The flowers I bought myself this week

I am now officially halfway through The Artist’s Way and twice as far as I’ve ever made it before.  That in and of itself is an accomplishment, but it’s beginning to feel likely that I will complete it this time.

• Week 6 Theme: “Recovering a Sense of Abundance.”  This chapter asks us to tackle our beliefs about money and its connection (or lack thereof) to art.  Artists of all stripes tend to convince themselves that it is not possible to make money by making art, or even worse, that money corrupts art.  Clinging to these beliefs limits the ability for all kinds of abundance to enter our lives because we somehow feel unworthy, or that the art is not worthy.
• Morning Pages: I did the morning pages every day except the day Katie Davis and I recorded the Brain Burps podcast.  I got out of bed that day charged up and ready to go.  What’s interesting now is that I’ll realize I missed later in the day and then everything feels “off” somehow.  I guess that’s what happens when a practice becomes a habit.
• Artist Date:  I had two full days at our Breckenridge ski rental to myself.  I spent most of the time dreaming about and planning not only 2012 but the years beyond.  Then I made a tactical plan to support the goals and dreams.  The time I wasn’t working was spent walking the dog with the views of mountains all around or soaking in the tub with a book.  So yes, I’d say it was one heck of an Artist Date!

Any “Aha” Moments? 

• Because money and abundance is such a charged topic, I actually thought this chapter gave it short shrift.  It dealt mostly with the ways in which we can be miserly with ourselves, suggesting we allow more luxuries, however small, into our lives.  One thing I did was buy myself fresh flowers.  I love the sight and smell of flowers in the house, but I almost never buy them because it seems like such a frivolous use of funds.  I’ve decided that I’ll buy them once a month from now on.  I didn’t notice any additional flow of prosperity into my life as a result of allowing myself that luxury, but maybe over time…
• One thing I realized is that I have to confront my overall fear of numbers. I’ve been living in avoidance of them for so long because I consistently tell myself I’m no good with them.  Can’t do that if you want to run a business and make money.  My most common recurring nightmare is that I have a math exam of some sort coming up and I haven’t attended any of the classes so I know nothing and have no way to pass.  Maybe if I believe I can learn to manage numbers (and actually take steps to learn), I will one day have a dream where I pass that exam!
• Overall, I do believe that doing what you love leads to abundance of all kinds, that there is enough money to go around and that creating art is a worthy livelihood.  I don’t feel deprived in any way.  I’ve always had everything I needed and most the time what I’ve wanted.  I want money to support my family, yes, but I view luxury as experiences – travel, classes, dining, recreation, etc., rather than things.  I view money as the means to have those experiences and the freedom to choose how to live my life.  If there is one word I associate most with money, it is freedom.

A few favorite quotes from the Week 6 chapter:

“Most of us harbor a secret belief that work has to be work and not play, and that anything we really want to do–like write, act, dance–must be considered frivolous and be placed a distant second.”

“When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us.”

“Because art is born in expansion, in a belief in sufficient supply, it is critical that we pamper ourselves for the sense of abundance it brings to us.”

What are your beliefs about money, art, and doing what you love to do?

Week 5 Check-In

Week 4 Check-In

Week 3 Check-In

Week 2 Check-In

Week 1 Check-In

The Artist’s Way

I believe the reason resolutions often don’t work is because they start from a place of lack, of negativity, of failure.  We think about all the things we weren’t happy with in the previous year and set out to “fix” them in the new one.  Lose weight = I weigh too much.  Save money = I spend too much.  Make more money = I don’t have enough money.  Spend more time with my kids = I’m not doing enough for my kids.  Write more often = I don’t write enough.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any period of time, you know I am all about self-improvement, especially improvement that puts us on a path to self-actualization.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting goals, and achieving them is even better.  However, the goals need to be set on a strong foundation.  So I figured, why not start with what I did accomplish this year and set goals from there.  Let’s first celebrate success and then determine how to carry that forward into the New Year, rather than berating ourselves for what did not get done.  Being zen about it, probably everything got done that was supposed to.

Here is my list of what I consider to be my major professional accomplishments this year

• Completed two picture books.  Both are now on submission.
• Was accepted into, and completed, the Rocky Mountain SCBWI mentorship program.
• Drafted a third picture book which is at least halfway to submission-ready
• Completed PiBoIdMo and ended up with 30+ picture book ideas
• Sent 20+ queries over the course of the year
• From those queries, sold one poem and got contracts to write three articles (coming in 2012)
• Entered a picture book in the MeeGenius Children’s Author Challenge and made it to #16 out of 400+ entries
• Learned a TON about online marketing and promotion from the contest.
• Completed four months of group coaching to launch a new project.  I am now about halfway through drafting the business plan for that project (more news on that in 2012)
• Formed a LLC to support my writing business and other projects I launch
• Took a two-month course on blogging to build an author platform.  I have now gone from a high of 2000 hits per month on my blog to a high of nearly 6000 per month.
• Guest posted on several blogs
• Set up an in-person picture book critique group in Boulder
• Attended a digital publishing conference and the Rocky Mountain SCBWI regional conference
• Last, but not least, launched the 12 x 12 in 2012 challenge to write 12 picture books in 12 months.  This is, obviously, one of my major goals for the coming year.

In addition to work accomplishments, three other achievements deserve mention.  One is that I ran a personal best in the Bolder Boulder 10K this year and felt great.  The race also happened to take place right after I turned 40, which felt even better.

Second, I planned, from start to finish, and then took a six-week trip to Italy with my family for the summer.  This trip was the fulfillment of a major dream and life-changing in every possible way.  Although my kids are still young, I think it will turn out to be life-changing for them to have had such an experience.

One of the things the trip to Italy inspired me to do is the third achievement I want to mention.  I wrote a Bucket List.  I saw how rewarding it was to realize even one dream, so I thought I would capture as many more as I could in the hopes of realizing them all.  I am trying not be afraid of dreaming big.  So perhaps a motto for 2012 is Dream Big or Go Home.

For your further contemplation, here are a few other posts with an alternate take on New Year’s Resolutions

Lynnette Burrows doesn’t let Mrs. Darkside win.

Hayley Lavik is not going to change anything next year.

Prudence MacLeod is going to read books by live authors.

Emma Burcart is going to be kind – to herself.

Jennifer Lewis Oliver has never made a New Year’s Resolution.

Myndi Shafer does have a short list of resolutions, which she made in the Nick of Time.

What is your stance on New Year’s Resolutions?  Good thing, bad thing or in-between?

Denard!!!

What a week! A wonderful Thanksgiving in Virginia with the in-laws, a dinner out with my best friend, and MICHIGAN BEAT OHIO STATE! Since this is the first time I’ve been able to say that in SEVEN years, please indulge my desire to share some of the players’ post-game quotes.

Quotes on Gratitude for Winning the Game!

“My dream has always been to catch a touchdown in the Michigan/Ohio State game, and I finally did that. It means a lot to me and my family. It was a great play call. I was fortunate to slip inside the d-end, ran to the corner wide open, and Denard [Robinson] found me.” — Senior Tight End Kevin Koger

“I was out there playing for the seniors. I played my heart out, and the guys did too. That is what happened. I was just doing what I had to do. Playing for the seniors and playing for Michigan.” — Junior Quarterback Denard Robinson

“That was one of the best team games we’ve played regardless of the score, regardless of the stats. I… couldn’t be more proud of all the guys, every single player. I can probably speak for Mike [Martin - Senior Defensive Tackle] that we’ve been hoping since we were kids that we’d get the opportunity to win a Michigan-Ohio game and it’d be on our backs… It’s amazing. It’s the greatest feeling in the world.” — Fifth-Year Senior Defensive  End Ryan Van Bergen

Gratitude list for the week ending November 26

1. Did I mention that MICHIGAN BEAT OHIO STATE???  Oh, well, in case you hadn’t heard, MICHIGAN BEAT OHIO STATE!
2. We cooked the best Thanksgiving turkey yet. After two years, I’m now convinced the secret is to cook it breast-side down.
3. It was also my BEST turkey gravy ever, and it is the dish I am famous for – my dad taught me his method years ago.
4. My mother in-law made the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever eaten.
5. I had dinner with my best friend.  As always, it wasn’t enough time but still very much appreciated.
6. The four dogs my mother-in-law watched over the weekend, which helped us miss Rocky just a tiny bit less.
7. Picking Rocky up at the kennel and seeing how excited he was to be home.
8. Em finished Eragon – her first BIG book.  Now I’m reading it!
9. My cousin waited for me to get home this weekend so we could see Breaking Dawn together. Yes, we’re Twitards (and Team Edward).
10. Taking our two kids plus one of their cousins to Great Falls Park on Thanksgiving Day.  It’s so beautiful, and we hadn’t been there in years.

Be sure to come back tomorrow when the lovely Susanna Leonard Hill will participate in the How I Got My Agent series!

What are you grateful for this week?

Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me I'm the "shoelace" man!

I wish I could give you all a chocolate covered doughnut. Heck, I wish I could give myself one!

So. As of today I’ve been blogging for 2 years. Thank you all for putting up with me hanging out with me and making this blog a pure joy to write.  I could write all day about what this blog has meant to me, but I’d rather make it a celebration of YOU – the reader.  So let’s start with a giveaway, shall we?

There are two items up for grabs (get it? The repetition of the “2″ theme??).  First is a $25 Amazon gift certificate.  I figure as the holiday season rushes in, everyone could make use of this.  Second is a critique from yours truly – either a picture book manuscript or the first 10 pages of a work in any other genre.  For both I will provide a “big picture” analysis of what is working well in your manuscript and areas that need attention.  I will also provide line by line comments.  You should come away with some concrete steps you can take to improve your work.

So how do you win?  First, you must be a follower of the blog. If you are a new follower, please tell me how you follow – email, RSS, Networked Blogs, etc.  Second (see how we’re still on the “2″ theme?), I have asked four questions in this post (Four being 2 x 2).  To enter the contest, you must you leave a comment and answer at least one of the questions.  For each question you answer, you will receive one point.  For those of you who are keeping track, that means you can earn a maximum of four points.  (I know, I know.  You’re all saying to yourselves: “Wow, she can write AND do advanced math!!!).  Please also tell me which of the two items you’d like.  I’d appreciate tweets but unfortunately I’m not going to count them as points this time because it’s Thanksgiving week and I’m trying to keep things simple for both you and me.  You have until next Wednesday, November 23rd to enter.  I’ll announce the winners on Thanksgiving Day! Now that’s something to be thankful for…

Last year, I asked four questions that came from a post entitled, 8 Critical Questions You Should Ask Yourself as a Blogger.  I only got 7 responses, so it didn’t give me much of a sense of what my blog readers really think.  Since my number of followers has grown quite a bit this year (woo hoo!), and the questions are still very relevant and important to me, I figured I’d try again. In order to gear up for the next year of blogging, I’d like to hear more about you and what you would like to see on this blog (and blogs in general).  So here goes:

1.  Are you blogging about your passion?

This is an easy yes for me.  I am passionate about writing, certainly, but I am also passionate about my family, my dog, nature, reading, cooking, traveling, etc.  I try to balance posts about writing and posts about my life.  This year, for example, I chronicled my family’s stay in Italy this summer as well as launching a series for writers – How I Got My Agent.  I enjoy writing about a range of topics and fear I’d get bored (and the blog would suffer) if I limited myself to writing.  BUT, I would like to know if you think the my passion comes through in my blog posts, regardless of the subject du jour.  Should I be putting more personality/passion in the posts or I am I already at risk of revealing TMI?

2.  Do you know your audience?

Some of the sub-questions here ask whether you know what your readers want and don’t want and whether they find your posts useful.  I believe my most active readers/followers are fellow writers, but I also know that I have quite a few non-writer followers who don’t comment as often but read most of the posts.  I try to serve both audiences without being schizophrenic.  So I ask you, if you are a writer, do you still enjoy the more personal posts?   If you are not a writer, do your eyes glaze over when you read the writing posts, or do I manage to make them interesting to you?

3.  Are you building a community?

I think so.  I try to ask thought-provoking questions at the end of most posts to get people excited to engage in a conversation.  I joined the third Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign, participated in a few blogfests and attended Kristen Lamb’s blogging course.  I’m on Twitter and Facebook.  I do giveaways here and there.  Are there other things I could do to “up” the community quotient of the blog?

4.  Are you solving your reader’s problems?

Let me be frank.  I can barely solve my own problems, so I doubt if I will be able to solve yours.  If I had all the answers, I’d probably be a multi-published author bringing money in hand over fist right now.  If I had all the answers, my kids would behave perfectly at all times, my cakes would never sag in the middle, I’d weigh about 20 lbs less and my house would be featured in Architectural Digest. In the meantime, I hope that as I flounder, learn, flounder some more, and then learn some more, that my posts about that process are helpful to you too.  It’s not so much “misery loves company” as “company alleviates misery,” so let’s stick together.  Do my posts provide help or inspiration to you, and what do you think would make them more helpful?

Now for some totally useless statistics.  Last year I posted my top five most-visited posts and my top five favorites and thought it would be fun to do it again.  It’s interesting how in both years there was no overlap between the two.

Top Posts (post with greatest number of hits)

1. 100 Random Things – every day I get at least one “random things to write about” search reference that brings someone to the blog.
2. Osama bin Laden’s Death – No surprise here.  I got more than 800 hits the day the post went live.  Controversy sells.
3. How I Got My Agent: Corey Schwartz – Go Corey! Not only is she a terrific writer, but she was the first brave soul to participate in this series.
4. How to Write a Winning Query
5. How I Got My Agent: Tara Lazar – Go Tara! Our own PiBoIdMo organizer and another fantastic writer.

Top Five Personal Favorites

1. On Impermanence
2. Here Piggy, Piggy
3. Adam Rex Rocks the House
4. Yes, I Do Believe in Miracles
5. The Long and Winding Road

Last, but not least, I have a public service announcement.  Fellow picture book author Susanna Leonard Hill has started a wonderful new Friday feature called, Perfect Picture Book Friday.  In the same vein as Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, folks passionate about picture books will choose one and provide a short synopsis and a note on what they like about the book.  So go visit her to find some amazing picture books.  I will be participating myself starting next Friday.

Whether you comment on this post or not, THANKS FOR READING!  I appreciate each and every one of you.

What's on YOUR list?

ETA: As soon as I published this post, I immediately thought of more things I want to do and places I want to see. Rather than keeping track of them elsewhere, I will add them to the lists here.  I will also cross them off when I’ve completed them (except for the last list, because most of those things are ongoing rather than one-time).

For my 300th post, I decided to write a Bucket List – things I want to do before I die.  I divided the list into three (loose) categories of 100 each:  1) Places I Want to Visit, 2) Things I Want to Do (many of which include specific places), and 3) Ways I Want to Make a Difference in the World.

Making the first list was a snap.  I did not allow myself to include places I’ve already visited but want to see again, and even so, I had no trouble choosing 100 places.  I could never travel enough or see enough of the world.  I would go to every last corner of the earth of I could.  So I guess it’s good that I now have priorities!

The second list was more difficult.  I really had to stretch myself and give myself permission to dream big without allowing the censor to whisper, “Oh that’s not possible!”

The third list was by far the most difficult.  I always think in the nebulous terms of, “I want to make a difference,” but I never specify HOW exactly.  Now that I’ve reached 40, I realize it’s time I start not only thinking about it but doing some things.  For that reason, this was a very good exercise for me.  I think we should all think about not just what we want to do for ourselves but what mark we want to leave on the world.

One final comment: I did not include things that would require others to make specific choices.  For instance, I could easily have put, ‘See my kids get married’ or ‘Watch Michigan win a National Championship Game live’, but that would require outcomes I have no control over.  So I kept the list tightly focused on things that I would be capable (theoretically) of doing without being dependent on the decisions or actions of others.

Places to Visit

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

1. Kenya – Masai Mara
2. Egypt – Cairo, Pyramids, Red Sea, Nile
3. Morocco – Marrakech, Fez, Tangier, Sahara
4. South Africa
5. Tanzania/Mt. Kilamanjaro
6. Mauritius
7. Namibia – Etosha National Park, Skeleton Coast
8. Zimbabwe
9. Bwindi National Park, Uganda
10. Seychelles
11. Australia
    

    Sydney Harbor

12. New Zealand
13. Madagascar
14. Japan – Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara
15. Thailand
16. Vietnam
17. Indonesia/Bali
18. China – Shanghai, Beijing, Great Wall
19. Tibet
20. Nepal
21. Bhutan
22. The Taj Mahal, India
23. Mumbai, India
24. The ghats of Varanasi, India
25. Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
26. Windsor Castle, England
27. Cornwall, England
28. The Lake District, England
29. Scottish Highlands
30. Ireland
31. Crete, Greece
32. Santorini, Greece
33. Zakinthos, Greece
    

    Zakynthos, Greece

34. Rhodes, Greece
35. Symi, Greece
36. Barcelona, Spain
37. Sevilla, Spain
38. Valencia, Spain
39. Cordoba & Granada, Spain
40. Provence, France
41. Carcassone, France
42. Normandy, France
43. Amalfi Coast, Italy
44. Bologna, Italy
45. Siena, Italy
46. Tuscan countryside, Italy
47. Sicily, Italy
48. Lake Garda, Italy
49. Salzburg, Austria
50. Vienna, Austria
51. Berlin, Germany
52. Black Forest, Germany
53. Swiss Alps
54. Lucerne, Switzerland
55. Amsterdam, Netherlands
56. Croatia
57. Budapest, Hungary
58. St. Petersburg, Russia
59. Sweden
60. Norway
    

    Norway Fjord

61. Iceland
62. Hebrides Islands
63. Rio de Janeiro
64. Amazon Rainforest
65. Argentina – Buenos Aires
66. Chile
67. Peru
68. Macchu Picchu
69. Patagonia – Argentina and Chile
70. Alaska
71. Many Glacier Lodge – Glacier National Park
72. Charleston, South Carolina
73. Savannah, Georgia
74. Cape Cod, Massachussets
75. New Hampshire in the autumn
76. Moab, Utah
77. Monument Valley, Utah
78. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
79. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
80. Florida Everglades
81. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
82. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
83. Hawaii – Big Island, Maui, Kauai
84. Santa Fe, New Mexico
85. Albuquerque, New Mexico
86. Finger Lakes Region, New York
87. Badlands, South Dakota
    

    South Dakota Badlands

88. Yosemite National Park, California
89. Santa Barbara, California
90. Quebec City, Canada
91. Niagara Falls, Canada
92. Banff National Park, Canada
93. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
94. Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
95. Baja California, Mexico
96. Chiapas, Mexico
97. Nicaragua
98. Belize
99. St. Lucia
100. St. Vincent & the Grenadines
101. Basque Region of Spain
102. Cuba

Things I Want to Do

“Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” — Helen Keller

1. Publish many books for children
2. Write and publish travel articles
3. Write and publish personal essays
4. Make The New York Times Bestseller list
5. Write a novel (at least one). I almost don’t even care if I ever publish one.  I just want to write one.
6. Write down my father’s “Greatest Hits” (i.e. his best stories)
7. Dive the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
8. Dive in the Red Sea, Egypt
9. Dive in Palau, Micronesia
10. Camel-trek in the Sinai desert
11. Go cage diving to see Great White Sharks
12. Dive in a kelp forest
13. Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu during a full moon
14. Ride in a hot air balloon
15. Take my kids to Disney World
16. See a wolf in the wild
17. Go to the Rose Bowl when Michigan is playing
18. Ski Jackson Hole
19. Ski at every resort in Colorado
20. Ski the Dolomites in Italy
21. Ski the Alps
22. Learn to ski moguls like an expert
23. Learn to ski in powder like an expert
24. Go heli-skiing
25. Take a photography course
26. Stand on the field at The Big House
27. Perfect Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) pose in yoga
28. Take an Italian language immersion class in Italy
29. Take a flamenco dancing class in Spain
30. Learn to speak fluent Italian
31. Read The Divine Comedy in Italian
32. Take surfing lessons
33. Touch an elephant
    

    Photo from my brother

34. Swim with dolphins
35. Attend an Eckhart Tolle retreat
36. Meet the Dalai Lama
37. Attend an Olympic Games
38. Spend Hogmanay in Edinburgh
39. Spend a few nights on The Royal Scotsman
40. Compete in a “mini” triathlon
41. Run another half marathon
42. Oktoberfest in Munich
43. Take cooking classes in Italy and France
44. Do wine-tasting tours in Italy and France
45. Wine-tasting tour in South Africa
46. See the Northern Lights
47. Successfully grow broccoli in my garden
48. Learn how to build an Excel spreadsheet
49. Perform in a play
50. Become a writing coach/teacher
51. Attend at least one World Cup game
52. Earn a living from writing and writing-related work
53. See a whale in the wild
54. Take my daughter to Rancho la Puerta
55. Attend the Yoga Journal conference in Estes Park
56. Do yoga in India
57. Make meditation a regular practice in my life
58. Write and e-publish a travel memoir
59. Finally read David Copperfield to the end
60. Learn Colorado history
61. Polar Bear safari in Cape Churchill, Canada
62. Bake a cake at altitude that doesn’t sink in the middle
63. Go Deep Sea fishing
64. See an opera at La Scala in Milan
65. Carnavale in Venice
66. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
67. Stand on the North Pole
    

    Absolut bar at the Ice Hotel

68. Stay at the Ice Hotel in Sweden
69. Take my kids to see Les Mis
70. Sleep under the stars in the Sahara desert
71. Take a helicopter ride to see a live volcano
72. Walk on the Great Wall of China
73. Bush-walking in Seven Spirit Bay, Australia
74. Hike in Tasmania, Australia
75. Hike The Grand Traverse and Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
76. Stay in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora
77. See the Iditarod – Anchorage, Alaska
78. Kayak in The Inside Passage and Glacier Bay, Alaska
79. Ride the Durango and Silverton steam train
80. Swim with Manatees in Florida
81. Attend the Highlights Foundation Writer’s Workshop at Chautauqua
82. Go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras
83. Go to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM
84. Go back to Camogli, Italy for the Sagra del Pesce
85. Cruise the Antarctic Peninsula
86. Learn to play poker
87. Ride a zipline in the jungle
88. Put all of our home movies together so we can watch them on TV
89. Digitize all of my “paper” photos
90. Organize all photos into digital albums
91. Complete all twelve weeks of The Artist’s Way
92. Go on a yoga/meditation retreat
93. Bag one of Colorado’s “Fourteeners.” Preferably Long’s Peak, which I can see from my front window
94. Write poetry more often – not for publication, just for myself
95. Climb a 50 ft. indoor rock wall (which my daughter can do!)
    

    la Tomatina - Bunol Spain

96. Ride the Trans-Siberian Railway
97. See a meteor shower
98. See every Michelangelo sculpture
99. Participate in la Tomatina – Tomato fight!
100. Learn more about my family history/geneology
101. Attend a local “festa” in rural Italy
102. See a Harp Seal in the wild

Ways I Want to Make a Difference

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa

1. Raise responsible, independent, compassionate children. If I fail at this, nothing else will matter.
2. Ensure my children receive a good education so they can contribute to the world.
3. Love my children boundlessly
4. Teach my kids to be appreciative
5. Encourage the kids in their natural sense of wonder
6. Expose my kids to as many experiences in the natural world as possible
7. Expose my kids to as many cultures as possible
8. Read as many books to my kids as possible
9. Look my kids in the eyes when I speak with them
10. Be as good of a mother to my kids as my mother was to me
11. Donate a portion of my personal proceeds from the sales of my (future) books to benefit related charities
12. Make an annual donation of food and blankets to the Humane Society
13. Adopt another dog or two (eventually – Rocky is enough for now!)
14. Continue teaching critical thinking skills via the Junior Great Books program
15. Help bring healthy, whole food to all school cafeterias by supporting the School Food Project and Food, Family, Farming foundation
16. Donate annually to National Public Radio and PBS
17. Donate annually to National Resources Defense Council and Defenders of Wildlife
18. Donate annually to The Sierra Club
19. Shop for gifts through organizations such as Unicef and National Wildlife Federation
20. Advocate sexual and reproductive health education and rights for women around the world – through donations and Kiva lending
21. Continue making micro-loans through Kiva
22. Vote in every election
23. Take Volunteer Vacations
24. Teach creative writing to children
25. Teach writing workshops for adults
26. Mentor new writers
27. Lead writing retreats that inspire women to give time to their creativity
28. Create a scholarship for these retreats
29. Help others live creative lives with passion
30. Support small, family-run businesses as much as possible
31. Grow vegetables in my garden every year
32. Plant trees in my yard and in the community
33. Each time I shop, buy one item for donation and put it in a box.  When the box is full, take it in to the food bank.
34. Buy organic food as much as possible
35. Shop at farmer’s markets more often
36. Continue serving on the PTO at my kids’ school
37. Support fellow writers by buying their books
38. Be “responsible for the energy I bring” – from Jill Bolte Taylor – more info here
39. Be a better listener
40. Practice patience
41. Do a better job of keeping in touch with people who are important to me
42. Volunteer to spend time with an elderly person
43. Practice living in the present moment so I can bring my full attention to the people I am with/what I am doing.
44. Participate in a Polar Bear Plunge for charity
45. Complete A Course in Miracles
46. Continue my Gratitude Sunday posts
47. Consistently donate clothing, toys and other items that we no longer use
48. Sponsor families in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas every year
49. Find ways to volunteer with my kids
50. Write letters to authorities advocating my views on issues that are important to me
51. Help Em sell Girl Scout cookies
52. Pick up litter at every opportunity
53. Participate in 5K, 10K and other runs that benefit charity
54. Donate my talents (writing critiques, editing, etc.) to online auctions to benefit charity
55. Make eye contact with people and smile
56. Whenever possible, say people’s names out loud to them
57. Remember to say “thank you” for each and every kindness and courtesy
58. Use my blog to create awareness of important issues
59. Read banned books and make sure my kids read banned books
60. Support the arts by providing funding for Kickstarter projects
61. Use my public speaking skills to motivate people
62. Recycle and compost as much as we can
63. Solar power our home
64. Use only non-toxic cleaning products
65. Always take re-usable bags when I go shopping
66. Tip well for good service
67. Give compliments often
68. Do nice things for strangers for no reason
69. Promote the good work of others
70. Don’t ignore people who are suffering – instead reach out to them
71. Conserve energy – turn off unused lights, unplug appliances, etc.
72. Write more Thank You notes
73. Get my Christmas cards out every year
74. Participate in Crayons to Calculators each year
75. Participate in Turn Off the T.V. Week each year
76. Start collecting Box Tops for education
77. Write notes to authors of books I love letting them know
78. Volunteer in a disaster recovery effort
79. Keep the computer turned off from the time my kids come home from school until they go to bed
80. Once a month, have a family game night
81. Read out loud to the kids as a family activity more often
82. Treat my family with respect
83. Do not buy meat from factory farms
84. Give without expecting anything in return
85. Observe the beauty in the world aloud to others
86. Practice forgiveness – work on forgiving those who have hurt me
87. Invite a neighbor over for a cocktail
88. Talk to my aunts and uncle so I can record stories of their childhood
89. Cook meals for friends more often
90. Teach the kids how to cook traditional family recipes
91. Volunteer in a women’s shelter
92. Volunteer, at least once, among the very poor
93. Volunteer to promote literacy among both children and adults
94. Read, with an open mind, articles and books written by people whose views are very different from my own
95. Value experiences over stuff and teach my kids to do the same
96. Help educate others about the importance of wild predators in the food chain
97. Write more book reviews to support books (and authors) I love
98. Learn about Feng Shui so I can apply some of it to my house
99. Do a better job of remembering the birthdays of friends and family members and to actually send cards
100. Advocate for art and physical education in public schools

Do you have a Bucket List?  If not, do you want to make one?  Here are some additional resources to get you started:

43 Things

Barefoot List

Creating a Bucket List

My father had passed away at the end of that September.  Immediately after returning from his funeral, Phil and I had to move into my mother’s very small home with our two kids (then 1 and 4) because our house had suffered some damage.  The repair would be time-consuming and costly and render the house unlivable for the next two months.  It was clear to me that in order for us to recover financially, I would have to go back to work after having left when Jay was born.  I had hoped to begin pursuing a writing career then (2007), but that dream would end up waiting two more years.

My mother and father had been divorced for many years, so while she was sad, especially for me, it was not the same as the oppressive grief enveloping me.  The kids were too young to fully comprehend and while Phil understood and was also grieving, he was pulled back into that thing that doesn’t wait for people to “get over it” — life and work.

So even though I was surrounded by people crammed into this tight space, I felt like I was living inside of a black bubble that nobody could penetrate.  The best part of the day was bedtime, when I could shut everything off for a while.

After a few weeks of this, we decided to take the kids and rent a house in the mountains for a long weekend.  We needed to spread out and also give my beleaguered mother a break from our two energetic toddlers (not to mention my constant sadness).

Somewhere on the drive up, Jay had a diaper explosion of epic proportions, such that when we arrived, we had to strip him, put him in the bath, wash the

Em and Jay, ages 4 and 1, while we were living at my mother's

clothes and the car seat cover and hose down the car seat frame.  The next day, Michigan lost their football game.  That may seem like a small thing, but since my father and I bonded over football, it made me even more depressed.  I slept by myself in the cold basement because the slightest human sound (snoring, kids tossing and turning), kept me wide awake.  So much for rest and respite.

The last day of our stay, I took Em to a little paved trail at the center of the house’s subdivision.  This trail surrounded a small man-made pond.  (Native Coloradans would call it a lake, but as a Michigander, I knew better.)

Em said, “Mommy, I want to go down to the beach and look for seashells.”

Me: “We’re not going to find any seashells here, Em.”

Em: “Why not?

Me:  “Because we’re in the mountains, honey, so there won’t be any seashells here.  Plus, this is a man-made lake, so there probably isn’t anything living in it that wasn’t put there on purpose by the people who made the lake.”

All she heard was “mwa mwa mwa mwa mwa,” like the teacher in the Peanuts cartoons.  She was unrelenting.  “Please, Mommy!  I know we’ll find shells there if we just go look.  Please, please, PLEASE!”

I did not want to walk down to the lake, only to spend an hour looking for non-existent shells.  At four years old, Em did not take disappointment well and I could see an irrational outburst in my future.  But I swallowed everything I wanted to say about how nothing could live in this tiny pond at 9000 feet, that Colorado hadn’t seen any ocean since the Cretaceous period, and that even if there had been fossils here at some point, they’d be long gone after the excavation and building of the subdivision.  Off we went to the rocky “beach.”

Within one minute, Em came running to me with a small, gray shell in her hand.  A shell that had clearly had an aquatic creature living in it in the recent past.  I could not process what I was seeing.  I dropped to my knees and started sifting through the rocks and sure enough, there were shells.  Everywhere.  Hundreds of them.  Soon, the two of us were running around the beach, laughing and collecting as many shells as we could.

Although I didn’t realize it at the time, that event lifted a tiny bit of pressure from my heart and marked the beginning of my recovery.  Grief can take you to very dark places.  I’ve said before that you don’t ever “get over it,” but you can incorporate the loss and enjoy life again.  That day, my daughter and her sheer force of “belief” reminded me that life is a miracle and meant to be lived.

We’ve kept those shells and they seem to move around the house.  They’ve been inside the glove compartment of the car, in Em’s room on her dresser, in Jay’s closet, in a little Tibetan prayer altar I have on my dresser, on the kitchen counter.  It’s as if they turn up in different places so we can rediscover them and replay that beautiful moment over in our memories.

Now, I am sure there are scientists out there who could give me a perfectly grounded and logical explanation for those shells – what they are, why they live in that pond, etc.  If you are that person, please save yourself the time.

Because the fact that the shells exist is not the miracle.  The miracle is that we found them.

Do you believe in miracles?

In these rolling, golden grassy plains with a sky that stretches to eternity, we saw herds of buffalo, antelope, deer, coyotes, prairie dogs, wild turkeys, and bighorn sheep (females – not the rams with the

Buffalo Roam

curled horns).  The desolation of the land is part of its beauty, but it comes with a latent sadness.  One can easily imagine these hills so teeming with wildlife that they would resemble the Serengeti more than an empty prairie.  The history of the bloody conflicts between white settlers and Native Americans hangs heavy here.  So for today’s “gratitude” quotes, I am using inspiring proverbs from several Native American tribes.

Quotes: Native American Proverbs:

“Our first teacher is our own heart.” — Cheyenne

“Man’s law changes with his understanding of man. Only the laws of the spirit remain always the same.” — Crow

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” — Cherokee

Gratitude List for the week ending October 29:

1. Seeing buffalo close enough to touch.  Majestic.
2. Walking the Presidential Trail with Em at Mt. Rushmore, giving us many different perspectives on the carvings.
3. 

   Crazy Horse Monument in progress

   The play of light on the carvings as clouds come and go. The moving light and shadow makes it a living sculpture.

4. Seeing Crazy Horse Memorial in progress.  It will be stunning and haunting when it is finished.
5. We stayed two nights in Hill City, and discovered that on Saturday, Main Street businesses give away candy and kids dress up in their costumes and trick-or-treat on the town.  We got
   

   Kids trick-or-treat in Hill City

   some silly hats and joined in. Such a nice surprise.

6. Phil and I went to the Halloween Wine Dinner at the State Game Lodge where we stayed in Custer State Park while his parents ate dinner with the kids and watched a movie with them.  It so happened that it was the night before our anniversary, so we appreciated getting some adult time.  We sat with a very nice local couple – Nancy and Larry.  In fact, we learned that it was Nancy’s grandfather who discovered the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs and made sure that the bones would remain in situ on the site, making it the largest collection of Columbian and Woolly Mammoth bones in the world.  When we visited the site the next day, we relished having heard the backstory behind the discovery and excavation
7. Reading Mary Pope Osborne’s Tales from the Odyssey, written for young readers, out loud during the drive. The kids and adults enjoyed the story.
8. At the end of the day, whether you are in Italy or South Dakota, the connections you make with people is the biggest reward of travel. We met the family who owned the tiny BBQ restaurant in Wheatfield Wyoming, the waitress at the Hill City Cafe who made necklaces, of which we bought three, many business owners giving out candy in Hill City, a nice Dutch couple in the bar at the State Game Lodge and of course Nancy and Larry at the wine dinner.
9. A low-hung crescent moon, cat’s eye yellow, dangling in the black sky on the drive home.  A Halloween moon if I ever saw one.
10. Last, but definitely not least, I am grateful for the number of people who have expressed interest in joining me for my brand new 12×12 in 2012 picture book challenge!  And that PiBoIdMo starts tomorrow!

What are you grateful for this week?

For example, without him I never would have spent a whole day in Austin, as I did yesterday, talking about ebooks and, in particular, making storybook apps for the iTunes store.  One presenter showed us how to make an ebook on her iPad.  Almost all presenters projected directly from their iPads.  I was able to download apps being discussed in real time during the presentations and thus ask more directed questions.

One of Steve’s most famous quotes is, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” 

I am now doing the work I love, but it took me until I was 38 to figure out what it was and to get on with it.  I am grateful Steve Jobs didn’t wait that long.  I’m glad he didn’t listen to the people who told him he was crazy, impulsive, reckless and just plain wrong.  This week’s Gratitude Sunday is dedicated to him, written from my Mac of course.

So I join many, many others around the world to say: iSad.

Quotes from Steve Jobs

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

Gratitude List for the week ending October 8

1. Doing work I love.  Someday I hope to even make money doing it!
2. The members of Austin SCBWI, who welcomed this transplant to their one-day digital publishing symposium with open arms.
3. The Austin SCBWI’s one-day symposium on Storytelling in the Digital Age.  I learned more in one day than I probably could have learned in a month otherwise.
4. All of my Mac/Apple products – laptop, iPad, iPhone, iPod Nano, Scrivener…
5. LAURIE – for making it possible for me to get to the airport on time Friday!!!
6. Gorgeous fall weather
7. Great meeting with the kids’ school principal about growing participation in the school lunch program and promoting nutritious eating and healthy habits in other parts of their school days.
8. Bubble bath, followed by flannel pajamas.
9. Linda Ashman and Jennifer Mattson, for giving such great responses to the How I Got My Agent post.
10. Finding myself with the Detroit Tigers on one screen and the Michigan Wolverines on the other at the airport bar where I had two hours to kill.

Steve Jobs once said, “I want to put a ding in the universe.”  I think it’s fair to say he succeeded.  Have you thought lately about what kind of ding you want to put in the universe?

Real card available from Tree Free Shop

A couple of weeks ago, I asked for help choosing between two blog posts I’d written in order to revise one of them for submission to a travel-writing anthology.  I was once again amazed at the generosity of this writing community when I got nearly 20 responses.  You all helped me so much, not just by putting forward your opinions about the post, but by motivating me to actually get the piece written and submitted.

You see, it turned out to be more work than I had initially anticipated because I had to take a post that assumed a great deal of knowledge on the part of the reader — that I was traveling in Italy and why, previous hikes I had taken, photographs of the landscape, etc, — and turn it into a piece that someone with no previous knowledge of the blog could understand and appreciate.  I had to add in context, description and motivation.  Because of other commitments (the Rocky Mountain SCBWI conference, for example), I had just a few hours of one day to get it ready.

I felt daunted and wanted to quit and wait for the next call for submissions.  But I couldn’t.  Not after so many of you had taken time out of your own busy schedules to help me out.  It was with you all in mind that I forged ahead and submitted just minutes before the deadline closed.  Regardless of what happens with that submission, I am glad I persevered.  Thank you for being the motivation I needed to get the job done!

When I put out the call for help, I promised that I would write a post highlighting your blogs, if you have one, and why I like them.  This is not at all hard to do since you are all so talented. Here you all are, in the order you commented.  Please, readers, check these guys out!  You will be glad you did.

Head Ant: You know any blog that headlines with, “Life is a Picnic” is going to be fun.  Head Ant does posts on books, crafts, parenting, writing, recipes, you name it.  I love how she integrates all of her interests into the blog.

Jenny Sulpizio: I “met” Jenny at this year’s WriteOnCon when we swapped critiques of stories.  She is a talented writer who shares her experience with parenting and life in general on her blog.  Right now I’m loving her “Christmas Countdown” series!

Catherine Johnson, Writer: Catherine, who I’ll forever think of as Kangaroobee, has been a friend and supporter almost from the beginning of this blog.  A fellow children’s book writer and a gifted poet, her posts never fail to make me smile.  She even writes book reviews in poetry!  She is always there with a kind word of encouragement – someone you definitely want in your writing corner.

Nancy Hatch, Spirit Lights the Way: Nancy and I have been following each other for at least a year now, and her posts never fail to make me stop, think, and discover how I can appreciate life a little more.  She is candid, honest, interesting and writes on a multitude of subjects.  She has an active readership and often the best part of reading her posts is going through the comments – the discussion is always lively!

Cathy Mealey: Cathy is fairly new follower, and I don’t think she has a blog.  However, she has very kindly sent me several emails with links to articles on topics she knows I’ll be interested in.  Seldom do people take those kinds of extra steps these days.  She was also the lucky winner of my Colorado Picture Book Writers giveaway!

Joanna Marple, Miss Marple’s Musings: Joanna is a fellow picture book writer and poet, and we share a wanderlust and love of world travel.  I also appreciate how her love of nature and animals finds its way into her writing and her blog posts.  She also does fantastic picture books reviews from a writer’s perspective.

Clara Bowman-Jahn, Clarbojahn’s Blog: Clara is another writer I “met” at WriteOnCon (see why you should attend that conference??).  Clara is also a fellow Writers’ Platform-Building Campaigner and has been doing a much better job keeping up with it than I have – lol!  Her posts are very helpful to writers wherever they are in their journeys.

Bagni di Lucca: I “met” the two ladies who write this blog, Debra and Liz, while I was in Italy.  They encouraged me in my writing about the Italy trip, and I have come to live vicariously through their blog.  I think of them as “off the beaten path,” not just in Italy but everywhere they travel.  They provide the juicy, intimate details of a place – the things you wouldn’t necessarily think of seeing first.  They turn ordinary into extraordinary and the photography is stunning.

Stacy S. Jensen: A fellow Coloradan (although we haven’t met in person yet) and children’s writer, Stacy’s blog and her Facebook page are packed with goodies for writers seeking to improve their craft and make their way along the publishing journey.  Our degrees of separation keep getting smaller, and we are just going to have to meet soon (hint, hint).  She’s led a fascinating life and, like me, places an emphasis on the practice of gratitude in her weekly Thankful Thursday posts.

Sana Johnson Quijada, A Friend to Yourself: Sana’s comment to my “call for help” post was her first, and I am so glad I got to “meet” her and familiarize myself with her blog.  She is a psychiatrist and a writer using her blog in a very important way – teaching us how to be a friend to ourselves by evaluating our thought and behavior patterns to weed out those that are not in service to our well-being.  I dare you to read a few of her posts and not be inspired.

Susanna Leonard Hill: Susanna must be one of the most supportive bloggers of children’s book writers and readers that I know.  It seems every time I leave a comment on a kidlit blog, Susanna has already been there.  She is a multi-published author of many wonderful picture books, including the adorable Punxsutawny Phyllis (niece of Punxsutawny Phil of Groundhog Dog Day fame).  She does pitch contests, giveaways, fun Friday photos and more.

Rebecca Gomez: Rebecca writes poetry and fiction for kids and is also an artist.  She writes very thoughtful posts about the art of writing for children.  Obviously a fellow grammar geek, I love this post of hers on apostrophes.

Julie Farrar, Traveling Through…: Julie Farrar is also a fellow Writers’ Platform-Building Campaigner.  She is a woman, like myself, searching for work and a life with more meaning and passion.  Her posts are beautiful and thought-provoking, and as an added bonus, she lives in Germany and posts gorgeous pictures from there!

Sons of Thunder: This fellow’s blog tagline is, “God, Cuisine, Life, Poetry, Music, Ships, History, Treasures.”  That about covers it.   Therefore, I think everyone can find something on his blog.  I’d also like to add that he is the most creative commenter EVER.  Seriously, his comments are better than my posts – lol.

Alice: Alice, I have no link to any additional information about you , but thank you for your comment!

Alison Pearce Stevens: Alison is one of my online critique group members.  She writes both fiction and nonfiction picture books and magazine articles.  Her science writing is top-notch and I never fail to learn something when I critique them.  She is also shopping a middle-grade novel which I read, critiqued, and LOVED!  She has laser-sharp instincts, which makes her an excellent critique partner.  My writing is much better because of her insight and honesty.

Lynnette Benton: Lynnette writes not one, but two creative writing blogs, including Polish and Publish: Tools and Tactics for Creative Writers.  An accomplished writer and creative writing instructor, she shares her wisdom and street smarts with all of us.

Hannah Holt, Lightbulb Books: Hannah is the only person on this list I’ve met in person – at last year’s Rocky Mountain SCBWI conference.  She didn’t make it this year because she had twins early in 2011 and they’ve kept her pretty busy these days. Her website is fun and quirky, and one of her picture book manuscripts won a Letter of Merit from the Barbara Karlin Grant Committee this year!

Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Patrick Ross of The Artist’s Road.  On the same day I was wavering about submitting the piece, I read a on his blog, The Artist’s Road, entitled, Do You Suffer from “Not Quite” Paralysis?  Give it a read if perfectionism has ever gotten in the way of just getting something done and sent out.

I love the fact that connections made on social media networks turn into real friendships, and that asking for help in this venue is the norm rather than the exception.  Thank you all, once again!

When was the last time you asked for, and received, help in a way that touched you?

For everyone who responds, I plan to write a blog post that will include a blurb about your blog (if you blog) and what I like about it.  If you don’t blog, I’d be happy to give you assistance in some other way – contact me offline and we can work it out.

So here are the posts.

Cinque Terre Hike

Here Piggy, Piggy

A Thousand Thanks!!