Being real - life in our social media world

 I've watched a steady flood of doctored photos last year - all made hazy, showing the selfie taker looking, well in many cases, drastically different than a real life pic.

I guess for me, it is a mystery as to why a woman (I'm sure there are some men out these using the filters too) feels the need to post pics of herself - only using altering filters.

For me, I choose to live my life filter free - yes, when you see me in person, I look the same as I do in my pics on social media.

Welcoming in 2021

 2021 is here and I sure hope it brings us all much more joy then 2020.

Overall, despite the worries of the pandemic - 2020 was a pretty good year for me as it was a time of pondering and reflection - on many topics.

Smashing Writers Block - Find Joy in the Simple Things

 Find Joy in the Simple Things

Let’s get back to basics and find the joys in everyday life. 

One way to welcome joy into your life is to unplug completely from your phone, computer, tablet, etc. so you’re more present in each moment and so you can actually recognize joy when it appears. 

Do you eat dinner every night with your family? 

Do you know what your kids are doing in school or in their activities? 

When was the last time you allowed yourself time to play board games or read bedtime stories? 

When was the last time you really connected with your spouse or partner? 

Even if you live alone, think about the last time you allowed yourself fun time away from the computer?

Think about the hobbies you used to enjoy prior to marriage/kids/business. 

Now is the time to add at least one of those things back into your life. Join a gym. Join a walking or running club. Volunteer at your favorite charity. Read a book. Learn how to meditate. Learn how to play a new sport. Discover new hiking trails. Write in a journal.

Smash Writer's Block -Why Your Brain Needs a Break

 Why Your Brain Needs a Break

In today’s technological world with constant news cycles and instant access to electronics, it’s all too easy to wear ourselves out with too much news and other stimuli. 

Do you often lose steam mid-afternoon, especially if you’re working hard to meet a deadline? 

Your body and your brain physically can only handle so much before they go into shut down mode. 

Experts believe that “employees spend more than half their workdays receiving and managing information than using it to do their jobs”.

Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re not working as efficiently later in the day or it’s harder to concentrate on business tasks. 

Even if you’re s writing, do you find yourself getting distracted? Your brain is telling you it needs a break, similar to rebooting your computer.

Smashing Writer's Block -Become Inspired by Your Hobbies

 Become Inspired by Your Hobbies

Even though it seems counterintuitive to think about spending time enjoying your hobbies while building a business, you’ll discover that allowing your brain to relax and enjoy something other than business will spur your creativity. 

Have you ever had an incident where you can’t remember the title of a book or who starred in a particular movie but then you had an a-ha moment as soon as you stopped thinking about it? 

Have you heard stories of people who are inspired while in the shower and then are scrambling to write down their brilliant idea while they’re soaking wet? 

Jerry Seinfeld added a scene to his famous television show about writing the funniest joke ever while dreaming, wrote it down in the middle of the night, but couldn’t read his handwriting in the morning.

The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I prefer to read the book before seeing the movie - and as typical did so with this book.
Absolutely loved both book and movie. Edge of your seat read in many places and of course, left me wondering what I would do if ever in this situation.
Definitely on my recommend list.



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Weasel and Rag: wasting time with watercolor

Weasel and Rag: wasting time with watercolor by Richard Schwindt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fun read (even though purple is my favorite color) and I loved the cover!

With an unsolicited, preemptive strike, Richard Schwindt, author of Social Work for Fun and Profit has turned his attention to everything watercolor. In a torrent of cheap shots, mean spirited digs, unfair characterizations, and the occasional helpful tip, he has fashioned a devil’s dictionary of the “watercolor-industrial complex” you never knew existed.
Adopting the persona of an embittered, potty-mouthed retiree and amateur painter, Schwindt launches a mad rant in full attack mode, starting with Albrecht Dürer:
“An early proponent of making ordinary people feel stupid…”
He recklessly moves forward, addressing everything from brushes:
“Like political prisoners and unidentified cadavers, most are assigned numbers.”
To the color wheel:
“…green … it’s leering across the wheel, like a stalker released from detention, desperate to penetrate the red. It just knows they belong together.”
And the colour purple:
“Approaching a purple painting at an art exhibition, I am unconsciously patting pockets for Prozac.”
Eccentric, irreverent and always hilarious, Weasel and Rag is written for every hobbyist who has ever managed frustration with laughter.

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