From Me to You...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I love flash mobs! I'm always wondering how I can create one or participate in one. I discovered them about four years ago and have been in love with them ever since. this is one of my favorites!

Fridays R 4 Fun

Oh. My. Gosh. I just had to share this with you. Listening to the music and watching Takeshi Sato work is magical! You can find more of his work at this website. http://livepaint.jp You will not be disappointed!

But for now, watch this one:




What do you think? Amazing!

Decision Trees

Things are moving along, the text of Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom has been uploaded, looking at a new short story to upload onto my website, and working through the benefits of starting a newsletter.

This whole newsletter thing has got my mind lost in a flurry of activity. I realize the benefits of creating and maintaining a newsletter, but I'm not sure what to put into it. I get one idea then my brain leaps to a series of others. I've been doing a bit of research, reading different ones and sorting out what I love about what these authors are doing. Each one is personal and at the same time keeps the readers abreast of what is happening in the authors' writing world.

I really want start one and I want it to be good. But I have so many different ideas about what I want this thing to do that I can't seem to focus on any one aspect. My brain keeps jumping from one thing to another. What I want most is to create a conversation with my readers. That is so much easier said than done.

I think I need to go back to making decisions the old fashioned way, writing a list of pros and cons and putting them into a decision tree. At least if I do that, it would give my brain something to focus on and allow it to calm down.

So here we go:
1.  Get a sheet of paper and a pen.
2.  What is the point of the newsletter
3.  Who is it written to
4.  How often is it published
5.
6.
7.

Okay that's as far as I can get before my brain starts squirting thoughts in 20 different directions.

Fridays R 4 Fun

I'm heading to visit my grandkids and was looking for a craft I could do with them. I thought it would be cool to make something that we could use to decorate with. So I looked online for wreath ideas. Some of these are really cool. Not just for the holidays, but for all occasions.

 This one is kind of cute, but I think I'd like it better with the bells in different color. The cool thing is,it could be used if your doorbell stops working.

I thought this one is really cute. I like that you don't have to destroy one of the kid's toys to get the parts to use. Aren't the glove antlers cute...in a scary sort of way.

I really like this one. You use all different sizes and colors of ornaments. I'd probably shove in a candy cane or two.

Now this is a lot of spiced gum drops. I don't know if I could buy them just for the use in a craft. This is way too much temptation for me

 I think this one is my favorite. I really love those buttons.

this would be cool to have any time of year. what a great way to display your address.

 And this one is just plain fun, making a wreath out of whatever your hobby or interest is. I wonder if I could find a small typewriter and mount it on a wreath...or maybe I could find some small books to make one with. Hmm...

I added this one for my friend, Maria Toth. Hey Maria, maybe you could add a picture of you novel, Butterfly Hollow, to it!

Sorting Through Ideas

Most of the time I'm trying to figure out which story line to work on next. Lately, though, my mind has been circling around some unique things to do with my books. I have this crazy idea that blends audio books with ebooks. I really think it could work.

These are the days I wish I had majored in information technology in college instead of psychology. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed my career working with and treating children and teens. They are the ones who helped me understand the importance of story and how it plays an integral part of our everyday lives. So I guess I should give them credit for my becoming a writer.

But today, understanding and knowing how to write computer code to create the different applications that I have floating around in my head would really be helpful. And if I can't write the code, it would be helpful if I had tons of money to hire someone else to do it for me.

So here I am without skill or funds. I know I can't be the only one in this position. I'm sure there are others with the same lack who figure out how to get it done. So I will keep sorting through how to accomplish what I want until I get to my goal.

By the way...are there any application builders willing to work for royalties? Just thought I'd ask.

Fridays R 4 Fun

Hello my names is Stephanie and I'm a gadget-aholic. Seriously folks, I'm addicted to gadgets. I can't help myself. As soon as I buy one thing I see something else I'm just dying to have.

For instance, I told my husband that my laptop was too heavy to carry around and bought a new one that had a bigger screen. In my defense, it was a lot lighter than the other one. Then I told him that my iPad was dying and I just had to have a new tablet. So...he bought me Samsung's new Tab 3. Now I've decided my new laptop is too big to carry around and I have to have something smaller. Really!?!?

Well, here's the truth. It's Christmastime and all of the new gadgets are being splashed all over the TV screen and the internet and I'm suffering a serious case of gadget envy. Here are just a few of the things I've been drooling over. Just knowing these hybrids are out there and available is killing me.

         

  

Who can choose? Not to mention justifying the purchase to my husband.

 Then there's this little robot guy you control with an iPhone app. I don't even have an iPhone!

What Makes Me Happy?

Sometimes people ask me what I would do with the money if I won a lottery. The usual things come to mind: pay off all my bills, buy my dream car, take a trip. But honestly, none of these are the things that make me happy. So if it'snot money, what makes me truly happy? Here's the list.

Enjoying my marriage with my husband of 38 years
Spending an afternoon with our daughter
Laughing and talking with friends
Chattering on and on with our grandchildren
Allowing the grandkids to teach me new things
Reading an engaging/exciting book
Writing a scene that makes me laugh or cry
Reading the Bible and praying
Relaxing in a tub of warm bubbles with a really good book
Drawing
Listening to my husband's laughter
Watching a beautiful sunset
Listening to the wind rustling through the leaves on a warm evening
Watching puffy clouds move across the sky and naming the shapes they make

These are the things that fill my hear with joy. Not one of them costs a dime, but each is priceless. Just making this list brings a smile to my face. Have you ever thought of the things that fill your heart? Try listing them and see if it makes you smile, too. Would you mind adding a few of them here in the comments? I would love to see what they are.