blogs

Check Out Boomer Cafe

April 19, 2012 by admin

It’s Thursday again, which means…time to recommend a blog!

Boomer Cafe is one of my favorites. With a variety of writers submitting their work, I get to read many different perspectives of Baby Boomer life. I think even the younger whippersnappers that are aging but don’t qualify as Boomers would enjoy it, too.

Today’s offering is written by David Hemmings, who lost his job as he was about to turn 50. Check out how Hemmings turned the crisis into an opportunity.

In the meantime, I am in Day 3 of the Colorado Cleanse and am feeling GREAT! It’s just what the doctor ordered after a stressful move, and I am quickly starting to feel like myself again. Hope you have a great weekend! See you here next Tuesday.

Blog Recommendation: In the Writing Groove

March 29, 2012 by admin

Before I did my weekly search for a blog to recommend, I read some of the blogs I subscribe to. One in particular caught my eye because it reflected the writer’s frustration that she’s working hard trying to promote her book, and she can’t get people to buy it.

On the one hand, I feel her pain. When we write novels, we hope that people will want to read them. We work hard to build our audiences and try to come up with fresh material that will excite a reader enough to say, “I must have her book!”

However, smart authors know that we can’t just hit people over the heads to get them to buy our books. There was nothing in the blog post that made me want to buy the book. You catch more flies, as they say, with honey than with vinegar.

So today I chose a blogger because, darn it, her Twitter photo made me smile. There’s something about a woman snuggled in bed with head resting comfortably on the pillow, grinning widely, that makes me want to get to know her better.

Yep, the photo did it. Kathy L. Hall, former journalist-turned-blogger (In the Writing Groove) and novelist, won me over with charm — or, I guess in the flavor of my Tuesday blog post, La Seduction.

Kathy writes in a clear, straightforward manner about writing, publishing, and books. She’s written several herself, and her female-centered novels may be of interest to my readers. Given that I’m still smiling, I expect I’ll read a few of them myself. I and my fellow writing buds can learn a thing or two from her.

It’s Blog Recommendation Day!

March 22, 2012 by admin

In a few minutes I go pick up hubby, who flew in to Seattle last night and has made the journey by train, ferry, and bus to get back to town. One adjustment in our new lifestyle is that we are no longer less than a half hour from the airport, but he’s excited about mass transit — especially the ferries, which are a relaxing way to travel.

Some weeks it’s hard to find a blog to recommend. Others reach out and grab me from the get-go, and Bringing Along OCD is one of them. Blogger Tina Barbour, who has had OCD, anxiety, and depression since childhood, reflects on her journey with love, compassion, and grace. While I do not have OCD, I have written frequently here about anxiety, and I often find myself nodding my head when reading one of her posts. Sometimes I feel as though she’s reading my mind!

These days, we’re either more anxious or more willing to talk about it — or both. While professional help is necessary for healing, if you or a loved one have any of these conditions, it’s helpful to know you’re not alone.

Have a great weekend! “See” you here next week.

Happy International Women’s Day!

March 8, 2012 by admin

In honor of International Women’s Day, here’s a list of great resources for and about women:

Miss Representation – If you get a chance to watch this documentary film about the portrayal of women in the media, take it! Watch it with your daughters, your granddaughters, and the men who love all of you. I first saw it on OWN, then saw it a second time last night at a public screening, followed by a great discussion. I was encouraged that a group of high schoolers (some of them boys) were there as well! One of them made note of the fact that many of us in attendance were “old women,” which led to a discussion about how some of us could mentor the young women in town.

Great blogs by intelligent, savvy women:

Feminist Law Prof – Twitter is a wonderful thing. I just “discovered” Liz via Twitter and am already enamored with her interesting and provocative posts.

Broadside – Caitlin Kelly is a journalist, author, and world traveler whose content will keep you engaged.

Finally, today is Purim, a Jewish holiday celebrating how Queen Esther saved the Jews from the evil Haman. It’s always great to have a woman be the heroine of a story! There are so few! Last night as we watched Miss Representation, clips of Rush Limbaugh brought hisses and boos — much in the way Haman is booed and hissed at the raucous Purim celebrations.

As I close out the week, here are a few photos, one from last night as the moon shone over the water, and another from this morning’s sunrise. Enjoy! “See” you next week!

Full Moon Over the Water — The view from last night's walk!

The sunrise view from our home.

I’m feeling a bit guilty. I might have been tough on the guys a few days ago when I ranted about how we women often don’t take time for ourselves, while our male counterparts just go do their thing. If anything, I think we should admire the guys for that and even emulate that behavior — so I hope that my male readers will know that I never intend to “bash” men.

Anyway, it’s Thursday, and time for a blog shout-out. Normally I focus on women, since that is my primary audience, but since I am feeling a tad guilty, I want to recommend a guy’s blog that I consider worthy. One of his posts made me cry, and anyone who can move me with his or her words gets my vote!

So please go visit Brad the Dad to get a parenting perspective from the male point of view. My own hubby is and has been an involved father, so I appreciate all the hard-working dads out there who don’t see child-rearing as “woman’s work.”

BLOG NEWS: Next week I will be in a virtual yoga conference, so I’m going to take a break and will be back on Monday, February 13th! “See” you soon!