short and sweet, so I’m off to see what Autumn’s up to now. The last time I checked, she was talking to Jimmy.

Until next time, be kind to yourselves.
The Post Without a Name

by

Spilled Beans

First of all, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all the mothers out there a very happy Mother’s Day! And thanks to my own mother, I discovered many years ago that mothers always know best. Here’s to you, Mom!

In celebration of Mother’s Day, P.D. Workman put together a fantastic list of book ideas for moms. Books are always a great gift idea. I’m honored to say that my book is also included on the list! I’m hoping that you’ll check it out, so here’s the link below. But finish reading this post first! #demanding

Give yourself books for Mother’s Day!

Other than that, not much has happened this week. The Winnipeg Jets did make it to the semifinals. So I’m pretty happy about that!

A few posts back, I mentioned that I sometimes have trouble remembering what day it is. Well, earlier this week, I thanked a fellow indie author for retweeting my book for me. In thanking her, I wished her a beautiful Tuesday. Little did I know that it was actually Wednesday. It was my hubby who pointed out the difference to me.

Then later on Wednesday, I told my hubby that the final game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Nashville Predators was at 9.00 p.m. (or was it 8.00 p.m. – I don’t remember haha) that night. So we were both excited and waiting for the game to start – only it didn’t. So then we were wondering what happened to the game! Neither of us wanted to miss it.

Finally, I decided to check google one last time – google it, just a little bit. Anyways, that’s when I realized my mistake. The game was on Thursday night! We were just a day early – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 😉

Needless to say, we didn’t miss it on Thursday night – being a day early and all. It was another fantastic win for the Jets! Now don’t get me wrong, I happen to like and admire the Nashville Predators. They’re a team with speed and skill. And during regular season, I could see me cheering for them – provided they’re not playing against Toronto, Montreal, or Winnipeg. What can I say?

Some of you may be surprised that I’m talking about hockey. I mean, I’ve never mentioned it until my last post. But I’m still trying this new thing where I share parts of who I am. So here’s a few things about me that you might not know. 🙂 The questions are bolded for increased readability. It’s getting harder and harder for me to read without my glasses.

•Name 3 celebrities you most admire: Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou (the first 3 names that came to mind)
•What’s your favorite thing about one of your grandparents? Both of grandmothers’ cooking. My grandfather Bungay’s pipe as he rocked in his chair. My grandfather Strowbridge’s salt and pepper hat and kind laugh.
•What is the sound you love the most? The sound of coffee percolating in the mornings.
•If you could shop for free at one store, which one would you choose? LeChateau
•Which of the Seven Dwarfs is most like you? Bashful. I’m actually very shy. Although I don’t remember being shy as a young child. I remember the time my bike was stolen. It didn’t go over right with me, so I scoured the neighborhood one dinner hour in search of my beloved bike. I found it and went up to where it was beneath someone’s kitchen window. As I reclaimed my bike, I could see what looked like the entire family at the dinner table . I was fully prepared for a fight, but it never happened. I rode home on my bike for dinner. Then there was the time when my on again/off again friend said something mean to my younger sister. I walked up to her door and politely asked her dad (my beef wasn’t with the dad) if I could speak to his daughter. And when she came outside, I pinned her to the house (no kidding!) and warned her in no uncertain terms to never, ever say anything mean to my sister again. She never.
•If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I’d be a lot less shy and a lot more like the much younger me.
•Who’s your favorite superhero? Superman
•Would you rather live for a week in the past or the future? The future. If I spent a week in the past, I’d just add to my list of mistakes. The list is long enough.
•What’s your most embarrassing childhood memory? Pulling the fire alarm in Kindergarten. I resisted for weeks before giving in to the sweet temptation. Did I just admit that? I suspect my teacher had an inkling it was me who had pulled the alarm as I slipped in among my classmates who were headed outdoors. But she never said anything. She did question me, but I was five and not about to accept the consequence for my poor choice. In my defense, I did learn from my mistake and never pulled another fire alarm.
•What’s your favorite holiday? Christmas. And now my daughters blame me for loving Christmas as much as they do. True story!
•If you could eat only 3 foods for the rest of your life, what would they be? Leafy green salad with loads of fixings, seafood (the question doesn’t say I can’t include an entire group of foods), pasta of any kind.
•What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? Publish my book. Seriously, publishing your first book is scary stuff.
•If you could choose your own nickname, what would it be? Awesomeness – just kidding! Some of my nieces call me aunty B. I’ve always loved it.
•When you’re having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better? Listen to music. I can’t imagine a world without it.
•What’s your favorite smell in the whole world? Coffee! Coffee!

And if you’d like to compile your own list of fun questions, all (but the superhero question) were compiled from this site. The answers are all mine.

Well, that’s it for this week! Until next time, be kind to yourself. And don’t forget to check that list of book gift ideas! #superdemanding
Taking Time for Me Without Apology

by

Spilled Beans

The other day, I was talking to a friend about how time seems to speed up as you get older. It’s kind of ironic if you ask me – just when we want time to slow down so as to enjoy the many gifts it’s given us, it speeds up instead.

After a spring snowfall this week, a student said to me that Mother Nature has a strange sense of humor. I’m inclined to think time shares a similar sense of humor. Here we are, already into May, while just yesterday it was September.

This has been the fastest year to date for me. I’m hoping it isn’t the new trend. And I have a sneaky suspicion the jump had something to do with the amount of hours devoted to my book. But given that I plan to keep writing and publishing, I don’t see things slowing down any time soon.

The best I can do is make the most of each day – which doesn’t mean that I spend all my time in busy mode. I think it’s equally important to take some time to care for our bodies and minds. I know it’s not always possible, but as long as we find a balance there somewhere, it’s all good.

Personally, I set aside thirty minutes every evening for a relaxing bath. It tells my body and mind that it’s time to wind down for the day. After my bath, I love to spend time with my other half. I started my bath ritual while on vacation last summer and just kept it up after that. I suffer from insomnia, but since starting my evening baths, I sleep so much better. I still have the scatter sleepless night, but those nights are fewer and further between these days.

I also take the time to work out every other day. I’ve been working out since my teens, so it’s become a lifestyle choice. And the closer I get to my nifty fifties, the more determined I am to keep working out. Those workouts give me strength and energy – neither of which I’m willing to give up just because I might be getting a little older. Age is never an excuse.

This blog is another form of me time. I love writing down my thoughts to share with readers – more or less successfully. My blog is meant to be informal and fun. I have no notions of it ever being a well-crafted body of information – nor is that my intent.

Rather, each post is organic and imperfect. I’m hoping my blog will grow along with me as a writer. Whereby I continue to share bits of my writing/publishing journey – in addition to bits of who I am as a person. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I like to mix things up.

And as you might recall, I’ve recently picked up reading again. The past number of weeks have been so busy that I’ve fallen off the reading band wagon – again. Ah well. I’ll hop back on as soon as my schedule allows me. What more can I do?

A couple posts back, I mentioned how I haven’t take the time to get my hair done in eight (or nine) months due to the hours spent on my book – leading to me feeling like a shaggy dog. Something had to give, right? Well, my appointment was on Friday evening. I now feel like a brand new woman. I promised that I’d share an updated selfie – and because I believe in keeping my word, here’s how I look now. 😉

As you can see, my hair is lighter and you can finally see my face. I’m also having fun and exercising my sense of humor with this photo . Fun is another thing that we need to take the time for whenever possible.

Before I let you go, I’d like to share a funny story with you. As I mentioned earlier, I like to spend time with my hubby in the evenings. Lately, we’ve been enjoying the NHL playoffs. I’m a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, so I’m always excited when they make the playoffs. I usually lose interest when they’re eliminated. I should also point out that I don’t consider myself a big hockey fan. I can’t remember the last time I watched a game during the regular season.

So after the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated this year, I lost any real interest in the playoffs – as per my usual. When my other half suggested we watch the first game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Nashville Predators, I said sure – why not. But I had no investment in the game whatsoever.

I started that first game by dividing my attention between what was happening on the T.V. screen and what was happening on my phone screen. Around halfway through that first period, I couldn’t help but notice how well the Winnipeg Jets were playing.

By second period, I was cheering them on. By third period, I was a full fledged fan. I couldn’t wait to see the second game! And by the second game, I was following the Winnipeg Jets on Twitter and Facebook. I wanted to see everything they were up to. At some point, my husband joked that I’ll be wearing the jersey next.

I’ll always be a Toronto Maple Leafs fan first and foremost, but I now have a new team that I love cheering for. The Winnipeg Jets rock! And what a game last night!

Well, that’s it for this week! Until next time, be kind to yourself. And as always, if you have any thoughts that you’d like to share, I love hearing from you.