On this quiet night, in the snow, waiting for Christmas, I wish everyone happy holidays, and I wish to remind you all that God blesses the whole world, without exception...:-)
Peace.
Joy.
Love.
To you all.
Lynne
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Why We Bell Ring
This is our third year of bell-ringing for the Salvation Army. Anyone can do it, and the money is used to help those in need who are local to you. It's an easy way to help a bit, and more fun than it sounds:-). Try it, why not? They usually have spots of time to fill and you can work any amount of time. If you feel comfortable singing, you can do that, or someone can play an instrument. We sing carols and Katherine plays some excellent flute.
Here's why we do it:
Because it's fun and makes us feel Christmasy
Because people smile at us and that makes us feel good
Because we can drink hot chocolate and say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays a lot!
Because it's free and we can be together
Because I want to remind my kids that not everyone has what they want or even need.
Because at the end of our shift, there is a lot of money in the kettle that we ourselves raised to help others.
To find out more--(this year there is a virtual bell ringing thing too, I'm sure it's not quite as much fun, but it's warmer, easier, and fits in your schedule!!:
Salvation Army
Here's why we do it:
Because it's fun and makes us feel Christmasy
Because people smile at us and that makes us feel good
Because we can drink hot chocolate and say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays a lot!
Because it's free and we can be together
Because I want to remind my kids that not everyone has what they want or even need.
Because at the end of our shift, there is a lot of money in the kettle that we ourselves raised to help others.
To find out more--(this year there is a virtual bell ringing thing too, I'm sure it's not quite as much fun, but it's warmer, easier, and fits in your schedule!!:
Salvation Army
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Our last day with Puppy Not a Guppy
We have been honored to host my friend Holly Jahangiri's wonderful new book "Puppy Not a Guppy" on this blog for the last three days. I have known Holly for going on 14 years, but I have never actually met her. Someday, we hope to:-)
Good luck with the rest of the tour Irma and Holly!! I've packed a bunch of snacks to keep you going and some extra root beer (just in case)...
So, I turn it over to Brendan, it's his turn:
"Puppy Not a Guppy" is a very interesting book that I liked as much as my favorite books. It was written well and it moved well and I liked the wrapping up summary of it, but Holly please do a second book because I want to know more!!"
Irma, you are a hit in this house.
Below is a list of the rest of the tour blogs (If you've never done one of these virtual book tours before, it's really fun, drop by some or all of the blogs and leave a comment...it's like a virtual party out there):
Saturday, December 12:
Heather Kephart at HappyMaking
Heather
Rey Rombawa Jr at reyjr.com – Born on a Syzygy
Rey
Sunday, December 13:
Dr. Dean Pomerleau @ Fish School Blog
Dean
Beverly Stowe McClure at The Story of a Writer
Beverly
Monday, December 14:
Lisa Munley at Books on the Brain
Lisa
Tuesday, December 15:
Jena Isle at Jena Isle's Random Thoughts
Jena
Susan and Noah Thompson at SusanSmithThompson.com
Susan and Noah
Wednesday, December 16:
Tour Wrap-up at Imaginary Friends and It’s All a Matter of Perspective
Holly
Here are contest details:
Contest
Prizes (two will be awarded):
One autographed copy of A Puppy, Not a Guppy.
Contest Rules
To enter: Leave a comment at http://jahangiri.us/books containing verifiable evidence that you have completed one or more of the following activities:
A link back to this blog.
A short review of http://jahangiri.us/books or http://jahangiri.us/news on Alexa.com ( http://www.alexa.com/reviews/jahangiri.us )
A question for one of the characters in Trockle or A Puppy, Not a Guppy
A question for the author, Holly Jahangiri
Answer to the question: What kind of pet do you like best, and why?
Either of the following:
o Blog about A Puppy, Not a Guppy (be sure to include, in your own blog post, a link back to http://jahangiri.us/books and a link to this blog; or
o If you already own a copy of Trockle or A Puppy, Not a Guppy, you may complete this activity by posting a new review of either book on BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com. (NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Previously posted book reviews are not eligible as contest entries in this contest.)
Each activity equals one (1) entry, and you may do each activity once for a possible maximum of six (6) entries per valid email address. Your comment must be entered using a valid email address so that you can be contacted for mailing info if you win! Entries that do not have a valid email address will be considered null and void.
Duration: Contest begins at 12:01 AM on December 9, 2009 and ends at 11:59 PM on December 15, 2009. Winners will be drawn on December 16, 2009.
Eligibility: Contest is open to anyone age 13 or older. Tour hosts are eligible to enter.
Winners: Two winners will be randomly chosen (numbered in the order in which they are received, with the winning number chosen at http://www.random.org/ ) from all qualifying entries, and will be required to provide a physical mailing address in order to collect a prize (one free book). Only one entrant per household is eligible to win. If a second entrant from a single household is chosen, another name will be drawn until all prizes are awarded.
Contest void where prohibited by law.
AND, don't forget-- how to order your very own copy!
You can buy the book:
Directly from 4RV Publishing at 4rvpublishingllc ($8.99 + S&H)
Amazon.com at Amazon($10.99 &
eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.)
Barnes and Noble at B&N (variable; currently $7.91 Member price for all customers.)
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Our Second fun day with Irma and Puppy Not a Guppy
Katherine Talian (13) took over Brendan's spot for reviewing "Puppy Not a Guppy."
"Even though Irma didn't get what she asked for, she gave it a chance and she liked it. She was able to train the guppies and enjoy them. I liked the lessons this book taught-- you can't judge a book by its cover, if you try something you might just like it, don't be hasty judging things or people. I loved the book."
--Katherine Talian
I love that she got all that out of the book. It's that kind of story.
So, sit down for a spell, have some root beer with us and Irma. We love root beer, and we love to tell stories...
If you want to continue the fun, jump onto other blogs sponsoring Puppy not a Guppy on the virtual book tour! Be sure to leave a short comment to let them know you were there.
Here's the schedule:
BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, December 8:
Vivian Gilbert Zabel, author and founder of 4RV Publishing,
kicks off the tour with a special surprise guest at Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap
Vivian
Wednesday, December 9:
Lynne, Brendan, and Katherine at Life is But a Dream
Lynne and Co.
Roy de la Cruz at The Struggling Blogger dot Com
Roy
Thursday, December 10:
Lynne, Brendan, and Katherine at Life is But a Dream
Lynne and Co.
Friday, December 11:
Lynne, Brendan, and Katherine at Life is But a Dream
Lynne and Co.
Saturday, December 12:
Heather Kephart at HappyMaking
Heather
Rey Rombawa Jr at reyjr.com – Born on a Syzygy
Rey
Sunday, December 13:
Dr. Dean Pomerleau @ Fish School Blog
Dean
Beverly Stowe McClure at The Story of a Writer
Beverly
Monday, December 14:
Lisa Munley at Books on the Brain
Lisa
Tuesday, December 15:
Jena Isle at Jena Isle's Random Thoughts
Jena
Susan and Noah Thompson at SusanSmithThompson.com
Susan and Noah
Wednesday, December 16:
Tour Wrap-up at Imaginary Friends and It’s All a Matter of Perspective
Holly
CONTEST CONTEST CONTEST CONTEST
So gentle readers, it's now time for contest details!!!! Read on for the particulars:
Contest
Prizes (two will be awarded):
One autographed copy of A Puppy, Not a Guppy.
Contest Rules
To enter: Leave a comment at http://jahangiri.us/books containing verifiable evidence that you have completed one or more of the following activities:
A link back to this blog.
A short review of http://jahangiri.us/books or http://jahangiri.us/news on Alexa.com ( http://www.alexa.com/reviews/jahangiri.us )
A question for one of the characters in Trockle or A Puppy, Not a Guppy
A question for the author, Holly Jahangiri
Answer to the question: What kind of pet do you like best, and why?
Either of the following:
o Blog about A Puppy, Not a Guppy (be sure to include, in your own blog post, a link back to http://jahangiri.us/books and a link to this blog; or
o If you already own a copy of Trockle or A Puppy, Not a Guppy, you may complete this activity by posting a new review of either book on BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com. (NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Previously posted book reviews are not eligible as contest entries in this contest.)
Each activity equals one (1) entry, and you may do each activity once for a possible maximum of six (6) entries per valid email address. Your comment must be entered using a valid email address so that you can be contacted for mailing info if you win! Entries that do not have a valid email address will be considered null and void.
Duration: Contest begins at 12:01 AM on December 9, 2009 and ends at 11:59 PM on December 15, 2009. Winners will be drawn on December 16, 2009.
Eligibility: Contest is open to anyone age 13 or older. Tour hosts are eligible to enter.
Winners: Two winners will be randomly chosen (numbered in the order in which they are received, with the winning number chosen at http://www.random.org/ ) from all qualifying entries, and will be required to provide a physical mailing address in order to collect a prize (one free book). Only one entrant per household is eligible to win. If a second entrant from a single household is chosen, another name will be drawn until all prizes are awarded.
Contest void where prohibited by law.
Good Luck and check back tonmorrow for Brendan's review!
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Welcome A Puppy Not a Guppy!
We are so happy to be on Holly Jahangiri's virtual book tour. We were super excited last time when we featured her book "Trockle"
Brendan is busily writing his review of Puppy Not a Guppy for Thursday. Katherine will do Friday. They have already read this adorable book and both gave it a big thumbs up.
Holly, you have two enthusiastic fans here! Well, I love it too, so three.
Here is a quick synopsis:
Irma wanted a puppy, a pet she could take on walks, not a few stupid guppies. Fish don't do anything,
except roll over on their backs if they die.
Sometimes, though, a girl has to make the most of what she has. Now, what can Irma do with three
guppies besides stare at them as they stare at her?
Holly has a breezy, natural style that makes kids sail through her book. Her imagination is amazing, and I think she really does remember what it felt like to be a kid.
You can buy the book:
Directly from 4RV Publishing at 4rvpublishingllc ($8.99 + S&H)
Amazon.com at Amazon($10.99 &
eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.)
Barnes and Noble at B&N (variable; currently $7.91 Member price for all customers.)
Tomorrow, Brendan's review and a contest!!
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Reimagining Retirement
I saw this great show on PBS (actually New Jersey's public TV station, NJN) this morning, it featured this guy:
Ken Dychtwald
He is a gerontologist and psychologist who has been studying retirement for years and his company consults with industry and others on how to re-tool our society and markets to accommodate the aging (but active) and longer-lived population!
Literally, we have more time at the end of our lives, since the "end" has moved. People are living longer than ever before. And people are healthier and can be more productive than perhaps they used to be in their older years.
But we haven't quite capitalized on this idea yet, and Ken's company is spreading the word. He had a book out and did a great seminar on PBS.
He covers so much in this great seminar, but one idea really caught my attention:
It's called philanthropreneuring. It's about becoming a philanthropist who applies his or her business skills to a worthy cause. I guess it has also been called "socially responsible" business. But it's very exciting to me to see it being redefined. Because charitable work needs strong leadership and "profit" mindsets too.
He also talks about a burgeoning elder volunteer workforce who can actually help run major endeavors in the coming years! We have to rethink the old "doing nothing" retirement. Many people are going to school in their later years, so they can have an "encore" career that means perhaps more to them than their first careers. A lot of people want to have more meaning and purpose to their lives.
Count me as one of those:-) --I have been thinking about a lot of these things myself and was so happy to see the opportunities out there and the trends taking hold. I don't see myself "retired" any time soon...
Here's information on a special Ken hosted for PBS called "The Boomer Century":
Boomers
Ken Dychtwald
He is a gerontologist and psychologist who has been studying retirement for years and his company consults with industry and others on how to re-tool our society and markets to accommodate the aging (but active) and longer-lived population!
Literally, we have more time at the end of our lives, since the "end" has moved. People are living longer than ever before. And people are healthier and can be more productive than perhaps they used to be in their older years.
But we haven't quite capitalized on this idea yet, and Ken's company is spreading the word. He had a book out and did a great seminar on PBS.
He covers so much in this great seminar, but one idea really caught my attention:
It's called philanthropreneuring. It's about becoming a philanthropist who applies his or her business skills to a worthy cause. I guess it has also been called "socially responsible" business. But it's very exciting to me to see it being redefined. Because charitable work needs strong leadership and "profit" mindsets too.
He also talks about a burgeoning elder volunteer workforce who can actually help run major endeavors in the coming years! We have to rethink the old "doing nothing" retirement. Many people are going to school in their later years, so they can have an "encore" career that means perhaps more to them than their first careers. A lot of people want to have more meaning and purpose to their lives.
Count me as one of those:-) --I have been thinking about a lot of these things myself and was so happy to see the opportunities out there and the trends taking hold. I don't see myself "retired" any time soon...
Here's information on a special Ken hosted for PBS called "The Boomer Century":
Boomers
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
William Talian, you will be missed
My father-in-law slipped away Sunday morning. His expression was peaceful and he died quickly. His family is sad, but we are all happy he did not suffer and that he doesn't have to go on with his reduced quality of life...he had become very frail at 85, painfully thin and needing oxygen a lot for his persistent breathing problems. He had developed an anxiety disorder that accompanied his breathing problems, and his days were hard for him to get through, and he rarely left the house anymore.
Where do I start? Bill Talian was a WWII vet, a man who shot down planes in Europe at age 19. His strong and observant mother gave him a Brownie camera before he went to war and urged him to "take lots of pictures". He carried his Brownie camera throughout Europe and documented everything. He has a picture of Hitler's summer home in his photo album, towns in Italy, Germany. He saw concentration camps that had been liberated. He could never speak about that and what he saw.
And I am thinking that if you see and live through all that (D Day plus one day, which is why he lived)....then your perspective must be different and you just can't get that worked up about what other folks might call a "crisis". He had a reassuring (and sometimes maddening) habit of letting things roll right off his back.
He came home from the war, had fun with his buddies, went to dances, met Phyllis, married and settled down. Luck did not come his way, he was hired and laid off a few times, but he made the best of it and worked hard, sometimes at two jobs, and raised four children with Phyllis, the youngest of which is my husband Rich.
The main thing I think of when I think of Bill is his kindness, his interest in others, his pleasant way of turning the conversation back on you. I'm not sure if it's part the manners of his generation or part how he was raised, or both, but this was a considerate, compassionate, caring, good man. They just do not make them like that anymore. Although Rich has a lot of his father in him. They are nurturing men, caring and true. Steady. Loyal.
William Talian, we will all miss you. You were one class act.
Where do I start? Bill Talian was a WWII vet, a man who shot down planes in Europe at age 19. His strong and observant mother gave him a Brownie camera before he went to war and urged him to "take lots of pictures". He carried his Brownie camera throughout Europe and documented everything. He has a picture of Hitler's summer home in his photo album, towns in Italy, Germany. He saw concentration camps that had been liberated. He could never speak about that and what he saw.
And I am thinking that if you see and live through all that (D Day plus one day, which is why he lived)....then your perspective must be different and you just can't get that worked up about what other folks might call a "crisis". He had a reassuring (and sometimes maddening) habit of letting things roll right off his back.
He came home from the war, had fun with his buddies, went to dances, met Phyllis, married and settled down. Luck did not come his way, he was hired and laid off a few times, but he made the best of it and worked hard, sometimes at two jobs, and raised four children with Phyllis, the youngest of which is my husband Rich.
The main thing I think of when I think of Bill is his kindness, his interest in others, his pleasant way of turning the conversation back on you. I'm not sure if it's part the manners of his generation or part how he was raised, or both, but this was a considerate, compassionate, caring, good man. They just do not make them like that anymore. Although Rich has a lot of his father in him. They are nurturing men, caring and true. Steady. Loyal.
William Talian, we will all miss you. You were one class act.
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