In Cheryl Sandberg’s recent memoir, Option B, she asks what we have “taken back” since experiencing a life-altering loss. I’m reading Option B as a mini book club of sorts with my best friend. We read a chapter each week and then email each other our thoughts and feelings. We all have a Plan…
Category: books
A Thanksgiving to forget
We’ve all been there. My fellow club members know what I’m talking about. (For those of you wondering what club this is-don’t worry-it’s not one you voluntarily join. It’s for us poor sods who have lost a loved one or more.) Shout out to all my grief warriors–I’ve had one of those holidays–the type…
Write Outside: Autumn
It’s the end of October and autumn has finally showed up. Red, orange and yellow hues slowly crept their way across the mountains, but after the cold snap this weekend the colors have popped! To celebrate our anniversary a week early, we drove all over the Blue Ridge Parkway and its surrounding towns. The hardwoods…
Write Outside: Mountain Lake Edition
August is here and with it brings the last hurrahs of summer. I enjoyed our mountain summer since it lacked the thick humidity and scorching temps I’m familiar with near the central part of the state. I’m happy to report I stuck to my writing goals this summer! My best writing buddy, experienced in screenplays…
Adventures in Volunteering:Community Garden
I came across my third volunteering venue while working at the Community Table. I was busing tables when I looked up and saw a flyer for the Community Garden. I asked one the volunteers about it and they said they obtain a large portion of their donated produce from this resource. So…
Write Outside- Country Fields Edition
Welcome Summer! I hope everyone is enjoying the balmy weather and beautiful sunsets. What plans do you all have for the summer? We have a long awaited vacation coming up in August. I am happy to say my manuscript is in the hands of a professional editor. I met her at my first writer’s conference…
Adventures in Volunteering- Community Table
” Those who have changed the universe have never done it by changing officials, but always by inspiring the people.” ~Napoleon Bonaparte I learned of the Community Table from a fellow co-worker. They were my first choice in volunteer venues, but I learned they were on everyone else’s radar too. I made several attempts in January…
Adventures in Volunteering- PAWS
I’m almost half way through my adventures in volunteering. It came as no surprise that my experiences have been both rewarding and fun. What did surprise me was the difficulty I encountered getting scheduled at a volunteer venue. I knew I would have to work hard at making time to give my time. But I…
Open Road
A blank page is like an open road– full of opportunities. ~ Cara Perciaccanto I had the pleasure of listening to Terry Kay present at a writer’s seminar in Sylva, NC this past weekend. The sage author was full of helpful tips, witty banter and poignant one liners. The audience was sad to learn this…
First Writer’s Conference
After two months of nervous excitement, the time came to break out of my literary and introvert comfort zone. I decided in January this would be the year I’d burst out of my comfortable yet isolating writing cocoon. I needed to meet other writers and artists who are called to the creative realm. Those…
Shared Poem on Volunteering
Please enjoy this poignant poem on volunteering from Love it Now! to volunteer… I don’t need to possess nor have more than you I don’t have to be ready to give nor to wait till my ego says: “that would be good for you” crossing the borders of separation I enter a world not divided…
Shared Post on Volunteerism
I plan to write about my take away from my first writer’s conference this weekend, but while my brain recoups, I wanted to share this post by Rach The Writer and Acha Harrison from Millionaire’s Digest about volunteerism. As I wrote on my blog in January here, I’ve set out on an adventure in volunteering…
WRITE OUTSIDE 