3 Things I Do Well by Sarah Raplee McDermed

In planning this blog, I decided to talk about concrete things I am good at, rather than abstractions like ‘procrastinating’, or ‘arguing’. Abstractions do not always present my accomplishments in the best light.

So here goes:

     1.  I’m good at roller skating. Not Roller Derby good, but Above-average Good.

My path to roller skating accomplishment was not an easy one.

When I was a Brownie Scout in second grade, we took roller skating lessons at the local roller rink. We learned to stay upright, to start and stop, and later to turn around and skate backwards. In advanced class we learned how to do the limbo on roller skates, which was quite a feat in our uniform skirts.

Eight years later I was fifteen and in high school, but not old enough to drive. My best friend, Rhonda, and I would get one of our parents to drop us off at the roller rink to skate on Saturdays. We had fun wearing off our excess youthful energy and checking out our male peers. The rink was often packed with teens, pre-teens and families with small children, some of whom were, unfortunately, not well-supervised.

The day of The Accident was one of those Saturdays. Rhonda and I and everyone else was skating fast. A pack of five-to-seven-year-olds were who thought it was hilarious to pile up on purpose and block the lanes were causing problems. I managed to skate around one of their pile-ups once. The next time they piled up in front of me there wasn’t enough time to avoid them. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. I remember thinking if I ran into them going this fast, I would hurt someone really bad. So I jumped, tucked my legs and prayed I wouldn’t hit someone in the head with my wheels. I remember looking down as I sailed over the kids and thinking, ‘Shit! If I land on my skates, I’ll fall over backwards and crack my head on the floor.’

So I landed on my knees and broke both of them—at least that’s how it felt. The pain was worse than when I broke my leg the summer before seventh grade. All I could do was lay on my side and moan.

Rhonda had seen the whole incident. She knew it was bad, so she found a cute young male employee and told him what had happened. He skated out and, when he realized I couldn’t walk, he picked me up and skated me off the floor, bless his heart. He sat me on a bench, got a couple ice packs for me, and let Rhonda use the phone to call my mother.

Later, our doctor told us I had damaged the bursa in my knees. I was left with bursitis in my knees—and a phobia of roller skating. It wasn’t until I was twenty-eight and my two kids begged me to let them learn to skate that I decided to face my fears. I enrolled in a college gym elective roller skating class. Wearing elbow and knee pads, with the instructor’s support and encouragement, I overcame my fears. By the end of the term, I was playing balloon soccer on roller skates.

That’s how I got Above-average Good at roller skating.

      2.) I’m good at putting babies to sleep. In fact, I’m a Master Sand Woman. This is a much shorter story, I promise! I worked for three years in an infant and toddler nursery. Enough said!!!

      3.) I’m good at brainstorming ideas.

Give me a problem, and I’ll run with it like a

For example, ‘In what scenario would Master Sand Woman and Above-Average Roller Skater skills be useful?’

-Writing a story about saving a baby from kidnappers.

-Reporting on Roller Derby Gals with infants.

-Landing a job as a nanny for a Roller Derby Team.

-Being a grandmother.

-Being a mother.

-Being an aunt.

-Being a teenaged babysitter.

-Escaping a home invasion with an infant.

You get the idea, right? It’s a great skill for a writer to have. A list of 25 is a gold mine. The first ten are usually yawners, but then things get interesting. Try it next time you are stuck.

You’re welcome ~ Sarah

 

Let's hear it for the Moms!

 

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

This month of May is all about Mothers. Yesterday was Mother’s Day; the official day for showing appreciation to the woman who carried you, or the one who raised you. Maybe it was a person who was just there when you needed them. This brings up the question - what is a mother? 

Is it a woman who gave birth to a child (birth mother), or is it the person who provided emotional care and support?

To me, a mother is so much more than the woman who carries a child, goes into labor, and gives birth. There are men who stepped in and have been both mother and father to a young person, They should be honored too, and not just on Father's Day .

Now, I’m going to say something that may or may not be controversial. Not everyone is cut out to be a mother. This is evident by turning on the television or tuning into the news. Almost every day a baby is abandoned or given away. Some leave the baby at the hospital or on a church’s doorstep. Others, less caring, dump the baby in the trash. Babies have been left in subways or abandoned in bathrooms. Then there are those who for a variety of reasons put their child up for adoption, either because they are simply not ready or have way too many mouths to feed.

Each birth mother has her own reasons. Not everyone is able, or fit to take on that task. Mothering is a lifetime business, and some make the difficult or necessary decision to opt out. The reasons are varied, ranging from short on finances to single parent status. Some are just not feeling the maternal nudge.

This brings me to another controversial issue, the fact that Roe V Wade is being challenged fifty years after the initial ruling. Are we back to forcing women not ready or equipped to be mothers into having unwanted children? Not every pregnancy is the result of a loving union. Shouldn’t a woman have the right to choose to be a mother, and shouldn’t she be ready for that responsibility. Motherhood is a lifelong commitment.   

So, what’s my definition of a mother? She/he is a person who nurtures and cares for you. A person who is your biggest supporter, and who at times may demonstrate tough love. She/he is not necessarily an enabler, but someone there through thick or thin. She/he gives you a well needed kick in the butt when necessary, and at other times builds you up.

 Over the years, I have had many mothers. They each taught me something valuable. My biological one was tough as nails, and far from a shrinking violet. She was a woman way ahead of her time. She taught me the value of an education, and she promoted independence. She believed if you wanted something, you went out and got it yourself. No handouts for her, or her children, and no dependence on a man. And she was married to my father for over fifty years, and frankly she made things happen.

My second mother, my aunt, was a free spirit, and more nurturing than my biological mother. You could tell her anything. She believed in me, and she found a way for me to go to that out-of-town college that back then was super expensive. If I ever needed something she was there, no questions asked.

Friends’ mothers often mothered me. We grew up on a small island where everyone made it their business to know your business. If you stepped out of line, your “Aunties” were right there admonishing you, and with your biological mother’s permission, they could give you a backhanded slap. Back then, no one called Child Protective services if you got a well-deserved whack.  In fact, there was no Child Protective Services.

Even as an adult, an author friend, stepped into the role of “Mom” for me. She had five adult kids of her own. I became the 6^th. I learned to be more diplomatic from this wonderful woman who taught me the art of turning the other cheek. More importantly, she taught me that kindness really mattered, and that people would remember how you made them feel. While she recently passed away, I will always cherish the memories of her generous spirit, and her reminder that when life hands you limes it's time to make lemonade. Thank you, author, Linda Anderson.    

A book that we should all read, (not one of mine) also comes to mind. It’s titled a Mother’s Promise by KD Alden. While it’s not the easiest read, (in terms of a feel-good book), it does depict motherhood in a variety of forms.

So, back to what does a “mother” mean to you? Is she the cookie-cutter, June Cleaver ‘mom,’ or is she today’s woman with a full-time job? There really isn’t a handbook for mothers to read. Mothering just comes from the heart.

Have a Happy May! Big hugs and belated wishes to the mothers out there!

 

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean Island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards.  Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Be sure to join her newsletter mailing list.

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My Different Smiles

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual practices that nourish the soul and celebrates the journey from relationship to romance.

When the Blog Queens were putting the 2018 topics and themes together, they were very clear they wanted April to be particularly uplifting, light and, if possible, funny. I will admit our April topic “What Always Brings A Smile to My Face or an Outright Laugh” has been bubbling in the back of my mind the entire month of March.

What I’m more aware of because of this topic is I have more than one smile:

My soft quiet smile I give to babies and puppies.

My broad smile I give to exuberant toddlers and puppies.

My knowing smile, usually accompanied by a slight nod of my head, when I see children and dogs being true to their nature.

My delighted smile when I see the first signs of Spring or perhaps the first snow. In my opinion, first snows are delightful even if they are deep because they transform the world around me into a fairy land.

My satisfied smile never fails to appear when I see my books on bookstore and library shelves, e-retailers sites and read reviews.

My excited smile is most evident when my friend, Lois, creates an amazing display at a book signing.

My gratitude smile? I’ve so many opportunities each day for this smile. Every morning I write out 10 things for which I’m grateful and at the end of the day I review and recount everything for which I’m grateful. A smile is always on my face as I do these tasks. And, on very good days, I’ve lots to be grateful for: phone calls and/or pictures of my great grands and phone or face-to-face time with friends. Those very good days most likely also include writing on a new book, editing a completed manuscript, reading one of my favorite authors. All examples of activities that feed my soul.

As I’ve moved through my life, what I’ve learned, what is true for me is the importance of smiling. Not pasting a fake smile on my face but to purposefully or mindfully fill my life with people, activities and things that always bring a smile to my face.

I’ve also ventured into non-fiction. Staying Sane in a Crazy World available at your favorite e-retailer. By following the simple process outlined in this book, you can create a life with more smiles!

Do you ever feel as if the world around you is tumbling out of control and there is nothing you can do to make your world a better place?

Do you ever wish there was?

Staying Sane in a Crazy World may help guide you toward stopping the tumbling and choosing how to take effective control of your life. The reality is there is no One answer that fits all but we each have Our answer.

In this short guide, Judith Ashley leads you through a straight-forward process that allows you to find Your answers. Answers you’ll use to craft a Personal Staying Sane Plan that will help you regain and keep your balance whenever the world around you is out-of-whack.

For your complimentary copy of Lily: The Dragon and The Great Horned Owl, you need only sign up for my mailing list. I will not spam you and, you can always unsubscribe.

As an indie author, your support in the form of reviews is appreciated. Please note in your review that you received a free copy of Lily in exchange for an honest review. 

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshleyRomance.com

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2018 Judith Ashley

Another view of Magic

There is magic and there is magick and while this month’s topic is “Magic”, I want to stray from the general consensus of what that word means when most people see it regardless of spelling.

The day before I wrote this I spent a magical couple of hours with my baby great granddaughter. At three and a half months, she is taking stock of the world around her, smiling, and beginning to “talk”. She has a delightful laugh. Even though I worked in adoptions for thirty years, I still see the developmental process from the ‘blobby baby stage’ to adult magical.

Later that same day I happened to look out my kitchen window at the Armistead salvia along my driveway in time to see a hummingbird stop by to visit. I find hummingbirds a magical bird and I can’t remember a time when I’ve seen one in person that I haven’t stopped and smiled.

The day I did write this post, I was thinking of someone and my phone rang. Yep, it was the person I was thinking about.

When I see my books on e-retailer sites or on the shelves in brick and mortar book stores, that is a magical experience.

I did that! I wrote them and worked to learn the software to get them out to the public.

What’s even more magical is seeing them sell!!!

A friend of mine once asked me how I can live so simply. I was confused but she went on to talk about my commitment to recycling in particular. We talked about how we each see the world. She is a devout Christian who sees God as separate from her but who she has taken into her heart.

I see the Divine in everything and everyone around me. So I’m aware of my footprint on the earth. I pay attention to the cycle of the moon and seasons. In comparison to many, I trod heavily. For example I do drive a car but I do plan my errands so I only go out a couple of times a week.

Because of my interpretation of the word “magic” I include such things as “synchronicity” and in addition to blogging here, I also post every Monday on my Judith Ashley blog “Intentions and Synchronicities”.

Judith is the author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series romantic fiction that honors spiritual practices that nourish the soul.

Learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle here.

Visit Judith’s author page.

Judith’s books are available at Windtree Press and other e-retailers.

Follow Judith on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

You can find Judith on Facebook 

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