Recently I became a member of RecycleBank. It's a program where you get rewards points simply for being green. It doesn't take much effort. You simply do the kinds of things you should be doing anyway.
I encourage everyone to check it out at http://www.recyclebank.com/.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Friday, December 03, 2010
Who Packs Your Parachute?
Just received a really great "pass around" email from my mom called Who Packs Your Parachute?
The PowerPoint tells the story of Major Charles Plumb, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot during the Vietnam war who was shot down by a surface to air missile, parachuted into enemy territory and lived as a prisoner of war for six years before being released.
Now he goes around the country speaking about his experiences, and one day a man came up to him in a restaurant and said I know you. You're Major Plumb. I packed your parachute!
It left him thinking, how many times did I walk by this guy, who was just a sailor and I a fighter pilot, how many times did I walk by him on the Kitty Hawk without a good morning or so much as a nod or eye contact?
Now Major Bloom goes around the country asking the question to his audience, who packs your parachute, and how do you treat them? Not just your physical one, but your mental one, your emotional one and your spiritual one?
Let's all remember to be kind to strangers because we never know what that person is going through or what they're capable of. The person we ignore today could save our life tomorrow. Or perhaps your simple "thank you" or "have a nice day" could help them get through theirs.
Remember, a kind word never hurt anybody!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
The PowerPoint tells the story of Major Charles Plumb, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot during the Vietnam war who was shot down by a surface to air missile, parachuted into enemy territory and lived as a prisoner of war for six years before being released.
Now he goes around the country speaking about his experiences, and one day a man came up to him in a restaurant and said I know you. You're Major Plumb. I packed your parachute!
It left him thinking, how many times did I walk by this guy, who was just a sailor and I a fighter pilot, how many times did I walk by him on the Kitty Hawk without a good morning or so much as a nod or eye contact?
Now Major Bloom goes around the country asking the question to his audience, who packs your parachute, and how do you treat them? Not just your physical one, but your mental one, your emotional one and your spiritual one?
Let's all remember to be kind to strangers because we never know what that person is going through or what they're capable of. The person we ignore today could save our life tomorrow. Or perhaps your simple "thank you" or "have a nice day" could help them get through theirs.
Remember, a kind word never hurt anybody!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Have you received a phone call from 866-312-9553?
Beware. This person says that you've won a car or a trip or some equally high level prize and that this is their last attempt to reach you, even though you swear you've never heard from them before.
It's some kind of a scam. Check out this website.
It sounds to me more like a time share message - like they want you to come down and if you just listen to their speech for three hours we'll give you blank just for coming. Not worth the time and effort. They can be very forceful with these things. I actually bought a timeshare once and it turned out to be a disaster. So bad, in fact, they they agreed to take it back from me no strings attached.
The caller ID comes up, for me at least, as Prize Award Center, but the person leaves a voicemail of Vandale Communications. It's different in different parts of the country, however, so beware.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
It's some kind of a scam. Check out this website.
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-312-9553/4#p160741726773102659
It sounds to me more like a time share message - like they want you to come down and if you just listen to their speech for three hours we'll give you blank just for coming. Not worth the time and effort. They can be very forceful with these things. I actually bought a timeshare once and it turned out to be a disaster. So bad, in fact, they they agreed to take it back from me no strings attached.
The caller ID comes up, for me at least, as Prize Award Center, but the person leaves a voicemail of Vandale Communications. It's different in different parts of the country, however, so beware.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Monday, October 25, 2010
How would like your promotions created for free?
Well if you represent a really good cause, you just might be able to. I just received an email from an agency called TrendyMinds, and they're looking for next year's pro bono account. If you want to find out more information or apply, go to http://www.trendyminds.com/index.php/news/2011-pro-bono-program-accepting-applications/.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Give Hope
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Dismantling Arizona Law SB 1070
I like the idea of making it a crime to be illegal in the state. I wouldn’t mind doing that in every state. What I do not agree with is the way it's being implemented.
If you’re going to introduce such a huge law, then you have to have equal opportunity around it. First of all, there needs to be an amnesty period. You can’t decide in three months or however long they took that they’re going to make this a law tomorrow. There needs to be an amnesty period whereby people without proper paperwork can get that paperwork, and get it easily. Everyone who is illegal needs to have a fair chance to become legal.
Secondly, if you are in a country outside the U.S. and you apply for a U.S. visa, you stay in your home country until you receive the proper paperwork. If you come to America and apply for your paperwork once you get here, you are SOL. It is virtually impossible to get papers once you set foot in this country, and that makes no sense at all.
“Hi. I’ve been visiting for three weeks and I’ve decided I like it here. Can I please stay?” What the hell is wrong with that? Okay, 99% of the people who come into this country illegally don’t come for vacation. They come for life. But still, I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again: we wouldn’t have so many illegals if we didn’t make it so damn hard to become legal. We need to make this process waaaayyy easier and quicker.
Finally, all this buzz about Arizona profiling is really hurt the state. They’re losing visitors and they’re losing out of state students. They say they’re not going to profile, but they need to put their money where their mouth is and prove it.
Overall, I don’t have a problem with the law itself. I think it’s great. The problems are around how the law will be implemented and much work is needed there. Unfortunately, I don’t think the federal government sees the problems I see. I can only hope that someone in the House or Senate steps up to the plate and starts a dialogue.
And one more thing. Every person who thinks that every illegal immigrant should be sent packing needs to remember that every person who founded and built this country in the first 100 years was an illegal immigrant. You wouldn't be here if they couldn't come in.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
If you’re going to introduce such a huge law, then you have to have equal opportunity around it. First of all, there needs to be an amnesty period. You can’t decide in three months or however long they took that they’re going to make this a law tomorrow. There needs to be an amnesty period whereby people without proper paperwork can get that paperwork, and get it easily. Everyone who is illegal needs to have a fair chance to become legal.
Secondly, if you are in a country outside the U.S. and you apply for a U.S. visa, you stay in your home country until you receive the proper paperwork. If you come to America and apply for your paperwork once you get here, you are SOL. It is virtually impossible to get papers once you set foot in this country, and that makes no sense at all.
“Hi. I’ve been visiting for three weeks and I’ve decided I like it here. Can I please stay?” What the hell is wrong with that? Okay, 99% of the people who come into this country illegally don’t come for vacation. They come for life. But still, I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again: we wouldn’t have so many illegals if we didn’t make it so damn hard to become legal. We need to make this process waaaayyy easier and quicker.
Finally, all this buzz about Arizona profiling is really hurt the state. They’re losing visitors and they’re losing out of state students. They say they’re not going to profile, but they need to put their money where their mouth is and prove it.
Overall, I don’t have a problem with the law itself. I think it’s great. The problems are around how the law will be implemented and much work is needed there. Unfortunately, I don’t think the federal government sees the problems I see. I can only hope that someone in the House or Senate steps up to the plate and starts a dialogue.
And one more thing. Every person who thinks that every illegal immigrant should be sent packing needs to remember that every person who founded and built this country in the first 100 years was an illegal immigrant. You wouldn't be here if they couldn't come in.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
A Letter from Congressman Jim Himes on Earth Day
I received the following letter in my email today from Congressman Jim Himes. For those of you not on his mailing list, I'm sure he will appreciate my sharing it:
Dear Friends,
In the four decades since the first Earth Day in 1970, we have made remarkable progress in the fight to protect our planet. Today, our air and water are cleaner, pollution has been greatly reduced, and Americans everywhere are living in a healthier environment. We've passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and founded the Environmental Protection Agency.
The most critical moment for environmental protection is the one we face today. Our reliance on foreign fossil fuels has set us on a massively destabilizing path, threatening our national security, our environment, and our economy. Very simply, the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will be the nation that leads in the 21st century.
Congress has taken on the challenge of energy independence from many angles. The Recovery Act, Clean Energy and Security Act, and other legislation are all working together to improve our national security, create jobs, and protect the environment.
The Recovery Act included more than $80 billion in clean energy investments, such as building a bigger, smarter electricity grid and providing incentives for expanding manufacturing capacity for clean energy technology, and advancing vehicle and fuel technologies. In fact, the wind industry grew its capacity nearly 40 percent in 2009, blowing past expectations that existed prior to the passage of the Recovery Act.
The American Clean Energy and Security Act took a powerful and historic step toward a wholly new approach to energy in our country. Once signed into law, its reforms will help create 1.7 million clean energy jobs, finally end our nation's dangerous addiction to foreign oil, and begin to curb the harmful effects of climate change.
On this 40th anniversary of Earth Day, I take great pride in the steps we have taken to help protect our natural resources, especially those right here in Connecticut. For example, this past year, we increased funding for the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act to $15 million, up from $3 million previously. Additionally, the sweeping and significant Public Land Management Act signed into law by the president in March will strengthen our National Parks, improve the health of our forests, ensure better management of our public lands, and increase the quantity and quality of water provided to numerous local communities.
These are significant victories for the cause of environmental protection. But much work remains. As we take this day to consider how best we can protect the planet we call home, be assured that I will continue to work diligently on these measures and on any other which will help ensure the beauty and stability of our environment.
Sincerely,
Jim Himes
And a happy Earth Day to all!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Dear Friends,
In the four decades since the first Earth Day in 1970, we have made remarkable progress in the fight to protect our planet. Today, our air and water are cleaner, pollution has been greatly reduced, and Americans everywhere are living in a healthier environment. We've passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and founded the Environmental Protection Agency.
The most critical moment for environmental protection is the one we face today. Our reliance on foreign fossil fuels has set us on a massively destabilizing path, threatening our national security, our environment, and our economy. Very simply, the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will be the nation that leads in the 21st century.
Congress has taken on the challenge of energy independence from many angles. The Recovery Act, Clean Energy and Security Act, and other legislation are all working together to improve our national security, create jobs, and protect the environment.
The Recovery Act included more than $80 billion in clean energy investments, such as building a bigger, smarter electricity grid and providing incentives for expanding manufacturing capacity for clean energy technology, and advancing vehicle and fuel technologies. In fact, the wind industry grew its capacity nearly 40 percent in 2009, blowing past expectations that existed prior to the passage of the Recovery Act.
The American Clean Energy and Security Act took a powerful and historic step toward a wholly new approach to energy in our country. Once signed into law, its reforms will help create 1.7 million clean energy jobs, finally end our nation's dangerous addiction to foreign oil, and begin to curb the harmful effects of climate change.
On this 40th anniversary of Earth Day, I take great pride in the steps we have taken to help protect our natural resources, especially those right here in Connecticut. For example, this past year, we increased funding for the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act to $15 million, up from $3 million previously. Additionally, the sweeping and significant Public Land Management Act signed into law by the president in March will strengthen our National Parks, improve the health of our forests, ensure better management of our public lands, and increase the quantity and quality of water provided to numerous local communities.
These are significant victories for the cause of environmental protection. But much work remains. As we take this day to consider how best we can protect the planet we call home, be assured that I will continue to work diligently on these measures and on any other which will help ensure the beauty and stability of our environment.
Sincerely,
Jim Himes
And a happy Earth Day to all!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
I Love Our Planet - Happy 40th Earth Day!
Earth Day is a very emotional time for me. As crazy as it sounds, it often brings me to tears. Perhaps it’s because I can feel the feelings of the living earth. Perhaps its because I respect the earth so much and all the power that it has and all that it gives us.
And then there’s the raw beauty of it. The rich colors of the flowers, the birds and the sunsets. The amazing highs of the mountains, the deep lows of the valleys and the awesome rock formations that you know weren’t there a few thousand years ago. The white sand, the crystal blue waters in some spots, the 20 foot high waves, the amazing creatures of the sea.
As cliché as it sounds, nature and the earth are truly wonders to behold and I work hard every day to make sure that we don’t ever lose this gift and this opportunity to coexist with nature that humans have been given. When I see garbage on the ground and see people disrespecting the earth by throwing things on the ground, I can almost feel the earth flinch or cry out. When I see landfills so full we have to close them and open new ones, it scares me that 100 years from now there might not be anywhere left for new landfills. Then where will the garbage go? I wonder, will our children’s children’s children have any parks to play in or will all that great space some day give way to landfills?
I love recycling. I worship recycling. When I see someone throwing a bottle or can away, I practically have chest pains. We as a society need to continue to learn how to recycle everything we use. I also am a big fan of garbage to energy. Let’s turn that garbage and the methane gas it emits into something useful.
Most importantly, let’s remember that the earth is a living thing and that existing on it is a privilege, not a right.
God bless America … and God bless the planet Earth.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
And then there’s the raw beauty of it. The rich colors of the flowers, the birds and the sunsets. The amazing highs of the mountains, the deep lows of the valleys and the awesome rock formations that you know weren’t there a few thousand years ago. The white sand, the crystal blue waters in some spots, the 20 foot high waves, the amazing creatures of the sea.
As cliché as it sounds, nature and the earth are truly wonders to behold and I work hard every day to make sure that we don’t ever lose this gift and this opportunity to coexist with nature that humans have been given. When I see garbage on the ground and see people disrespecting the earth by throwing things on the ground, I can almost feel the earth flinch or cry out. When I see landfills so full we have to close them and open new ones, it scares me that 100 years from now there might not be anywhere left for new landfills. Then where will the garbage go? I wonder, will our children’s children’s children have any parks to play in or will all that great space some day give way to landfills?
I love recycling. I worship recycling. When I see someone throwing a bottle or can away, I practically have chest pains. We as a society need to continue to learn how to recycle everything we use. I also am a big fan of garbage to energy. Let’s turn that garbage and the methane gas it emits into something useful.
Most importantly, let’s remember that the earth is a living thing and that existing on it is a privilege, not a right.
God bless America … and God bless the planet Earth.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Alicia Keys Is Hiring!
Just logged onto Monster.com and saw something I never expected to see. A large ad saying that Alicia Keys is looking to hire a head blogger for her new blog, I Am Super Woman. The blog will be all about empowering women. The site, IAAS.com, will create an online community connecting, inspiring and broadcasting important topics related to women.
I think it's a great idea!
Wish I could do the job but I just don't think I have the stamina anymore. It requires a lot of domestic and international travel, a trek into NYC every day and probably 24/7 availability.
Interested? Think you've got what it takes? Go to http://www.monster.com/ and click on the front page link. Good luck!!!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
I think it's a great idea!
Wish I could do the job but I just don't think I have the stamina anymore. It requires a lot of domestic and international travel, a trek into NYC every day and probably 24/7 availability.
Interested? Think you've got what it takes? Go to http://www.monster.com/ and click on the front page link. Good luck!!!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Gotta Love the New York Daily News
Today's issue of the New York Daily News started me off with a great laugh. The article, "The Most Ridiculous and Misspelled Tea Party Signs," presents more than a dozen photos of misspelled rally signs, many of which emphasize the fact, I love this part, that if you can't speak English, go home. So if they can't write English, where do they go?
Some good ones:
If you can read this sign your smarter than Nancy Pelosi
Obama Lier in Chief
No Mas Illegal Alliens
Dump the Polititions
One Hugh Mistake America (I feel sorry for Hugh!)
The US of A Constution
Make English America's Offical Language
Stop Taking from Hard Wroking People
Get Your Handout of My Pocket (Okay, thanks!)
Respect Are Country
Don't Mortage My Child's Future
Wealth Redistribtion
Repeel Congress (you mean, um, like an orange?)
Say No to Socilism (If you're going to say no to something, paaleeeze know how to spell it)
Thank you Fox News for keeping us infromed
This is America and our only lanoguage is English (but what language is lanoguage?)
1930s Gemany all over again
Impeah Obama
Patriotic Resisance
Don't Give Away My Daugter's Future
And my absolute favorite:
I am Joe the Plummer
Glad to see these are the people who think they represent our great country. I feel better now.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Some good ones:
If you can read this sign your smarter than Nancy Pelosi
Obama Lier in Chief
No Mas Illegal Alliens
Dump the Polititions
One Hugh Mistake America (I feel sorry for Hugh!)
The US of A Constution
Make English America's Offical Language
Stop Taking from Hard Wroking People
Get Your Handout of My Pocket (Okay, thanks!)
Respect Are Country
Don't Mortage My Child's Future
Wealth Redistribtion
Repeel Congress (you mean, um, like an orange?)
Say No to Socilism (If you're going to say no to something, paaleeeze know how to spell it)
Thank you Fox News for keeping us infromed
This is America and our only lanoguage is English (but what language is lanoguage?)
1930s Gemany all over again
Impeah Obama
Patriotic Resisance
Don't Give Away My Daugter's Future
And my absolute favorite:
I am Joe the Plummer
Glad to see these are the people who think they represent our great country. I feel better now.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Self Magazine's Workout in the Park
SELF magazine is holding a Workout in the Park in three different cities across the country on three separate dates (one could actually attend them all if they had the funds and the time! Now wouldn't that be fun!).
April 24th, San Diego: Mission Bay Park
May 8th, New York: Rumsey Playfield, Central Park
May 15th, Chicago: Grant Park
The events, which run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. rain or shine, includes workouts, beauty and style consultations, and gourmet delights, among other things. You can get a schedule of events at http://www.selfworkoutinthepark.com/schedule.asp/
From the hall of shame department: The only negative for this event is that there is a $20 fee, which they completely buried on the website. I had to click all the way through to purchasing a ticket to find out what the fee was and even then it was very clear. Shame on them for being so secretive about the cost.
The good news is, 50% of the cost (minus a small transaction processing fee) goes directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure of breast cancer and cancerandcareers.org. So your money is going to two great causes.
They are anticipating more than 12,000 women for these events. Bags larger than backpacks and pets not allowed. The event is smoke-free. Enjoy!!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
The Weight Watchers Walk-It Challenge
To enter the Walk-to-Win Sweepstakes, you must have attended at least six meetings between April 4 and July 31, 20010.
The promotion culminates with June 6th, designated as Walk-It Day, on which Weight Watchers is encouraging everyone to walk a 5k -- the equivalent of 3.1 miles.
Weight Watchers is offering tips for training for a 5k, how to find friends to walk with, a training plan, ways to find an event, and a $5 off coupon for their POINTS Pedometer, which I love and wear every day!
For more information, go to the Weight Watchers website.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Save the Date! The African Children's Choir is Coming to Town
Save the date! The African Children's Choir is coming back to Norwalk, Connecticut.
They will be performing on Wednesday, April 28th at 7 p.m. at Norwalk United Methodist Church, 718 West Ave., directly across from the main library.
If you've never experienced these kids, they are a joy to watch. I fall in love with them every time I see them.
Every one of them is a victim of war-torn Africa, from Uganda, Somalia and other countries. They have lost either one or both parents, as well as siblings and were homeless before the choir took them in.
They now receive an education all the way through college and contribute their livelihood by traveling around the world singing and dancing. See them once and you will never forget them.
Learn more about the African Children's Choir at their website, http://www.africanchildrenschoir.com.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Brooklyn Senator Wants to "Stop the Sag"
I love this article I found on Mediabistro this morning! According to the article, Brooklyn Senator Eric Adams has invested $2,000 of his own money in an advertising campaign he is calling "Stop the Sag"!
Check out the Billboard and his video.
Here's the link to his YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj7v_Ntih2k
Check out the Billboard and his video.
Here's the link to his YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj7v_Ntih2k
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
I’ve Joined the World of the Tweeters
I’m a late Tweeter. I never bothered until now because I frankly couldn’t think of anyone I wanted to follow. But recently, I stumbled across the tweets of an American business owner I am acquainted with who was tweeting from Vietnam. I was so mesmerized by the things he was writing, about touching down in Ho Chi Min city (Saigon) and standing on the Ho Chi Min trail and actually physically touching and looking into the tunnels that the Vietcong used to get around us in the Vietnamese war and eventually win it.
I felt compelled to comment on his tweets and tell him how much the Vietnam war affected by teen years – that coming of age period when your school teachers start pushing you to give your own opinions about things and to study current events. “Well, do you think this is right or wrong, what they’re doing?” I remember hearing a hundred times, and many of those times it was about the Vietnamese war.
I was in eighth grade when Time magazine published its famous cover the naked girl running down the street covered in napalm with her village burning in the background. I can still see that photo like it was yesterday.
And my mom dated a guy for 7 years who was a tunnel rat. You get to be a tunnel rat by being a small skinny guy – someone similar in stature to a Vietcong who could fit in the tunnels and shimmy through them and kill anything in their path.
An ex-husband of mine is a Vietnam veteran. He has an album full of Polaroids taken in places he was stationed such as Phnum Penh and Da Nang, and we used to sit and look at those photos for hours with their tents made out of parachutes and men everwhere dressed in camaflouge with their shirts off. I remember how much it felt like I had just stepped out of Apocalypse Now or one of those other Vietnam War movies that were so popular in the late 70s and early 80s.
So when Alan started tweeting about Vietnam I felt compelled to start a dialogue and tell him my memories and how he was causing me to relive them. But then I thought, isn’t that the weirdest thing about Twitter? This man doesn’t know me. I’ve never met him or interacted with him before. But all of a sudden, because of this one thing I felt we had in common, I felt the need to interact, and even more importantly, I felt like I had the right to. But why would it matter to him? I thought. In the end, I decided my tweets would offer no value to him, and I never did comment on his. But it really left me wondering, what is the purpose of tweeting anyway? Is it a dumping ground for miscellaneous thoughts? Who wants to follow anyone around and hear every little thought in their head? I mean really, what is the point of it?
Then recently, I needed to start tweeting as part of a job assignment. So here I am a tweeter. I follow Alan now, but still wonder, will I ever talk to him?
Completely on the other end of the spectrum, a neighbor/girlfriend immediately found me on Twitter as soon as I joined and decided to follow me. Why? Simply because she can and because she’s curious about what I will say!
So now I feel that tweeting is part of my daily responsibility. It’s something I have to do. Not only that, but I need to write something that offers value to those who follow me. As a writer for allvoices.com, I expect to have more followers soon, so I’d better write things that they’re going to want to hear. It’s a whole new learning experience for me, and one that I am very excited to take.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
I felt compelled to comment on his tweets and tell him how much the Vietnam war affected by teen years – that coming of age period when your school teachers start pushing you to give your own opinions about things and to study current events. “Well, do you think this is right or wrong, what they’re doing?” I remember hearing a hundred times, and many of those times it was about the Vietnamese war.
I was in eighth grade when Time magazine published its famous cover the naked girl running down the street covered in napalm with her village burning in the background. I can still see that photo like it was yesterday.
And my mom dated a guy for 7 years who was a tunnel rat. You get to be a tunnel rat by being a small skinny guy – someone similar in stature to a Vietcong who could fit in the tunnels and shimmy through them and kill anything in their path.
An ex-husband of mine is a Vietnam veteran. He has an album full of Polaroids taken in places he was stationed such as Phnum Penh and Da Nang, and we used to sit and look at those photos for hours with their tents made out of parachutes and men everwhere dressed in camaflouge with their shirts off. I remember how much it felt like I had just stepped out of Apocalypse Now or one of those other Vietnam War movies that were so popular in the late 70s and early 80s.
So when Alan started tweeting about Vietnam I felt compelled to start a dialogue and tell him my memories and how he was causing me to relive them. But then I thought, isn’t that the weirdest thing about Twitter? This man doesn’t know me. I’ve never met him or interacted with him before. But all of a sudden, because of this one thing I felt we had in common, I felt the need to interact, and even more importantly, I felt like I had the right to. But why would it matter to him? I thought. In the end, I decided my tweets would offer no value to him, and I never did comment on his. But it really left me wondering, what is the purpose of tweeting anyway? Is it a dumping ground for miscellaneous thoughts? Who wants to follow anyone around and hear every little thought in their head? I mean really, what is the point of it?
Then recently, I needed to start tweeting as part of a job assignment. So here I am a tweeter. I follow Alan now, but still wonder, will I ever talk to him?
Completely on the other end of the spectrum, a neighbor/girlfriend immediately found me on Twitter as soon as I joined and decided to follow me. Why? Simply because she can and because she’s curious about what I will say!
So now I feel that tweeting is part of my daily responsibility. It’s something I have to do. Not only that, but I need to write something that offers value to those who follow me. As a writer for allvoices.com, I expect to have more followers soon, so I’d better write things that they’re going to want to hear. It’s a whole new learning experience for me, and one that I am very excited to take.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Traditional Journalism Is Not Dead
Lately I have found myself wondering whether trying to solicit work from a magazine editor is the right thing for the future of my career. After all, digital media is where it's at today, right? So should I be changing my business model to become, say, an experienced Twitterer for hire?
I posed that question to an expert one recent afternoon. Thankfully, he told me my career is not facing extinction. Social media, he said, is not replacing what I do for a living, but rather, complimenting it. It's just one more channel I can publish in or market my services through.
Do I need to be digital savvy? Absolutely. Should I still be soliciting traditional magazine editors? Another yes. I guess I'd better get going.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
I posed that question to an expert one recent afternoon. Thankfully, he told me my career is not facing extinction. Social media, he said, is not replacing what I do for a living, but rather, complimenting it. It's just one more channel I can publish in or market my services through.
Do I need to be digital savvy? Absolutely. Should I still be soliciting traditional magazine editors? Another yes. I guess I'd better get going.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Are Digital-Era Kids Reading Enough?
I recently interviewed a CEO of a social media agency. We talked about how times - and teens - have changed and it got me wondering. I have a stepdaughter who was practically born with a mouse in one hand and a cell phone in the other. Pick up a hardcover book? Uggh. If it's not on the computer, she's not really interested.
This, of course, concerns me because, if people don't read, I'm out of a job. So I asked, "Is she getting enough reading just by being online, or should I be concerned that she's not reading enough?"
He told me what I did not want to hear: she is definitely not reading enough just by being on the Internet. His solution: buy her a digital reader such as a Sony or an Amazon Kindle. You can't force a kid to pick up a book, but you can definitely encourage them to read.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
This, of course, concerns me because, if people don't read, I'm out of a job. So I asked, "Is she getting enough reading just by being online, or should I be concerned that she's not reading enough?"
He told me what I did not want to hear: she is definitely not reading enough just by being on the Internet. His solution: buy her a digital reader such as a Sony or an Amazon Kindle. You can't force a kid to pick up a book, but you can definitely encourage them to read.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Quotes of Our Lives
“I shall live badly if I do not write. I shall write badly if I do not live.”
That quote comes from Françoise Sagan. Who is Françoise Sagan, you ask? Well, to be honest, until 5 minutes ago, I didn't have a clue. I got the quote from the first page of an introduction to a book called A Cup of Comfort for Writers, edited by Colleen Sell, which my friend Cami gave me for Christmas.
I like the quote because it defines me. When I perused it, I found myself saying, “Wow, that’s me.” But as typically happens when I read a quote that I like and it turns out to be from someone I don’t know, I feel a pang of guilt for not knowing who the person is. As if I’m supposed to be familiar with every writer on earth. And then I feel obligated to obliterate the embarrassing point of not knowing before anyone finds out by figuring out who she is. Pronto.
So I went to my usual first choice for tidbits of history — Wikipedia — and found her biography. Turns out she was a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter and proverbial bad girl — she hung out with Truman Capote, did a lot of drugs, and had two very brief marriages. One lasted a year, the other two. Nice effort there, Françoise.
She didn’t write anything I’ve ever heard of: Hello Sadness is the only book they even mention, but of interest is their note that her book title was the inspiration for the first line of Simon & Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence: “Hello darkness my old friend…” And there it is. That 15 minutes of fame I was looking for so I could say, “Ohhh, herrrrrr.”
So now, if anyone brings her name up at a party I can always say, “Yes, I know of her. Her book Hello Sadness inspired the first line of the Simon & Garfunkel song Sounds of Silence,” And smile sweetly. Shortly thereafter I’ll look around the room and my conversation partner will have wandered off, no doubt to jump on the Internet and find out who Francoise Sagan was before they get caught off guard again.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
That quote comes from Françoise Sagan. Who is Françoise Sagan, you ask? Well, to be honest, until 5 minutes ago, I didn't have a clue. I got the quote from the first page of an introduction to a book called A Cup of Comfort for Writers, edited by Colleen Sell, which my friend Cami gave me for Christmas.
I like the quote because it defines me. When I perused it, I found myself saying, “Wow, that’s me.” But as typically happens when I read a quote that I like and it turns out to be from someone I don’t know, I feel a pang of guilt for not knowing who the person is. As if I’m supposed to be familiar with every writer on earth. And then I feel obligated to obliterate the embarrassing point of not knowing before anyone finds out by figuring out who she is. Pronto.
So I went to my usual first choice for tidbits of history — Wikipedia — and found her biography. Turns out she was a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter and proverbial bad girl — she hung out with Truman Capote, did a lot of drugs, and had two very brief marriages. One lasted a year, the other two. Nice effort there, Françoise.
She didn’t write anything I’ve ever heard of: Hello Sadness is the only book they even mention, but of interest is their note that her book title was the inspiration for the first line of Simon & Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence: “Hello darkness my old friend…” And there it is. That 15 minutes of fame I was looking for so I could say, “Ohhh, herrrrrr.”
So now, if anyone brings her name up at a party I can always say, “Yes, I know of her. Her book Hello Sadness inspired the first line of the Simon & Garfunkel song Sounds of Silence,” And smile sweetly. Shortly thereafter I’ll look around the room and my conversation partner will have wandered off, no doubt to jump on the Internet and find out who Francoise Sagan was before they get caught off guard again.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tupak Shakur's Redeeming Quality
Sometimes you can know a limited amount of information about someone and you spend your whole life thinking that that is all they are.
For me, Tupak Shakur was one of those people. He was in the news all the time for being a troubled rapper, a thug. But recently, I learned something new about him. I learned that he was a voracious reader, that he loved books and that he carried one with him everywhere he went. As two very different people, we never had anything in common, but now we do, for as a writer, I feel connected to anyone who reads. Without reading, I have no job. So we have this one link, this one degree of separation, if you will.
Will I think differently about him now? Perhaps. Perhaps if he had lived we would be sitting down at a Starbucks to discuss some dogeared hardcover about the unjustices of life he's just finished reading. Or perhaps we'd be sitting down talking about what I'm going to write in his biography. Perhaps!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
For me, Tupak Shakur was one of those people. He was in the news all the time for being a troubled rapper, a thug. But recently, I learned something new about him. I learned that he was a voracious reader, that he loved books and that he carried one with him everywhere he went. As two very different people, we never had anything in common, but now we do, for as a writer, I feel connected to anyone who reads. Without reading, I have no job. So we have this one link, this one degree of separation, if you will.
Will I think differently about him now? Perhaps. Perhaps if he had lived we would be sitting down at a Starbucks to discuss some dogeared hardcover about the unjustices of life he's just finished reading. Or perhaps we'd be sitting down talking about what I'm going to write in his biography. Perhaps!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Fashion Sense for Athletes
Sometimes when I’m watching a sporting event on television, I find that I start to notice more feminine things that guys would never concern themselves with. My latest such thought-wandering occurred during the Super Bowl. I couldn’t help but notice how tight football players’ pants are. They literally look to me like they are wearing ballet tights. I understand that they are spandex and that football players need the room to move. But some of those guys look like they could use a size or two larger as their asses look like they have no pants on them at all.
Furthermore, I wonder how many football players wouldn’t be caught dead in actual tights. If you asked them to put on a pair of tights that fit them exactly the way their football pants fit, I bet the majority would have a problem with that, saying “I don’t wear tights”. But yet, on the football field, they feel perfectly comfortable in them.
This is in direct contrast to the shorts basketball players wear, which are extremely baggy. Some players wear “sports underwear” underneath them — they look like Fruit of the Looms but have legs, like Michael Jordan wears. This actually serves a larger purpose than just being underwear — they protect the player when they fall and their shorts ride all the way up, leaving them potentially exposed to millions of viewers. Until the day that basketball uniform shorts are made out of clingy spandex, I think all basketball players should wear sports underwear.
I also think basketball players should shave their armpits. There is nothing more disgusting than seeing a guy on the basketball court raise his arm and you get a bird’s eye view of four-inch long hair that is dripping wet and all matted together. Excuse me, I have to leave this blog to go throw up. I think that is about as disgusting as it can get on camera and I think they should all start shaving their pits.
In baseball, there’s nothing I find disgusting — only distracting, and that’s jewelry, especially chains around their neck. I feel it gets in their way as they move around and I also think jewelry is unsafe in active sports such as baseball. It’s also unsafe in sports such as football and basketball, but I believe baseball players take more liberties in this area. I think that all professional athletes should be required to leave their jewelry in their locked lockers.
Finally, there’s the subject of tattoos. Some tattoos can be sexy on a man. However, I also find them distracting when watching an athlete run around, particularly on the basketball court where they seem to be overdone. While they can’t come off, I think it would be great if athletes could take their tattoos off for a game and leave them in their lockers too.
On an up note, I like all the variety of style and color in tennis outfits. I think the pure white outfit with the little white skirt is straight out of the sixties and boring. I find the outfits that the Williams sisters wear and some of the other tennis players, including the men (a fad that I believe John McEnroe started), somewhat refreshing.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Furthermore, I wonder how many football players wouldn’t be caught dead in actual tights. If you asked them to put on a pair of tights that fit them exactly the way their football pants fit, I bet the majority would have a problem with that, saying “I don’t wear tights”. But yet, on the football field, they feel perfectly comfortable in them.
This is in direct contrast to the shorts basketball players wear, which are extremely baggy. Some players wear “sports underwear” underneath them — they look like Fruit of the Looms but have legs, like Michael Jordan wears. This actually serves a larger purpose than just being underwear — they protect the player when they fall and their shorts ride all the way up, leaving them potentially exposed to millions of viewers. Until the day that basketball uniform shorts are made out of clingy spandex, I think all basketball players should wear sports underwear.
I also think basketball players should shave their armpits. There is nothing more disgusting than seeing a guy on the basketball court raise his arm and you get a bird’s eye view of four-inch long hair that is dripping wet and all matted together. Excuse me, I have to leave this blog to go throw up. I think that is about as disgusting as it can get on camera and I think they should all start shaving their pits.
In baseball, there’s nothing I find disgusting — only distracting, and that’s jewelry, especially chains around their neck. I feel it gets in their way as they move around and I also think jewelry is unsafe in active sports such as baseball. It’s also unsafe in sports such as football and basketball, but I believe baseball players take more liberties in this area. I think that all professional athletes should be required to leave their jewelry in their locked lockers.
Finally, there’s the subject of tattoos. Some tattoos can be sexy on a man. However, I also find them distracting when watching an athlete run around, particularly on the basketball court where they seem to be overdone. While they can’t come off, I think it would be great if athletes could take their tattoos off for a game and leave them in their lockers too.
On an up note, I like all the variety of style and color in tennis outfits. I think the pure white outfit with the little white skirt is straight out of the sixties and boring. I find the outfits that the Williams sisters wear and some of the other tennis players, including the men (a fad that I believe John McEnroe started), somewhat refreshing.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
The Animal Instinct in All of Us
Sometimes when we’re staring at the ceiling in the dark of night our mind can wander to the wildest of ideas. One such crazy thought came to me at 4:30 this morning as I lay awake in bed: that women, like most species, tend to follow the lead of the male when it comes to relationships. In other words, women develop an interest in the men who first show interest in them.
While it can happen that a woman falls in love with someone who has no interest in them and then that man eventually develops an interest in the woman as a result and falls in love with her and they get married and live happily ever after, I believe this is the exception, not the rule.
The rule, generally, is that the man shows an interest in the woman first and the woman notices that attention. He reaches out to her by asking her to dinner or for her phone number or by making eye contact across a crowded room. Even when we think feelings are mutual and the two develop an interest at the same time, I believe that, most often, something subtle was going on there first to bring the woman to the man’s attention.
This is very much the way it is in the larger animal kingdom. Males seek out a herd and locate and lock onto a female from a distance. They often use a mating call while standing on the outside of that herd, waiting to be accepted in by the female. But for the most part, the male arrives and makes himself available to the female, and the female has the option of accepting or rejecting him.
In this way, I feel that humans are very much like animals. Okay, I’m going back to bed now.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
While it can happen that a woman falls in love with someone who has no interest in them and then that man eventually develops an interest in the woman as a result and falls in love with her and they get married and live happily ever after, I believe this is the exception, not the rule.
The rule, generally, is that the man shows an interest in the woman first and the woman notices that attention. He reaches out to her by asking her to dinner or for her phone number or by making eye contact across a crowded room. Even when we think feelings are mutual and the two develop an interest at the same time, I believe that, most often, something subtle was going on there first to bring the woman to the man’s attention.
This is very much the way it is in the larger animal kingdom. Males seek out a herd and locate and lock onto a female from a distance. They often use a mating call while standing on the outside of that herd, waiting to be accepted in by the female. But for the most part, the male arrives and makes himself available to the female, and the female has the option of accepting or rejecting him.
In this way, I feel that humans are very much like animals. Okay, I’m going back to bed now.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
A Zero-Waste, Carbon Neutral Soft Drink
Ad Age magazine is reporting that Coca-Cola plans to be carbon neutral at and produce zero waste from the Vancouver Olympic Games. That's great to hear. According to the article, cafe furniture will be made out of pine-beetle-salvaged wood; bottles will be made from 30% plant-based materials; and beverages will be delivered via hybrid cars and electric carts. I'm breathing better already!
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Watch "The Soloist"
My husband and I just finished watching "The Soloist", the story of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Jr. originally of Cleveland, an accomplished cellist and violinist who struggles with schizophrenia and at one time lived on the streets of Los Angeles.
Ayers is played by Jamie Foxx, who gives an outstanding performance. Robert Downey Jr. plays Steve Lopez, a Los Angeles Times reporter who discovered Ayers playing one day in an open park. After getting close to him, Lopez starts writing about Ayers in his column.
Over a period of one year, Lopez befriends Ayers, manages to get him off the street and helps him have a better life, while also reuniting him with the sister he hasn't seen in years. Throughout the year, Lopez continues to write about Ayers in his column. It is these columns that eventually form his book about Ayers, which was ultimately turned into the movie Soloist.
The whole time I was watching this movie, I couldn't help but think about all the other homeless people out there and the stories they might have to tell. I was reminded of a Native American man who begs on the streets of New York. I haven't seen him in probably 7 or 8 years, since I no longer go into New York during the day on business. But I remember his long braided grey hair like it was yesterday. He always seemed so normal to me and I remember coming very close once to asking him, 'Why are you here?' If there ever was a person who was my "soloist", it would be him.
Anyway, if you want to be completely moved, watch this movie.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Ayers is played by Jamie Foxx, who gives an outstanding performance. Robert Downey Jr. plays Steve Lopez, a Los Angeles Times reporter who discovered Ayers playing one day in an open park. After getting close to him, Lopez starts writing about Ayers in his column.
Over a period of one year, Lopez befriends Ayers, manages to get him off the street and helps him have a better life, while also reuniting him with the sister he hasn't seen in years. Throughout the year, Lopez continues to write about Ayers in his column. It is these columns that eventually form his book about Ayers, which was ultimately turned into the movie Soloist.
The whole time I was watching this movie, I couldn't help but think about all the other homeless people out there and the stories they might have to tell. I was reminded of a Native American man who begs on the streets of New York. I haven't seen him in probably 7 or 8 years, since I no longer go into New York during the day on business. But I remember his long braided grey hair like it was yesterday. He always seemed so normal to me and I remember coming very close once to asking him, 'Why are you here?' If there ever was a person who was my "soloist", it would be him.
Anyway, if you want to be completely moved, watch this movie.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Heartfelt Prayers
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Haiti. I pray that we react swiftly and are able to save lives.
I don't understand why we're not seeing reports of aid already on the ground. I understand that ships don't move very fast, but they could easily have flown aid into the Dominican Republic today and driven over to Haiti. We should be on the ground making progress right now. I think we're taking too long.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
I don't understand why we're not seeing reports of aid already on the ground. I understand that ships don't move very fast, but they could easily have flown aid into the Dominican Republic today and driven over to Haiti. We should be on the ground making progress right now. I think we're taking too long.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Two Thumbs Way Down for H&M and Walmart
I'm shocked and appalled by the story in the news that H&M and Walmart would rather destroy old clothes than give them to the needy, particularly after the year we've had. They don't deserve any of our business.
I'm already pissed off at Walmart because they don't sell any recycled paper products (i.e., tp, paper towels, etc.). They're supposed to be "the most" green retailer in the world and they don't even sell any recycled paper products here. At least I got to say something to a district manager today. Three big wigs were visiting our local Walmart store and were discussing something on the store floor when I walked up and said "excuse me". I was nice about it and they listened. Hopefully they'll do something about it.
But this, this is beyond low. It doesn't get any lower than this. This is pathetic.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
I'm already pissed off at Walmart because they don't sell any recycled paper products (i.e., tp, paper towels, etc.). They're supposed to be "the most" green retailer in the world and they don't even sell any recycled paper products here. At least I got to say something to a district manager today. Three big wigs were visiting our local Walmart store and were discussing something on the store floor when I walked up and said "excuse me". I was nice about it and they listened. Hopefully they'll do something about it.
But this, this is beyond low. It doesn't get any lower than this. This is pathetic.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Two Thumbs Up for Domino's Pizza
I am not a Domino's Pizza customer. In fact, if I had my choice of pizzas, Domino's would be last on my list and I'd have to be pretty desperate to eat it.
But I have to give credit where credit is due, and credit is due to Domino's' current television campaign. If you've seen it, then you know what I mean. They bare all when announcing the results of a customer survey. "Our crust tastes like cardboard." "Our sauce tastes like ketchup."
Those are pretty strong statements to admit, but to do it in front of millions of TV viewers is about as vulnerable as it gets.
They are making a commitment to improve the quality of their menu, and I will leave it up to their customers to decide when and whether the new product will pass the test. But they're off to a great start. In this age of the consumer in control and the consumer as the influencer, Domino's gets the concept of transparency and how it leads to customer trust and loyalty.
For that reason, I give two thumbs way up for Domino's' current advertising strategy.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
But I have to give credit where credit is due, and credit is due to Domino's' current television campaign. If you've seen it, then you know what I mean. They bare all when announcing the results of a customer survey. "Our crust tastes like cardboard." "Our sauce tastes like ketchup."
Those are pretty strong statements to admit, but to do it in front of millions of TV viewers is about as vulnerable as it gets.
They are making a commitment to improve the quality of their menu, and I will leave it up to their customers to decide when and whether the new product will pass the test. But they're off to a great start. In this age of the consumer in control and the consumer as the influencer, Domino's gets the concept of transparency and how it leads to customer trust and loyalty.
For that reason, I give two thumbs way up for Domino's' current advertising strategy.
Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.
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