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Confessions of a Blogger

The Nerdy Girlie posted on her confessions on her blog and encourage others to do the same. So here I go…

1. I am a terrible scheduler and get sidetracked too often, which wastes time. This morning is a prime example of this. I was supposed order groceries online, run updates on the laptop and do three loads of laundry. As it turned out, I was too late (at 9:30 am!!) to schedule grocery pickup for the day, the updates on the laptop, which were supposed to take fifteen minutes, instead took an HOUR AND HALF, and therefore, I only got one load of laundry in. I could have run downstairs during downloading the updates and popped a load of laundry in, but I kept thinking “only five more minutes” over and over. Not to mention that I discovered a chicken literally frozen to the shelf in the deep freeze like it took a trek through Antarctica and didn’t make it. I had to save that one until tomorrow.

2. I feel awkward promoting myself. As an author, self-promotion is almost as important as writing the book. Problem is, I stink at self-promotion. It feels intrusive, annoying and self-serving. I’ve found it very difficult to promote beyond posting the book cover/link a couple of times on Facebook and writing a few blog posts about inspiration etc. It’s hard to find a “happy medium” and one tends to wonder….are people really paying attention?

3. I love lists. Five best movies? Six foods for energy? I love them all. I waste way too much time reading lists. Thing is, I learn a lot from these lists….enough to inspire lists of my own.

4. I have a lot of ideas for blogging…..but I don’t write them down. So when it comes time to actually write, I’m looking at a blank page with my fingers hovering over the keyboard. Or, what I WANT to write is so out there that I’m afraid no one will relate and/or care and I’ll get lots of nasty comments. It’s hard to find a balance. But did order a planner for myself (after having scoured Staples) and I am looking forward to writing down these ideas from now on.

5. Music is my muse. When I get ready to write, whether it be a tender/sexy love scene, a zombie-fighting scene (in my work in progress) or a blog post, I pop on the headphones. Fuel, Train, The Police, the Eighties, Tchaikovsky….whatever is the inspiration at the time, I click that playlist on Google Play. Then, hopefully, off to the races!!

What are some of your blogger confessions?

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Relax Your Mind

…and the rest will follow. September is a busy time for those with families. School shopping in August is stressful enough, but when that is followed with the new routines and rituals of the opening days of school, you may find yourself and your family stressed and exahausted. Sleep schedules are changed, meal times have changed and, ach, homework, becomes an issue once again.

The best way to deal with the stress is not to yell and scream and push. This is the best way, however, to send those stress levels through the roof! No. Relate, relax and release the tension with a few easy steps.

Ever wonder why the teacher gets an apple on the first day (or any day) of school? I don’t know how that tradition started, but I’m sure you can run a search for it. 😉 However, I do know inhaling the scent of a fresh green apple may help to take away the stress headache threatening to sideline you. Lavender essential oil is always good to soothe the soul and will help those keyed-up children wind down and go to sleep with a smile on their faces.

Are you one of the ones that eats while stressed, then stress over the added pounds? Eat and stress no more. Inhaling the smell of peppermint essential oil or crushed mint leaves might curb that stress induced appetite and cut those cravings. Try mint flavored water or peppermint gum/mints such as Altoids. (Be careful of high sugar content though.)

Ah, chocolate. It does help! Nibbling on dark chocolate can assist in reducing levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). However, be sure the chocolate is dark(70% cacao and up) and keep intake low because chocolate does have lots of calories. I stick to 85% cacao.

Of course, deep breathing, meditation and yoga are all great for reducing stress, but when you only have a second to spare, hopefully these tips will help!

Dahlia

Dog Transformation – It's Magic!!

With all the “transformation videos going around, along with the joke transformations (did you see the one where the guy turns himself into Idris Elba?), I decided to give my dog her little shot at stardom and transform her into a Disney star.

Left-Handers Day – A Sinister Celebration

International Left-Handers day was yesterday, but since I couldn’t visit with you all then, I’m going to talk about it now. My father, while not famous, was left-handed, and I thought he had the coolest handwriting ever. He also used to tell me stories how the teachers used to tie his left hand to the desk to make him write with his right hand, until his mother came to the school and gave them what-for! Nowadays, being left handed doesn’t hold the “stigma” it once did, and students are not forced to follow the mold set by the right handed world. Still, left-handers still face issues trying to adjust to a right-handed world.

I am not left-handed. There was a moment when, however, I thought my youngest was left-handed and I had to make a conscious decision to not favor either side when I handed him things. Usually, I would simply put a toy or whatever, on the table and allow him to use whatever hand he desired. Now, he’s pretty much right-handed.

Being left handed has advantages and disadvantages. For example, lefties have the upper hand in a fist fight. When you’re looking for that right, the punch comes literally out of left field. ß—-see what I did there? On the other “hand”, lefties are also more likely to be geniuses, but spiral notebooks are Kryptonite to lefties.

The left hand in Latin is…wait for it….sinister. Take from that what you will.

From Time Magazine, here are some famous lefties
For a fuller list, click here: http://lefthand.wikia.com/wiki/Famous_left_handers

Bill Gates

Oprah Winfrey

Whoopi Goldberg

The Sultan of Swat – Babe Ruth

Wil Wheaton

Leonardo da Vinci

Marie Curie

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Jimi Hendrix

Barack Obama

George H.W. Bush

Judy Garland

Morgan Freeman

Dahlia