Click here for story

On a recent business trip, I ordered dinner in my hotel room. When the food was brought up, the delivery guy was shocked to find a silent room. He said, “It’s so quiet in there, you’re not watching TV?” I said, “Nope, just doing some reading and writing, I’ve been around noise all day, I need the peace and quiet.” That night, I accomplished a lot and was secretly grateful my DVR was recording Joshua take the top prize on “So You Think You Can Dance.”

I actually look forward to being in different environments where time stealing habits can’t take me away from writing. Surfing the internet or television, talking on the phone and puttering around my house are some of those time thieves. Ah, the appeal of a writer’s retreat; a place to go and get away from the “noise” of life. However, since a retreat is not in my near future unfortunately, I have to discipline myself more to turn away from those activities and dig into peace and quiet where inspiration can create lots of writing!

Finally, someone in North Dakota visited this blog.  Thanks to Google Analytics, I can see that every state in the U.S.A. and 35 countries have viewed this site.   Thank you for your continued support.

I was out of town so I didn’t watch the “So You Think You Can Dance” finale or results show until today. Even if I wasn’t out of town, I couldn’t watch the results episode because my favorite dancer had a dress rehearsal at the Thousand Oaks Civics Arts Center on Thursday. Matthew danced in his first recital on Saturday and as Mia Michaels says he was “A-mazing!” He impressed all our family and others who complimented him outside the venue. He said, “I have fans.” He sure does, he is my star! Continue Reading »

I love Yogi Green Tea from Trader Joe’s. The first time I tasted it was at a writers’ group meeting. It was so yummy, I stopped buying Lipton’s Green Tea immediately and switched to this organic blend. I enjoy having green tea in the morning but especially love having it at night. It’s a cozy routine for me after I put my son to bed. The warm treat accompanies me while I’m write, read or watch TV.

Each tea bag carries a quote and I’ve filled a corner of a kitchen drawer with little tags that have been especially inspiring. Hopefully, my photography skills will allow you to read the profound message on one that screamed, “Blog Me.” It read, “Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.” (Yogi Bhajan) Not only are these “Simple words of wisdom conveyed over a cup of tea,” they’re incentives. However, another wise teacher told me more important than “doing” is “being,” so the last verb in the sentence is really important “‘BE the light!”

I WAS the grand prize winner! (Read this.) I was informed by a strange call from KLOS, when the employee who told me it was time to pick up my tickets, added at the last minute, “By the way, you’re the grand prize winner, so you’ll actually be picking up 4 front row tickets.” Thrilled I knew I was in for an experience of a lifetime. I attended with just three girlfriends but many more in spirit. The Greek Theater was as beautiful as I remembered it. The last show I saw there was INXS with JD Fortune, however, I was reminded of shows from at least a decade or two earlier, Steely Dan, Santana, Sting and my very first concert, Duran Duran. Continue Reading »

My third guest blogger is Ms. dL Powers, a photographer, whose observant nature always inspires me. She’s a multi-talented woman and a dear friend, who plans to explore her style and the world in photos! Please enjoy her work which “reminds me of warm summer days, running barefoot in the grass with not a care in the world.”

July, 2008