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

Today is the inaugural National Food Day here in the States.  To celebrate this event, with the laudable goal of seeking to “bring together Americans from all walks of life—parents, teachers, and students; health professionals, community organizers, and local officials; chefs, school lunch providers, and eaters of all stripes—to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way,” I did the following:

• Chased my dog while he chased a stray llama that jumped over a fence into our yard (yes, you read that correctly)
• Scarfed down a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats before taking said dog on a hike while our neighbor repaired the fence (because I could not let him out in the back yard)
• Skipped dinner in order to drive to Denver to attend my Italian class, for which I failed to do my homework (because I spent the day hiking instead of working).

None of these things, I realize, have much to do with healthy eating.  However, the day has gotten away from me and I have a terrible headache (most likely as a result of skipping a meal).  Since I clearly have nothing useful to say on this important subject today, I am giving you a link to an article Ann Cooper wrote.  It’s important for Coloradans, because our Senator, Mark Udall, is sponsoring a misguided agricultural bill that will prevent appropriators from supplying schools with funds for the School Lunch and Breakfast program if it those funds will be used to “discriminate” against certain vegetables such as “potatoes [and] corn…” (read: french fries and high fructose corn syrup).  In other words, replacing french fries with other vegetables won’t fly.

Without further adieu, here is Ann’s much more eloquent article on the subject:

Can a French Fry Nation Embrace a Rainbow of Vegetables?

For more on the potato and other powerful agricultural lobbies, read Fast Food Nation — years later, still one of the most life-changing books I’ve ever read.

And with that, I do believe I am going to take a couple of ibuprofen and hit the hay.

Live in Colorado and want to do something about the bill?  Write a letter to Mark Udall expressing your concerns.

Quotes on Gratitude

“Live your life while you have it. Life is a splendid gift — there is nothing small about it.” — Florence Nightingale

“A heart that loves is always young.” — Greek proverb

“The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise mine [or woman].” — Euripides

Gratitude list for the week ending April 9

1. My sweet daughter, who wanted to do something to help the survivors of the tsunami in Japan. She got three of her friends (and their moms) to help
   

   My daughter is in the middle

   her hold a bake sale. We made $140 for Save the Children.

2. That same daughter, who brought homemade beeswax candles into the living room for us to dance by as a family on Saturday night.
3. The Bugapalooza – free event at the CU Natural History Museum, where both kids got to make said beeswax candles. I love the fact that Boulder has so many amazing and educational (and often FREE) events for children.
4. Our pediatrician, who is not only a great doctor, she never makes me feel rushed or silly no matter what kinds of questions I ask.
5. The Time Warp Trio series by Jon Scieszka. It’s similar to The Magic Tree House but HILARIOUS. Any time you get a 5 year-old boy, an 8 year-old girl and an X year-old mother to belly laugh during a story, you’ve struck gold.
6. Laurie – the amazing woman who is helping me declutter the house and get it ready for sale. She loves my kids and my dogs, is meticulous about cleaning, is fascinating to talk to, and is basically my lifeline right now.
7. My husband, for understanding without questioning why I needed him to take over with the kids this weekend so I could get a backlog of things accomplished.
8. My son, for saying to my daughter, “You are not the boss of my masterpiece.” This was in reference to a lego-building session they had this morning. I should also mention that they started playing BEFORE PHIL AND I WOKE UP!!! They didn’t come get us until they were hungry.
9. The first daffodils popping up in the landscaping bed.
10. Receiving the check for the poem I sold (mentioned in last week’s Gratitude Sunday). My first paid piece of freelance writing.

What are you grateful for this week?

Participants of World Read Aloud Day are asked to read with loved ones and friends to help reach a goal of 774 million minutes of reading to honor the 774 million people worldwide who are illiterate.  You can sign up to participate and record your reading time here.

LitWorld’s slogan: Words Changing Worlds

Can words really do that? As Frances McDormand would say in the movie Fargo — You Bet’cha!  Words are the sinew that bind us together as humans.  As a picture book writer, of course I am supportive of a cause like Read Aloud Day.  What other form of literature is so well suited for reading aloud?  But truthfully the support comes from a much deeper place.  One of the questions LitWorld poses to participants is, “What would you miss most if you could not read or write?”

The obvious answer is… well… books.  But after pondering the question a bit, I came up with something a bit more profound (thank goodness – I am a writer after all).  Without books I never would have:

• Journeyed across Middle Earth
• Lived in the court of King Henry the VIII
• Crossed the bridge into Terabithia
• Eaten my way across Italy, Prayed my way across India and Loved my way across Bali
• Seen the inside of a concentration camp
• Had illicit love affairs
• Studied magic at Hogwarts
• Survived the Depression in the Dust Bowl
• Met the Wicked Witch of the West as a young girl
• Flown a kite in Kabul
• Watched Charlotte spin her webs
• Witnessed an elephant hatching an egg
• Lived in the Belgian Congo as part of a missionary family
• Tamed Mr. Darcy
• Climbed Mt. Everest

And on and on and on.  A good book doesn’t give us an escape; it gives us a portal.  You can go deep into other places, other times, other worlds and emerge feeling as if those experiences were no less real than the ones you move through during an ordinary day.  The emotional resonance enters our bloodstream and stays there as memory.

And if I couldn’t write? Well, that would be like putting tape over my mouth.  Writing is how I understand and interpret the world – including myself.  It’s not a career.  It’s a way of life.

So today I encourage you to celebrate your ability to read and write, and spend some time reading aloud with others.  Reading aloud doesn’t have to be the exclusive purview of young children.  Here are some ideas whether you have children or not.

• Poetry: Read poetry aloud or go to a poetry slam. Hearing poetry out loud is the best way to appreciate its lyricism.  Read some love poetry with your honey or some Shel Silverstein with your kids.
• Newspaper or Magazine articles: Share an article you find interesting by reading it aloud to friends or family, using it as a jumping off point for discussion.
• Audio Books: Listen to them while you commute, make dinner or do housework
• Car trips: Taking a long road trip with more than one adult? Have one adult drive and one read a book.  This makes the drive a lot more fun for everyone.  I’ve done this with my family a few times, and even though my throat gets a little sore, it’s worth it!
• Volunteer: Perhaps you can read to an elderly person who’s lost his or sight, or volunteer with a literacy group.
• Story Time: Take your kids to the library story times
• Bedtime Stories: Yes, the old standby. Cuddle up with your kids and read to them before bed, even if they are older.  Teenagers might appreciate having you read a chapter of a book they are already reading – or a book you are reading.

Want more ideas? The best book I’ve ever read on the importance and benefits of reading aloud to people of all ages is The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.  He also has a comprehensive list of read-alouds for all ages in all genres on his website.

What would you miss most if you could not read or write?  Do you plan to celebrate World Read-Aloud Day? Do you have any other suggestions for Read-Aloud activities?

Quotes on Gratitude

“Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise–then you will discover the fullness of your life.” – Brother David Steindl-Rast

“Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love, and to work, and to play and to look up at the stars.” – Henry Van Dyke

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” — John Ruskin

Gratitude List for the week ending October 16

1.  
   

   Shanahan Ridge Trail

    

   Losing my iPhone on a hike, but then finding it again when I took the hike the second day.

2. Thus, getting to hike on two gorgeous fall days in Boulder
3. Joining the Margareaders for another great meeting after missing last month.
4. Homemade tomato, white bean, sausage and spinach soup made with garden tomatoes
5. Homemade chicken noodle soup (I’m on a soup kick) made with garden carrots
6. Phil’s parents arrived safely for a nice long visit.
7. Em, though sick, got to take a nap with her grandmother in a patch of sun by the back patio.
8. Helping out as Em’s school’s liaison to the The Lunch Box, an organization I am very passionate about
9. Lots of great comments on the blog this week – thanks to you all!
10. Re-reading the Harry Potter series.  I’d forgotten how delightful the beginning two are – it’s been years since I read them.

• Then, as now, the crisis happened in our own community.
• Then, as now, the air was filled with smoke.
• Then, as now, the sound of low-flying planes filled the air (then it was fighter planes since we lived just a couple of miles from the CIA building; this time it’s planes filled with fire-retardant and water).
• Then, as now, the first responders were firefighters, police officers and emergency response personnel.
• Then, as now, those people went straight to the scene with the singular goal of saving lives, and in the case of the fire, homes and property.
• Then, as now, ordinary people everywhere turn into heroes.
• Then, as now, people come forward from all walks of life to do whatever they can to help those in need.

The lesson learned is that, time and again, in the face of tragedy large or small – the overall goodness of people is reaffirmed.

Given the size and destructiveness of this fire, it is astonishing that the loss of life is almost zero.  This  is thanks to the quick response and dedication of the firefighters and emergency crews.  Many of these same folks have lost their own homes in the fire, but continue to battle it back to protect the homes of others.  Meanwhile, organizations helping firefighters, evacuees (human and animal), and those who have lost their homes have been flooded with donations and offers of assistance.

Yesterday I went to a drop-off center to donate toiletries and personal items to people who lost their homes, and there was a person directing traffic because so many people were donating. The Boulder Humane Society is sheltering many of the evacuees’ pets, so I dropped off dog and cat food today.  They had set up a tent on the lawn due to the sheer number of people coming by to make contributions.  I went inside to put my name on a list of people willing to provide more long-term shelter for the pets of people who’d lost their homes, and found 50 people already on the list ahead of me.  It feels good to be part of such a strong community.

If you are interested in helping in any way, here are some resources for you.

• The Boulder Office of Emergency Management asks that people who want to make donations for firefighters call 866-760-6489. They should not drop off donations at local fire stations.  I called this number and they put my name on a list of people to be contacted once they have a better sense of what types of donations are needed.
• A donation drop-off site for clothing, unused personal hygiene items, diapers and school supplies, has been set up at 3111 28th St., Boulder. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.  I went there to drop off some items and they made it incredibly easy – they direct you to a parking place and volunteers come and take your items right out of the car.
• The Foothills United Way is accepting donations to support fire evacuees.
• Sparkplace has set up an amazing site where people can post what type of assistance they are willing to provide or what type of assistance they need.  For example, if you have space to host evacuees in your home or to keep pets, etc. you can post it there.
• The American Red Cross of Northern Colorado is accepting donations to help support Fourmile Fire evacuees. To contribute, visit northerncolorado.redcross.org or call 303-722-7474.
• The Longmont Humane Society, 9595 Nelson Road, is asking for donations to support pets of evacuees. The shelter needs machine-washable blankets, towels, canned dog and cat food, pet toys and cash donations. To contribute, visit longmonthumane.org or call 303-772-1232.
• The Humane Society of Boulder Valley needs blankets, towels, cat litter, canned dog and cat food, 6-foot leashes and cash donations. Visit boulderhumane.org to donate online or text “pets” to 50555 to add a $10 donation to your cell phone bill. Items can be dropped off at 2323 55th St. in Boulder.
• The Boulder County Fairgrounds is seeking donations to support livestock evacuated from the fire areas. The fairgrounds needs hay, horse feed and other services. To help, contact Boulder County Parks and Open Space at 303-678-6200.
• Volunteer Connection is establishing a volunteer list. For more information, e-mail services@volunteerconnection.net.
• mGive, a mobile donation platform provide, through it’s mGive Foundation, have established a donation campaign to raise funds for the Boulder County Firefighters Association.  To contribute, text “FIRE” to 27722.  Donations raised through $10 text message pledges will assist the firefighters affected by the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire burning in Boulder, Colorado.
• The Boulder Canyon Firefighters Donation fund has been set up at Guaranty Bank, 1650 Pace St. in Longmont, for the firefighters who lost their homes to the Fourmile Fire.
• The town of Gold Hill, majorly impacted by the fire, is accepting donations for fire victims through Paypal, at goldhilltown.com.

You can also follow the Twitter hashtag #boulderfire for all the latest information and for more ways to help.  Thanks for reading!

Photo taken a mile from our house

In addition to the honor of contributing to an organization and a cause I care about deeply, I learned a great deal about my writing habits (or lack thereof).  In two short weeks, I learned more about what I need to do to advance my writing career than I probably would have in six months if left to my own devices.  Here are the top five nuggets of wisdom I gained from the write-a-thon:

1. Liar, Liar Pants on Fire.  You know the saying about liars – they tell the same lie so often they start to believe it’s true?  Well, that’s how I was about writing.  I think about writing all the time.  I mull over ideas, write verses in my head, debate which publishers/agents I might approach, rehearse my appearance on Oprah (damn her for ending her show right before I hit the big time!).  The only thing missing in all of this was — well, the actual writing.  Now that I know what it feels like to spend multiple hours working on a single manuscript over a period of several days, I realize I was kidding myself about how much actual writing was happening.  I was undermining the #1 rule of writing: Butt in Chair = Writing Done.  The only way to keep myself honest about how much writing I get done in a day/week/month is to keep a log.
2. Keep Your Oil Can Nearby and Use it Regularly.  Remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy and the Scarecrow first come across the Tin Woodman?  He’s so stiff he can barely speak and certainly can’t move.  He finally manages to communicate that he needs them to oil his joints, which have rusted and rendered him unable to move. After he’s lubed up, he can dance and sing to his empty chest’s content about getting a heart.  One day, I spent six hours working on three verses of a thirteen-verse story, and at the end of that time, I still didn’t think those verses were up to snuff.  Every form of self-doubt plagued me: ‘You don’t have what it takes. You’re wasting your time.  Great – you’ve quit your job only to discover you have no talent.‘ And so on.  Under pre-write-a-thon circumstances, I would have put that manuscript aside for at least two weeks, maybe a month.  Instead, I picked it up again the next day because I had to, per the write-a-thon and its looming deadline.  Then something miraculous happened.  The pieces started to connect.  I saw what the story needed and found the words.  By the time I finished for the day, I was satisfied with seven of the thirteen verses.  The previous day’s sweat had served to lubricate my rusted brain so the story could break itself loose and dance.  Lesson learned: If you’re stuck, keep writing.  Otherwise those brain cells will rust and grow stiff again.  Writing is your oil can.
3. If You’re Sick of Running, Go Biking.  Exercising any muscle, including the writing one, requires cross training.  Otherwise you become fatigued and risk injury or burnout or both.  So, before you stab yourself in the eye with your pencil or run your work-in-progress through the shredder, work on something else.  I did exactly that on my last day of the write-a-thon.  I was working on a first draft of a story I’ve told aloud to the kids many times, but it was only going onto the page kicking and screaming.  With three hours left to go before I would reach my goal, I put the petulant manuscript aside and wrote a brand new story.  It’s a sweet poem combining love and nature, and it might be the best piece I’ve written since I started this whole children’s book writing venture.  Switching gears not only kept me productive, it enabled me to end the write-a-thon on a high note.
4. Jane Yolen Sits on My Shoulder. Not literally, of course (Although wouldn’t that be great?  I can just imagine her smacking me six ways to Sunday whenever I felt the inclination to complain).  I do, however, find myself reflecting often on the 20 Rules of Writing she shared with us at the winter SCBWI conference, and every time I do, I find the motivation to keep going.  That list is Jane’s doppelgänger perched over me ready to pounce if I start feeling sorry for myself.  I hear her at the podium saying, “Butt in Chair=writing done”, “write every day – no excuses,” “writer’s block is all in your mind,” and “have fun writing.”  It’s hard to ignore.  There’s nothing like learning from a master, which leads me to the last lesson:
5. Misery Loves Company.  Community is important.  Writing is mostly a solitary expedition, so it is important to reach out – to experts in the field, to other writers both in and outside your genre, and most importantly, to friends and family.  For me, the blog is a way to connect, and the write-a-thon solidified that for me.  I got support from the full spectrum -  writers I’d never met, friends old and new, and family (hi, Mom!).  I was also buoyed in this endeavor by all that I learned at the SCBWI conference. I am not a new writer, but I am new to the field of children’s literature.  Spending a whole weekend soaking up hard-earned wisdom from the literati elite was potent medicine for a writer seeking knowledge, inspiration and fellowship.  Now I’m looking for critique groups.  The only way to gain perspective and stay sane is to share our stories – in writing and in life.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/jleveque/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

One change I will implement beginning next week is to keep a tally of the hours I write each week.  I’ll put the ticker on the sidebar of the blog for anyone who cares to track my progress.  My initial goal is to complete 10 hours of writing every week.  Same rules as the write-a-thon.  The only writing that counts is that which is directly related to my works-in-progress.

If you are a writer, what kind of goals do you set for yourself and how do you enforce them?

Plus, the non-writing rewards are also great.  Thanks to your generous donations, we have raised $187 for the American Heart Association so far.  Remember that I am matching donations dollar for dollar, so that means we’re already up to almost $400 total.  I am so thankful to you all and so gratified to “use” my writing for good.

If you have not already donated and would like to, click on the firstgiving link here or on the sidebar.  You can also watch my progress on the ticker today, as I’ll be updating it as I go along.  Thanks so much for taking this journey with me!  Next week I will blog about my lessons learned from this experience.

Also, a quick update on my write-a-thon:  I’ve raised $125 so far for the American Heart Association from your generous pledges. Many, many thanks to those of you who have already donated.  I’ve got my work cut out for me in terms of hours left to write, but I’m going away for the weekend sans husband and children, so I plan to rock the writing then.  Please consider a small pledge of support.  No donation amount is too small!  Remember – I’m matching the donations dollar for dollar at the end of the write-a-thon (March 5th).  If you’d like to pledge, just click on the firstgiving button below or on the sidebar and you will be directed to my fundraising page at firstgiving.  Thanks!