Words and Wreaths

misc christmas 1968 1970, by Terri Hammond

I'd like to share my Walgreens Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

Words of Wisdom from a Country Doctor Once Removed

In my last post eons ago, I mentioned sending an email.  Well, that email and lots of work in between ended up in a book.

For more info:

www.wordsandwreaths.typepad.com/country_doctor

Who Dares Wins 072809

Exercise 1: Take the Challenge

Record the one thing you fear most.  (The fear in your head is not the real world.  Writing down your fear externalizes it, so you can take action to conquer it in the real world.)

 

My biggest fear is becoming totally disabled.  With rheumatoid arthritis, this is a real fear.  I have days where I'm overcome by pain and lack of working limbs:)  My mother also has the disease so I have mirror into the future that I look into.  I hope I can become better at managing and planning for the bad days.  In addition to the disease, the medicines can kill you:)  Methetrexate has some nasty and unpleasant side effects.  I take it on Thursdays, so when the diarrhea hits on Saturday or Sunday (as it normally does) I'm home and near the restroom.  TMI, I know.  The Remicade treatments knock me on my ass for a couple of days after-wards.  Basically I come home and go to bed.

  

Exercise 2: Take the Challenge

Record the one thing that motivates you most.

 

I have no freaking clue.  And that truly scares me.  It's been a very long time since I gave a crap about anything.  What makes me smile?  A good song...the last episode of In Plain Sight ended with Torch Song by Todd Rundgren and that made me smile and a little teary if you watch the show.  Smile?  Jokes with co-workers, talking to my sister, etc.

 

Need to do some more thinking on this one.

 

Exercise 3: What

In one sentence, write down a short-term goal that you want to achieve this week.

 

Write an email checking on manuscript that's under consideration. 

 

Exercise 4: What

Divide a lined piece of paper into four equal columns.

          Label each column What, Why, Where, Done.

          Under the first column, What, write a subordinate goal for each of the areas that apply to the goal that you’d like to achieve next week (nothing major, just a basic, simple goal).

          The areas can be: Academic, Physical, Family, Relationship, Hobby, Spiritual, Professional, Task, Financial, etc.

Sample Chart

	What	Why	Where	Done
Creative
Physical
Task
Hobby
Etc.

I'll work on the chart tomorrow.

Book Info:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Who-Dares-Wins/Bob-Mayer/e/9781416593089/?itm=1

 

Who Dares Wins: The Green Beret Way to Conquer Fear and Succeed by Bob Mayer, Robert

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group

• Pub. Date: June 2009
• ISBN-13: 9781416593089
• 240pp

Bob’s Website: http://www.bobmayer.org/

Starting Who Dares Wins

Currently my life is a little bit of a mess.  OK a big mess.  Let's get real.

I have lots of issues.  Probably too many to name without leaving readers wanting to jump out of windows for an escape.

In the last five years, I've suffered a few losses.  I've lost my health.  I have rheumatoid arthritis and all the lovely symptoms and medications and medication side effects and limitations and blah blah blah. 

I've lost 2 of my best friends.  One to a mid-life crisis that produced a person/ass nothing like the amazing friend I used to love.  Poof, turned forty and disappeared into a self-absorbed, body hair waxing idiot.  Just my opinion.

The other friend I lost to death.  MarJean was an inspiration and could always make me laugh even in my most down moments. 

The ass made me laugh too.  Until he stopped making me laugh.

Anyways...

So in the last five years, I've lost my joie du vivre.  My je ne sais quoi.  What's it all about, Alfie?

So I picked up a book by Bob Mayer, "Who Dares Wins."  Bob has written a few books with Jennifer Crusie.  I've liked their fiction collaboration and I've heard them both speak about writing.  They are both highly intelligent, witty writers with very different takes on writing, life, Green Berets, etc.  But Bob seems like a nice guy with the exception of liking to kill off perfectly good characters in works of fiction.

"Who Dares Wins" is a sort of self-improvement manual, guerrilla, Green Beret, Special Forces style.

Since I'm close to becoming the reality star of the new  Mystery Diagnosis/What Not to Wear/Clean House/Biggest Loser/America's Got Talent (the reject portion)/Snapped (just threw that one in there to give Mid-LIfe-Crisis-Boy a little scare)/Dance Your Ass Off show, I've decided to try something/anything.

So Who Dares Wins.

Warning: this ain't gonna be pretty.  And it's going to take a lot of time.  Don't look to me for miracles.  If I had one, I would have given it to MarJean.  And I probably will break a few of Bob's rules.  I'm just that kind of girl.

Here's info on the book:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=9781416593089&afsrc=1&ourl=Who%2DDares%2DWins%2FBob%2DMayer&itm=1

Bob Mayer's Website: www.bobmayer.org

Buy the book from Bob: http://www.bobmayer.org/index.php?id=4

OVRWA Summer Sizzle Romance Writing Contest Details

Permission to forward granted and encouraged~

5th Annual Summer Sizzle Contest

Sponsor: Ohio Valley RWA

Fee: $20
Deadline: May 1, 2009
NEW for 2009 - The Summer Sizzle Contest is all electronic (payment can be made by Paypal or check)

Eligibility: Not contracted/publishe d in book-length romantic fiction by an RWA-eligible publisher in last 3 years

Enter: sexual tension scene (12 pp max), optional synopsis/set- up page (1 page, not judged)

Categories: sweet, sensual, spicy and sexy.

First round judges: Each entry will be judged by three experienced RWA members, with a judging panel made up of published and unpublished writers. A fourth judge will read any entry with a disparity of 25 points or greater between low and high scores. The lowest score will be discarded for scoring purposes, but all score sheets will be returned to the entrant.

Final judges by category:
Sweet - Chelsea Gilmore, Avalon Books
Sensual - Amanda Bergeron, Avon
Spicy - Kathryn Lye, Harlequin/Silhouett e
Sexy - Tera Kleinfelter, Samhain Publishing

Top Prize: $20

For more information or to enter, visit our website at http://www.ovrwa. com/summer_ sizzle
Questions? email summersizzle@ ovrwa.com

The Cottage Donut Shoppe, Inc article in the Middletown Journal

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer

Cottage Donut Shoppe owner Larry Banks holds a tray of doughnuts inside the new Middletown business at the corner of Yankee and Oxford State roads on Tuesday, Feb. 3. To read the story by Jennifer Heffner and photos by Gary Stelzer that appeared in the February 5, 2009 edition of the Middletown Journal click on: http://www.middletownjournal.com/search/content/oh/story/news/business/2009/02/05/mj020509donuts.html

Slow Cooker Berry Cobbler Recipe

This is a Paula Deen Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/slow-berry-cobbler-recipe/index.html

Slow Cooker Berry Cobbler Ingredients

Filling:

• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen strawberries
• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen blueberries
• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen raspberries
• 1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar, depending on your level of preferred sweetness
• 1/2 cup baking mix

Topping:

• 2 1/4 cups baking mix
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Spray the insert of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together all the frozen fruit, sugar and 1/2 cup baking mix. Transfer the fruit to the slow cooker. In another large mixing bowl, stir together 2 1/4 cups baking mix, 1/4 cup sugar, melted butter and milk with a wooden spoon. With your hands, drop bits of dough on top of the fruit in the slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the dough and place the lid on the slow cooker. Turn the power onto high and slow cook for 3 to 4 hours until the topping has puffed and the fruit is bubbling.

Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Got Donuts? The Cottage Donut Shoppe Inc. Does

  

Purchase a "Blue Skies and Palomino Ponies" Magnet

Inspired by Grant Aleksander's return to Guiding Light to portray Phillip Spaulding, here's an Old School GL fan magnet.

 

Magnet Size: 3.43" x 1.93"

Magnet Material: High-quality, vinyl material. Thickness is 0.4mm.

Purchase a Blue Skies and Palomino Ponies magnet for $2.49 with free shipping and handling.

Watergate Cake

Cake

1 box Duncan Hines White Cake MIx

1 small box pistachio pudding mix

1 C oil

1 C club soda

3 eggs

Mix all ingredients.  Bake in Angel Food cake pan or Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.

Grandma Mac's Icing

1/2 C butter

6 oz pkg of cream cheese, softened

2 C powdered sugar

2 drops green food coloring

1/2 t vanilla

Mix together and ice cake.

Or My Glaze Recipe

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 T butter

1 1/2 C powered sugar, sifted

3 T milk

1 capful vanilla

Mix together and glaze cake.