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Great Christmas Idea for Employees,Neighbors, Teachers,even the Mailman.
You can take care of everyone on your list with this amazing, yet inexpensive gift featuring–the Miracle Maker. A friend of mine had this great idea for all the employees at her husband’s office. The booklets are only 2.49 and available at DeseretBook.com. (Make sure you order the paperback version and not the ebook.) What a fantastic way to encourage other the spirit of giving this year.
The Joy of Miracle Making.
This video is exactly what Miracle Maker is all about. Just look at how easy it is to make a difference in someone’s life. LOVE IT!!!
Can you imagine the happiness we could spread if we all did just one of these things this holiday season for someone.
What not to do at a book signing
Writing a book can often be solitary, discouraging, and tedious, but then falls the golden light of publishing. When it happens and you hold that paper and ink baby in your arms, it’s magic. For an author like me, who is new to this magic, this brings all sorts of firsts. My first cover reveal, my first release, and of course my first book signing. Now, I want you to know that there is really no etiquette book that teaches any of these things. I delicately stumbled upon this event the same way I do everything—with the enthusiasm of a Chihuahua on linoleum, and not much else. So I bet you can almost smell the success right?
Here are my tips of what not to do at a book signing.
1) When signing your first copy—ever, don’t forget that the odds of you becoming the next J.K. Rowling are rather slim. Therefore you don’t have to make sure that this book will be worth millions to the owner when you make it big. They may not even really be in the right line, just sign the book before they change their mind
2) If you do suddenly decide that you are destine for greatness because of all the endorphins you are experiencing, you may write some crazy message to the poor person who happens to be at the front of the line. Stop telling them about it. They will read it and realized you are crazy in the safety of their own home.
3) When that person has to come back to the table because you forgot to simply sign your name after six paragraphs about this being your first signing ever, just sign it and stop talking— there really is no making this better.
4) Have three or four small phrases thought up that you can lovingly place in your book with your signature. Don’t try to be clever when you have so much going on around you. You will forget how to spell, and punctuate, and quite possibly which end of the pen to use.
5) No matter how blank your brain goes after three of four messages, don’t write have a great summer, we should hang out. This is just fallback from high school survival.
6) If you want to buy a special pen to sign with, remember to bring it with you and don’t make everyone wait while you run out to your car to get your special pen. You’re not famous enough for this to be eccentric, it’s just weird.
7) When you return with your special pen and realize that gel pens become a smeary, horrible mess, which takes forever to dry, stop trying to make it work. Move on with dignity.- And no, trying to absorb the excess ink in your armpit is not dignified.
8) Don’t skip breakfast. With all the excitement and fear you will get goofy when your blood sugar drops. It’s hard to make intelligent conversation with a cookie in your mouth.
9) Hug everyone- it throws people off and they won’t realize you have no idea what you’re doing.
10) Most importantly, no matter how crazy, embarrassing, or hectic it gets—DON’T FORGET TO ENJOY THE MOMENT! Amazing firsts come so seldom in life, drink them in and savor them.
Are you a duck or a flamingo?
I so admire women who can keep their cool in any situation. Like a duck on a pond, they look impossibly serene while paddling like crazy underneath. I have friends who are ducks, and a mother who is very duck like. I never cease to be amazed at how calm and collected they are in any crisis. These sleek put together fowl can handle any challenge with grace.
Could you plan a party for 50 on a days notice? No problem, those ducks say. Any chance you could design and make my wedding dress on a really cheap budget, and fit it to me exactly, without my actually being in the state? Not even a hesitation. Nothing is impossible for a duck. They glide through every task without a single splash above the water, but underneath those little feet paddle like crazy. Frankly, I’m not sure if it’s endearing or annoying. Who am I kidding it’s amazing!
I, on the other hand, am a flamingo. It’s hard to keep your cool when you’re a flamingo. First of all, you’re big and loud, and you’ve got this bright pink color that is sort of strange and attracts attention and your knees even bend the wrong way. Not a compact duck model, no sir. You’re a long legged, crazy necked, big beaked, weirdo.
It’s impossible to look like you have it together as a flamingo. You wear you crisis right out there for everyone to see, no keeping it serenely contained under the water like a duck. You just wade in with your big feet, looking like a mistake of genetics and proof that God has a sense of humor.
While I do struggle with duck envy, there is a lot to love about a flamingo. Did you know that they’re strong swimmers and avid flyers, but generally they just wade around? So we flamingos can do duck-like things and when we do, boy, are we fantastic. We just don’t look as graceful at the task.
Flamingos are also monogamous birds, laying only one egg a year. If something happens to that egg, they rarely lay another. So we flamingos are loyal and steady. Another great thing about flamingos, they can fly up to thirty-five miles an hour in a flock. So while we’re a little clumsy, we flamingos can really get in there and get things moving.
Now I love the ducks in my life and would love to be one. It’s just not in the cards for this flamingo. But, flamingos have their charms. After all, when was the last time you saw someone with a plastic duck next to their house?
So next time your ankle deep in crisis, and your flamingo feathers are flying for everyone to see. Just enjoy the moment and remember that although ducks can keep it together, flamingos make the ride a lot more fun.
Part 2
I got so many positive responses from readers about the first part of Michelle Wilson’s interview I posted the second part here. For those of you with teens, there is an especially great message.
If you are a member of a book club, and are interested in having Michelle’s book in you line up, she has a section of her website just for you.
http://www.michellewilsonatlarge.com/2014/02/calling-all-book-clubs.html
A little message we women could all use.
A wonderful lady I know, Michelle Wilson, wrote the greatest book. It’s called, Does This Insecurity Make Me Look Fat. I know, makes you want to take a look after that title. I have had the privilege of knowing Michelle for a while now, and she is one of those fantastic human beings that people are drawn to instantly. She has a great message to share so if you have a minute, please take a look at this short clip taken from a news interview she did recently.
If you want to know more about her and her crazy journey, her blog is www.michellewilsonatlarge.com
A Christmas Poem for My Olive Garden Family (Thank you Clement Moore)
As some of you may know, I fund my writing habit by moonlighting as a server at Olive Garden. I wrote, or rather re-wrote, this poem for our managers, but wanted to share it with any of my Olive Garden Family who are willing to check it out on the blog. It’s a take on Clement Moore’s, ” T’was the Night Before Christmas.” I couldn’t help but think what that night might be like at my work. There a quite a few inside jokes, but even if you don’t work at the OG you might still get a chuckle out of it .
T’was the night before Christmas and all through the OG
Servers were passing out entrees with glee.
The orders were taken and filled with great care
In hopes GSS would continue to flare.
The guests sat nestled all snug in chairs
While smells of spaghetti and cheese filled the air.
And Jen in her blazer, and Jeff in his tie
Had just settled in back, for a phone call from Guy.
When over the headset there arose such a clatter
They ran to the front to see what was the matter.
Away to the lobby they flew like a gunner
While on the way through yelling, “I need a runner.”
The lobby was quiet, the host staff was hushed
And Jon even kicked back a sample of blush
Cuz what to their wondering eyes did appear
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver so lively and quick
They knew in an instant it must be St. Nick.
He rose from his sleigh and said, “Sorry it’s late,
But do you have any room for a party of eight?”
Then Jen flew to action, “Why Santa you know
We’d love to provide that, but the deer gotta go.
It’s a code violation. I hope you don’t mind.
But they really can’t stay unless they help with the blind.”
More rapid than eagles his answer it came
He nodded and shouted and called them by name.
“Out Dasher, out Dancer, out, Prancer and Vixen
Out Comet, and Cupid, and Donner, and Blitzen.
I love you like family, but this is a treat
I’ve had nothing but cookies, and I gotta eat.”
So the reindeer were led to the lot carefully
And some elves and dear Santa seated at 203.
They ordered up salad, and breadsticks, and soup
and settled themselves to revive and recoup.
They even got Mrs. Claus pasta to go,
And between you and I had a little Merlot.
They passed on dessert, cuz they had a long trip,
But Jen comped their meal, and they left a fat tip.
Then he folded his napkin and patted his paunch
And said to his elves, “Come on, we’ve got to launch.”
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘Ere he drove through the shrubs,
“Merry Christmas to all, and thanks for the grub.”
A magical evening for Santa and crew
And Santa left something to pass on to you.
His last Christmas message as he flew through the sky,
May your spirits be bright, and your guest count be high.
HEAR ME ROAR
I love it when celebs use their profile power for good, so I was over the moon when I heard about Katy Perry’s ROAR contest on Good Morning America. As a mother, Katy and I have had our ups and downs. Some of her songs are banned from the house, since my youngest likes to find the most embarrassing places to sing some of her more risque lyrics. (It made church just a little more interesting that’s for sure, and that bank teller had a good giggle.) I will admit though, as much as I hate the song, “I Kissed a Girl” has been stuck in my head on more than one occasion.
On the positive side, some of her songs have great messages- “Roar” being one of them. High schools from all over the country submitted their videos for a chance to win a private contest. My favorite was Verrado High School. Although they didn’t win, I love this video. It’s inspiring.
Thanks, Katy, keep up this kind of greatness and we might forget about the spike in teen pregnancy spurred on by “Teenage Dream”.
Great House Cleaning Tool
With all there is to do in a day- kids, food, work, etc. . . I often get asked how I find time to write. My answer is always the same. Give up house work! Of course, that isn’t really true, but my ADD nature doesn’t really contribute to an immaculate home. I start to dust, then get distracted by the state of the oven, half make the beds and . . . you get the idea. So, when I came across this handy cleaning tool by Tidy Mom with printable checklists I was all over it.
I hate house cleaning because it never seems to have an end. With a checklist, I feel like I have accomplished something. Click on the link http://tidymom.net/2011/annual-cleaning/ and let me know what you think. Now you’ll have time for whatever you like to do. Maybe even reading a book by an incredibly talented new author. ;0 (Oh how I love the winky face.)
D5 Creation