Treasure Seeker Tuesday #8

Treasure Seeker Tuesday: Photo by Tish MacWebber; Photo Edited by Noa Price

Hello Treasure Seekers. I am cutting this one close, but I have a good reason. I have been writing the book, again. I have just written 20,063 of the 50,000 word count goal for November. I only have a few days left, and I am going to do the best I can. I don’t think I am going to win, but as my own superpower is surprises, I might surprise myself and pull it off. (The theme for NaNoWriMo this year is “Superpowered Noveling” hence the reference to my own superpower).

I am dividing my projects this week. I am also working on #Momentum18 Week 1 of 4; another Jennifer Kem challenge. It is already pushing me outside of my comfort zone. The week had us start to develop a freebie offer. I have done this before, in the Scavenger Hunt for Tish’s Treasures earlier this year.

I am going to run a contest in December for a beaded snowflake, made by yours truly. It will be run with facebook live videos, on the  Tish’s Treasures Facebook Page. It will also be in The Tish’s Treasure Seekers Group on Facebook. I don’t know if I will do more to promote it. Yet. I will be running more contests for the Bling, no worries there. I am going to have a Bling section on my website so there will be more to promote there, in time. If the website was ready, that would have been a great project, to launch it. I am going to have the website ready for 2018, sooner if I can get it ready. I needed time to process what I want to do with it.

Which brings me back to my challenge this week. I decided that I will make a checklist. I am not sure how to do that, but I want it to be, “downloadable and totally printable.” I may need to ask some friends for help. Want to know the hilarious part? I decided to create a checklist for how to start conquering the feeling of being overwhelmed. On day 4, I was lost in the details of the launch for this idea. Do I need to make the checklist before launching the page to announce it? It is meant to be a common sense checklist of things anybody can refer to when they get overwhelmed. I am going to test drive it before writing it, I guess. Only me, right?

I know there are a lot of topics that I could choose, and I know that I want to help people. I am not going to claim to have all the answers or to be an expert on anything but thinking, writing, and living. One thing I have learned from this year long blogging adventure is that I am capable of inspiring people. I was told this when I started Zumba, by the instructor, who is now a friend as well. I didn’t believe her. I am just me, nothing special, just geeky me. Who happens to love dancing and music.

I am starting to believe in myself, and when complete strangers read my words and comment that I am inspiring them to do things in their lives, I believe it. When people I know tell me they want to start a blog and ask for advice, I believe it. It is a part of what makes this writing adventure meaningful. I am writing from my heart, and people are getting something out of it.

Someone once told me that I should do something very simple to help me believe in myself more, a long time ago. Admittedly, I never followed that advice, but stick with me here, I have a point. They said to start every day, writing your name down on a piece of paper, and underlining it. That’s it. Do you know why it was supposed to work? Because people underline important words when they write them down. This simple habit helps you believe that YOU are IMPORTANT.

So when I think about my reactions to all of the comments, both from people telling me and people writing them down, it stands to reason that the written comments seem more real to me, even if they are coming from strangers. If you are one of the people that took the time to write a comment to me about this blog, thank you. I may not know you outside of the internet, but I consider you a friend. If you have contacted me asking for help to start your blog, that is a very high compliment. It means I am doing exactly what I am trying to do. I want to make people think about what I write. I want them to get something out of it. Ultimately, I want them to buy my books so I can write full time.  And much to my own surprise, I want to inspire them to do what they are passionate about.

I don’t have my launch page ready. I may have to bow out gracefully this week when it comes to winning the prize for the challenge. That does not mean I am giving up. Not by a longshot. It doesn’t mean I need it to be perfect to put it out into the world. What it does mean is that I care about the quality of what I am putting out there, and I won’t do anything halfway just to beat a deadline. I need to work more on the concept. That is what I can live with. It doesn’t mean I can’t or that I won’t, it means I need to figure out how to do it because I can and I will.  When I am ready. I have a lot going on in the next few days.

It is similar to the NaNoWriMo for me.  I was inspired, but I had to figure out how to write a book based on that concept. I have written more at this current moment on the NaNoWriMo novel than I have for any previous attempt to write a book in my whole life. I can do this too. When I have an idea that grows over the length of time that I am working on the project. I have been writing down ideas for the fantasy novel. I am getting that off my shoulders by working on it when I think of things. When I get back to that after I finish the NaNoWriMo novel, I will have building blocks to work with. I needed to find out what my process is for writing books. NaNoWriMo helped me start to learn how I need to write to make the concept develop into an actual book.  I may not cross the 50,000 word count before Thursday at midnight, but in my mind, I am calling this an unofficial win, regardless. I have a solid foundation for this practice book, and people want to read it. So I will have to finish it, just based on the bits I have shared with a few people as they are very supportive of my writing this book. There you have it. My superpower strikes again. A book about cats, really? Yes, really. Because I am writing it, in the way only I can. Surprise!

#TreasureSeekerTuesday

 

Weekend Warrior # 40

Weekend Warrior

Wait, did I just write the number 40 up there in the title?  That is crazy! Have I written about my wacky little weekend adventures for 40 weekends in a row? Are you still reading? I will keep writing if you keep reading. OK? We have a deal!

Friday night…what a fun time I had. I left work and went SHOPPING with friends for a Girls Night Out! I had a few things that I needed to get, and I was going to combine the shopping with fun. I am so glad we did it, as everyone had some new things to bring home, and I found some great new pieces of clothing, bought the first Christmas gift of the year and scored some new makeup with more points!

We stopped for fast food before the shopping started. We parked where the shopping would end, and walked to the different stores instead of driving. They were all in the same strip mall, and the A&W was close too. I just got a small root beer and a Mozza Burger. It was not enough to hold me over, I ended up getting a treat later on. However, it did the trick to get me ready to go try on clothes.

I found two sweaters, a pair of jeans, and a pair of pants. These items were what I had hoped to find on sale. I could not pass up a purple polo shirt. But the surprise was a ribbed knit dress that is a sweater dress. The skirt flares and the dress is navy with a black trim. It is gorgeous! I have decided that it will be the dress I wear when I finally get my official Author Headshots done. I was thrilled to find it, and when I tried it on, it was one of those moments when you think, “This is going home with me, even though I wasn’t looking for a dress.” It is now waiting for me to check the washing instructions.

We finished shopping for clothes and took a break at Starbucks. We also took that time to show each other what we bought when we split up. While I was waiting for my drink to go with my reindeer cookie (I needed a little something to keep going) I looked at the decor. I saw that the artwork on the wall is balanced and even, not in odd numbers like they say groupings should be in to be more appealing to the eye. Then I looked up. I could not believe what I was reading on the wall.

“Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” Does that sound familiar to you at all? It really reminded me of the beginnings of my Branding journey.

It was a part of my Culture Credo that I made.
“Bling: one bead at a time
Blog: One word at a time
Books: One Chapter at a time”

If I hadn’t made plans to go out, I would still not have made that connection. I think it is kind of cool that I came up with this on my own, and that it has a lot of potential to help me to grow my brand. I just thought it was really neat.

We finished our night with makeup shopping. I bought 2 new lipsticks, a facial mask that I should use twice a week, a new moisturizing cream, and a new blush. As I used the optimum points, we were at the Shoppers we went to last time, I paid half price for everything when I cashed them in.  In December, I will write another makeup blog story. I have to get the most out of November while it is still November.

About my NaNoWriMo novel. I am working on it, and I am farther than I have ever been with it in the terms of writing a book. I have received fantastic feedback with the little pieces I have shared in a writing group, or talked about with friends. I may not get to the 50,000 words by November 30th, at midnight, but I will keep writing it, and I will publish the book when it is ready.

Saturday I had a rushed start to get my house presentable. I scrambled around and managed to do the best I could. Then I hosted a write-in for the local NaNoWriMo group. Two people made it. I have decided that it would be OK to host the Thank Goodness It’s Over (TIGO) party. We will be having snacks, and listen to some music. It is scheduled for a Friday in December, and I will write about it after it is over, in that weekend warrior. We had some writing sprints, and we all left with more words at the end of the afternoon, so it was productive. I had some things gathered as door prizes, so my guests left with smiles on their faces, too!

Today was spent catching up. I was catching up on social media. As an up and coming author, it is a part of my job. I helped my husband prepare a grocery list, and sent him off to get the groceries. I cooked a roast. We put away the groceries. I am washing my new clothes, which I am writing this blog. I participated in #Momentum18, a new challenge I found online that is going to help me with my entrepreneurial goals. It is a 4 week challenge, and I will share some of the things I am working on here each week.

What did you do this weekend?

 

 

 

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 39

Trust Your Gut is a series of stories about real people with weight issues, and complications arising from those issues.  It will explain what the person is facing, what their options are, what they have decided to do to take action, and why they chose the path they are on.  Each person’s story will be based on truth, so it won’t all be happy, but it will be real.  The goal of this series is to get people talking about options that are available for people who have weight issues, on either end of the scale.  If you would like to contribute to this series, there is a contact form linked on my Homepage for this blog.  I know there are people out there that want to help people like them; as I do.

 

The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name.  If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story.  The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors.  I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.

This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.

Here is  Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 39

Balance. I was trying to decide what my topic was going to be about this week, and it came to me. I need to write about balance. It is a word that has a lot of meaning and plays an important role in my journey to become a healthier version of myself.

 

I will start with Zumba. It is a dance exercise class. I am not the most athletic person. I really love dancing, though. Almost as much as I love swimming. I like biking and skating also. I have not done the latter two for years. I was swimming in the ocean in July. I went to Zumba class twice this week. So I am most active in Zumba class. I go. I do my thing.

I had Wednesday off for a vacation day this week. I then went to Zumba class, and it was an amazing class for me. I felt free and had no weight on my shoulders from spending the day at work. What a nice change it was.  I danced and moved around with a little more zest last night at class. During the stretch, I always amaze myself with my balance. If I take a few extra seconds to set up for my “tall” stretch, I can stand on my tippy toes and reach high up and hold it longer than I used to. It takes those few extra seconds to set it up, but I can be comfortable in the stretch when I do. If I don’t, I wobble. I have yet to fall over at Zumba (it is not a goal, it is a fear) and I have to catch my balance there sometimes. I can trip over my own feet in a split second, and then recover in the next second. I have mad skills at this. Once in a while, gravity wins. The result of that usually leaves me in shock, because I am such a clutz, I normally have an equally remarkable recovery skill.

Balance.  The Trim Healthy Mama (THM) plan, also involves balance. I am still having commitment issues, but that is not what I am referring to. The plan encourages a way of pairing the foods that you eat to maximize weight loss by using protein as the foundation and pairing it either with low carbs, or healthy fats. The way you plan your meals on THM creates the balance for you. It evens out if you find the way your body responds to the different types of food combinations. When I focus, I can see it working. I need to work harder, but also find the balance for real world situations.

Balance. The time spent and meal planning will be the balance for the healthier version of me. I need to make the time to plan and prep cook. Then when I need something quick, it is an easy fix. That is a no brainer.

Balance. Sleep and exercise. I need to find more time to sleep and exercise. I have been so busy at different times this year. I know that sleep and exercise are important. Especially if I am going to work my way into writing full time. I know I function better if I have regular sleeping hours. I just get wrapped up in things when I am working on the website, the blog, or my books. It also slips away from me when I am working on other hobbies.  Working on my passions is a source of great happiness for me, but I have to remember that other things matter as well.

Balance.  I love coffee. I love pop. I love alcoholic beverages. I do not love water.  When I do drink, I choose everything before water. I need to balance that a little better.

Balance. I need to find it. In my blood sugars, food, health, exercise, sleep, hydration, passion, creativity, and every other aspect of my life.

What are you doing to achieve balance in your life?

#TrustYourGut

 

Treasure Seeker Tuesday #7

Treasure Seeker Tuesday: Photo by Tish MacWebber; Photo Edited by Noa Price

I did some soul searching this past week. I am looking to find a way to support myself through my creativity. It is not going to happen overnight. I am writing books, and I make beaded jewellery, and I am trying to stay focused.

I have been trying to figure out how to put all the pieces together, and to get ahead. It is an ambitious goal, to be able to support myself by living out my dreams. I am working hard but wanted to explore another what if.

I considered looking into becoming a graphic designer. I am learning so much and challenging myself. I am building a website. For a split second, I wavered. I thought about how much easier it would be for me to tackle a project like that if I learned how to do things properly. If I had the knowledge, it would be easier, and I could advance my own website and launch a career with my own website being my social proof. It would be the best way to start a career.

I thought about it. Really, really thought about it. Hard.

I came to a conclusion. I do not need to branch off in another direction. I have found my passion and the best creative outlet. I need to write. I want to keep doing beadwork, but I need to write. I have been on this journey for a year, now. I have written consistently on the Blog, and I am aiming higher. I want to be a full time writer. I need to write, it is what I am supposed to do.

It is not the easiest decision because it is not going to happen overnight. It is going to take more hard work and dedication. It will try my patience and have challenges. Building a website has already presented me with a roadblock, that I put up myself. I had to sit with it, and sleep on it, and think about it. I have plans, and they will be tackled next month. This month I am writing.

Going in a different direction now would be a disaster. I have found something that feels right to me. It is a dream I had put away for so long that I almost forgot about it. When I started this Blog a year ago, it was to see if it was something I could stick to. Often I have taken on projects and put them aside. I have not stopped writing here, in fact, I have added more to it in this category. I am doing it. Writing consistently. Posting three times a week. Building on what I started a year ago, and proving to myself that it wasn’t another hobby. This is it. My calling. I am so glad that I took a chance and started something new. I am still being contacted by people for advice on how to start their own blog. I can only offer advice and honesty in return for the inquiries. I do know that if I can do it, anybody can. It may not be something that everyone enjoys doing like I do. It may not be someone else’s passion. But it is possible. I am not an expert, but I am having fun, and I still want to keep doing this. When you find out what you are really good at, you will know. If something else catches your attention, think about it, and make a decision. I know that I need to focus on what I need to do and stop being distracted by other choices. This is something I learned in the past year. I look forward to writing and sharing more of this journey here, on the Blog, and seeing where the next year takes me. It is going to see my Blog move to my website. That is something I am not ready for today, but I have the groundwork started and will be focusing on a new launch date, to be announced before it is officially moved.

Until then, I am writing a book for NaNoWriMo, and having a lot of fun with it. Writing in the different points of view of the cats I used to have has been a real trip down memory lane. Oops, did I just let the cat out of the bag? Yes, I am writing a book about cat stories, written as if they are telling the stories. At this point, every single word is breaking a record for the most words I have written with a book as the final goal. That is something that I am holding on to, whether or not I finish the 50,000 word count goal this month. I am going to do my best to pull it off by the end of the month. I still have time. I am also thinking about my fantasy trilogy, and writing notes to myself as they pop into my brain.

I am doing what I can to chase my dreams and catch them so I can make them a reality in my life. What are you dreaming about doing? What is stopping you from trying something to help you find your passion? I am Always Thinking…so if there is something that you want to say out loud to someone, that you want to put into writing, reach out to me, and I will help you if I can. I am finding something else that surprised me about this journey. People want to reach out, and ask advice. I may not know all of the answers, but I can tell you that if you are scared to ask questions, I’m not. I will ask for you if I don’t know the answer to your questions myself. It is something that I am known for. It is how I learn. The other big lesson I learned is to never give up. Being stubborn, it is a hard thing for me to do, to give up. Sometimes, it takes distance to reevaluate the problem, and then try it from another angle. Which I am working on right now in my book writing goals and my website building project. It will happen. It may take more than one attempt, but I have faith in myself that I will succeed. If you want to do something that makes your heart sing, be realistic in your expectations, and go for it. I am, and I am so happy that I took a chance on something that makes me happy. I want the same for all of you. If I can help, I will. All you have to do is ask. 🙂

#TreasureSeekerTuesday

Weekend Warrior #39

Weekend Warrior

Here is another weekend, wrapping up. Not close to being finished what we are working on, but we are going to get up and go in a few minutes to keep getting the living room reorganized.

I am happy to report that I was busy this weekend, it was relatively quiet, and mostly at home, so I got the downtime I needed after the excitement earlier this week. I also did some writing, which I had not made enough time for, and I was stressing over that too.

Friday night I came home and decided to join in some writing sprints for NaNoWriMo. There is a time set and we all write on our own. When the time is up we share a bit and tell our word count totals. Between Friday and Saturday, I did four of these, and I got over 10,000 words written for the novel. Editing will be necessary later, but the point of Nano is to get the word count. I am finally moving in the right direction again.

That is my highest word count on any novel writing to date. I am so pleased that from here on out I am beating my own personal record with EVERY SINGLE WORD.

I have spent time shredding paper in the living room, to have less clutter to deal with as we reorganize the living room. We have been planning to do this for a while, and it is finally happening. There may be pics next weekend as it should be done by then.

Today I started with a movie and breakfast out after. I wasn’t impressed, so I am not going to write about the food. I enjoyed the movie. We went to see Justice League. It was better than the critics are leading people to believe. We all enjoyed it. They are making me a fan of Wonder Woman all over again. Aquaman was well, um, yeah. Nice.

There was a new Deadpool trailer before the movie, and in typical Deadpool style, it was totally hilarious and had not too much to show about the movie. If they can duplicate the success from the first one in the next one, I am going to be very happy. But don’t bring your kids. Deadpool movies are NOT for kids. I am a fan, however, and I plan to go.

As I still have a list of things to do here this weekend, I am going to get back to it. I am feeling like we made enough progress that I want to keep the momentum going.

What did you do this weekend?

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 38

I had a health scare this week. I was at work when my chest felt tight like I couldn’t breathe in a deep breath. I have been experiencing ringing in my ears and realized it is affecting my sleep. I had a lot of indigestion. I was worried.  I have read that the symptoms for women that have heart attacks are not as easy to tell as they are with men. I have some of the risk factors, including my weight, and diabetes. So when I was trying to ascertain what was happening in my body, I thought maybe I should go get checked out.

When I got to the hospital, I spent a fair bit of time talking to the triage nurse. She asked a lot of questions, and someone else took my temperature and blood pressure. I had no fever, and although my blood pressure was high, I was quite admittedly, freaking out.

I am not the most active person in the world, but I enjoy Zumba, and sometimes, when I want to, I can run short distances. If I’ve gotta go bad enough, I will run to the washroom, for example.  I can walk fast when crossing the street if there is a car waiting for me to cross it. I can push my speed limits, and I have the capability to do more than I actually do sometimes.

I do go to Zumba, as often as I can. Last night I missed class. I was at the hospital. I hated missing class, but by the time I left work early, I needed to follow through and make sure that I was going to be OK.

I didn’t have pain, but my chest was feeling really tight. It was hard to take in a deep breath. I had a lot of gas, and that was making it worse. I decided to take a walk outside to see if I could make myself feel better.

It didn’t help, and at that point, I was really starting to panic. I was upset. My supervisor and another supervisor talked to me for a few minutes, and I called Roy to come and get me. He was home, it happened to be his day off. I made him take me to the hospital. He waited with me, even though it drove him a little crazy to lose all of that time there.

Six hours later, they had run an ECG and taken bloodwork and cleared me from having any issues with my heart. I can still have faith that my heart is strong, and it wasn’t the issue yesterday.  I didn’t get an official diagnosis, but I am fairly certain that it was an anxiety attack, also known as a panic attack. As it came with a new symptom this time, I didn’t want to take any chances.

After the doctor ran the bloodwork, he came back and asked me about another incident in 2013. I was confused and said I didn’t remember that, and he was confused because they had run a 24 hour test on me at that time. When we questioned him, he looked again. He explained a few minutes later that another paper was mixed in my papers, and everything was normal. Talk about a mix-up. Doctors are human too, and there had been two traumas arrive while I was waiting to be seen. As long as he corrected the mistake, and apologized, that was fine by me. It also meant I was not losing my mind.

Living my life as someone that is classified as morbidly obese does come with its own challenges. I can’t do everything I want to do sometimes. I have to pace myself and fight to catch my breath when I do push too hard. I have to learn to say no a little more often, and I don’t like that word, no. I need to take more time to rest so that I don’t have panic attacks. I need to work on me a little harder. I am trying, really hard on that one.

The doctor said that it was good for me to get checked out. I had actually seen him when I had the knee infection two years ago. I don’t think he remembered me, but I remembered his name. He did tell me that they don’t want people to be there for every little concern, of course, but that if I had a genuine concern about my heart, they would rather see me go get it checked then have me found after something bad happened, and it is too late. I felt a little silly waiting there all that time but relieved that all the tests came back normal.

Having panic attacks are becoming more common in my life, and I plan to talk to my new doctor about it next month. It may be why my ears are ringing so much. I really need that to calm down. Knowing that what I felt may just be another symptom of a panic attack, will help me do what I have done to deal with them so far. I usually calm myself down, but I have to know what is going on before I can do that. Yesterday had a curveball.

I was trying to figure out how to explain panic attacks to people that don’t get them. I am not an expert, nor do I know if what works for me would work for other people. I was thinking before I started writing, that for me it is like treading water.  I love swimming, and treading water is a good skill to have. I can tread water for a good amount of time and I don’t mind doing that. However, it is harder to do if you are only using your legs. For me, if I am only using my legs, and then I lift my arms up over my head, I go under the water. So I metaphorically had my arms up over my head yesterday, and I had to stop and reassess.

I stayed home today to rest and recover from yesterday’s ordeal. I needed the downtime, and I hope it will help me cope better with work tomorrow, and next week. I postponed an event I am hosting here for a week later, to give me more time to be ready. I have been told in the past that I am too hard on myself. Maybe I am. But I don’t know any other way to be. So I am going to keep treading water and keep working on me. I am glad I did go to the hospital, if for no other reason than to know what was ruled out after the testing was done. Now I have to figure out a better way to deal with my stress and anxiety so I can carry on and do what I was meant to do with my time here. I don’t have any plans of giving up anytime soon.

#TrustYourGut

 

Treasure Seeker Tuesday: On Politics and World Peace #This

Treasure Seeker Tuesday: Photo by Tish MacWebber; Photo Edited by Noa Price

Confused yet?  I was. On Remembrance Day, 2017, I spent a few hours contemplating things. The people that are currently serving their countries, the people who are now at home as veterans, and the people that did not get to go home. I thought about innocent victims of war, both people, and animals. I thought about heroes, and my own grandfather, who is no longer alive but lives on in my heart and fond memories. He came home a veteran and lived for many years with his family. Not everyone was as lucky as he was. I thought about people that I know, including one of my cousins, currently serving our country and a colleague that often shares memories with me on breaks at our day job.

When my internal alarm clock, also known as my bladder, woke me up on Sunday morning, I knew that I was going to have to find my pen and notebook. Inspiration found me in the early morning on November 12th, and I know better than to let it be without writing it down. My early morning thoughts can be lost if I trust them to my memory alone.

I found my book and pen and started writing. The final result of my early morning scribbles are polished to share with the world, now, but it took me a few days to figure out how to get my message out in the right format.

I looked online to see how to submit it to local and online papers.  That is harder than I thought it would be, and one had the restriction of no political letters.  I asked for advice, and everyone said to put it on my blog. I wasn’t sure.  To be honest, I didn’t even know if I should sign it before putting it out in the world, because as sad as it may be to read, and therefore write this, my message may not be taken as seriously when I sign my name at the bottom. I hate to admit it but being a woman with a message that needs to be delivered may not get the attention it deserves because a woman wrote it.  I see it in publishing, and many female authors have pseudonyms or pen names to have a fair chance of publishing success. Others choose to use an initial instead of their whole name, and there are plenty of examples of this in the publishing industry.

My point here is not that I am fighting for equality. That is for another day, along with environmental issues, violence, abuse to oneself or others and a variety of things that are wrong in the world that we live in today. My letter was written to achieve a request for World Peace.

Do I believe it could happen?  Yes, with prayer, guidance and humility. Humanity has the greatest potential to make changes that affect all of these things. Cynics will laugh and say it is not going to happen. I refuse to sit back and watch the world end without trying to do something to make it better.

Enter my blog. I am making my own world a little better every time I write. Especially when I have a plan, and surprisingly, even when I don’t.  Sometimes I don’t have any ideas before I sit down to write, but I sit down anyway. I have three regular categories I am writing in every week, now, and I don’t want to let myself or my followers down. I just write. I make it important because it is important to me to keep building this blog up to be at its fullest potential and then break the next milestone with something even better.  It lights me up, gives me something to look forward to, and makes me feel proud to hit that publish button.

World Peace is achievable, and it is an attainable goal. It wouldn’t be an easy thing to get the whole world to agree to stop fighting in wars, I am not kidding myself about that. It would be an extremely complicated thing to do, not that it would have to be that way. The reason it would be so complicated is that so many people would be involved in making it happen. They all have demands, rights, and opinions. It is hard for me to even imagine some of my friends at the same party together, but if I could make them all get along, I would love that.  Essentially, that is the end goal. We don’t all have to like everyone all of the time, but we all would be better off if we could just all get along with each other.

World Peace is something that I pray for every day. It is something that matters to me and is close to my heart. I am asking you to read my letter below, and if it makes sense to you as something that more people need to see, then do not keep it to yourself. Share it wherever you can, as many times as you like. I believe that if people just read this, and stop for a minute to think about it, changes could happen.   This blog has grown to be so much bigger and better because I am constantly working to make it that way. Think of what we could do if we work together on a project like this.  We can take this letter, and make sure it goes where it needs to be. I know this in my heart, and I am trusting that after you read my letter, you will feel the same. I have to get this message out, I am counting on all of you to help me do that.

 

If you would like to share just the letter in a separate PDF file, it is here:
An Open Letter to the Leaders of the World 

Thank you for reading, and for sharing if you choose to do so.

#TreasureSeekerTuesday

Weekend Warrior # 38

Weekend Warrior

Another weekend win for me this week!  I was kidnapped on Friday night while driving my own car of my own free will and coerced into a girl’s night out with a friend. We hadn’t had a lot of fun It had been a while since we saw each other, so I decided it was worth it to spend time away from writing and be with a friend.  We went out for dinner and a movie. It was a lot of fun.

Saturday had a slow start. I watched the Remembrance Day ceremony held in Ottawa on TV. I do appreciate the sacrifice that anyone and everyone made to give me the freedoms that I enjoy today. I also watched a show on the History Channel. It was a roundtable discussion of veterans and they were sharing some of their experiences. For the better part of 3 hours, I thought about my grandfather, listened to the stories, and watched the ceremony. I also was away from social media for those hours. It was how I wanted to remember, and I am incredibly thankful that I have the choice to do it in a way that felt personal to me. I had a root beer in honour of my grandfather, he used to drink root beer.

I then took my time on social media, sending out a few things, to let people know I was back. I planned to clean my desk and the living room. While I was watching TV, I was thinking about the furniture arrangement. Roy had suggested a plan to move things around, but I wasn’t sold on his plan. I saw an alternative to it in my mind, and when I described it to Roy, he thought about it, and he liked it too.  He modified the idea I had, but we are now on the same page and we started cleaning to prepare. Stores were closed on Saturday. That night he went out to hang with the guys. I worked on the cleaning.

I got up and wrote something Sunday morning. Early. I went back to bed, and I dreamed about the thing I wrote being stolen, changed, and passed off as the original work. I thought my life was in danger, but it was just my writing. After I got up I calmed down; and made breakfast.  Then I waited and waited. Finally, we went to buy the DIY project supplies and a few other things we needed. Later on, much later on, Roy pulled out the saw he bought and started cutting wood. I made him stop, it was late and too noisy. He will finish another time.  We want the room to be reorganized and ready for next Saturday. I am hosting a NaNoWriMo write-in and then heading out to watch my friend in a Karaoke competition.  So next weekend will be busy, but I have time scheduled for writing! Finally. Once this room is moved around, then we can settle in for the winter, and enjoy living in it again.

There you have another busy weekend. I may not have things on time, but I am still writing, something, when I get a chance.  How was your weekend?

Trust Your Gut Thursday: Tish’s Story; Part 37

Trust Your Gut is a series of stories about real people with weight issues, and complications arising from those issues.  It will explain what the person is facing, what their options are, what they have decided to do to take action, and why they chose the path they are on.  Each person’s story will be based on truth, so it won’t all be happy, but it will be real.  The goal of this series is to get people talking about options that are available for people who have weight issues, on either end of the scale.  If you would like to contribute to this series, there is a contact form linked on my Homepage for this blog.  I know there are people out there that want to help people like them; as I do.

 

The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name.  If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story.  The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors.  I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.

This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.

Here is  Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 37

 

This week I have not stepped on the scale, or measured inches. I did go to Zumba Monday and missed it Wednesday because of circumstances beyond my control. I hope to start going twice a week again starting Monday.  The day I made it I had 5,187 steps. That might be the highest step count I have ever had at a Zumba class.

I mentioned that last week I was on the scale at the doctor’s office. I was up. I didn’t want to face it.  Bahahahahaha!  My chocolate chin is where it all went. I swear.  I wasn’t going to put a number on it, but as I am sure that I lost half of it already, I can face it now. 😉 I had gone back up to 312 lbs. I knew things were bad, and not as bad as the worst, but I was right.  Making small changes to ease myself back into eating more on plan than off plan is working.  I am sure the 12 lb chocolate chin is 6lbs or even less right now.

If I don’t laugh at it, I will curl up in a ball and cry as I eat the rest of the Halloween chocolate and chips. I am going to have my Thursday glass of wine with some Smartfood Gouda & Chive popcorn.  Maybe more wine if I want to, but not necessarily. I need to get back on track one meal, snack and day at a time. I am happy today that I made BigMac salad for lunch yesterday. It was SO good. I am probably having it for lunch tomorrow. I made a pot of chili tonight. I am trying. That is better than not trying, and I can live with that. I couldn’t live with a 12 lb chocolate chin.

I think it is time to look at a new NSV.  If you are new here, that is a non-scale victory.  I admittedly love chocolate.  Chocoholic, right here. I can make chocolate treats on the plan. But I am thinking about something bigger.  Bolder.  Goal achievement status.

I keep seeing commercials that catch my attention. Something I saw tonight made me think I need to get focused, and I think I found my next reward.  I am not going to have to only go to twoville for this, I am going to need to be in onederland. That big.

More than one goal.  As if I am just working for the big one, I am not going to make it. If I set the goal too high, I will fail. I know it. I can plan clothes shopping trips as I need them in the short term. I am also gearing up to start wearing more makeup. So those things can be small goal rewards. This may have to be the end of the journey prize!  What on earth am I planning?

Well, I think it is time to set my sights on some other forms of chocolate. The inedible kinds.  There are chocolate coloured dogs. I want a dog. We aren’t ready yet…sad, I know, but it is a major decision, and I want to be sure that I am 100% ready for the responsibility of taking that dog home. I now have an idea.  How do I make it bigger?

BLING! I make beaded jewellery, and I am working on my website to launch it. I am not expecting it to be an instant source of income (although I wouldn’t have a problem with that), but I rarely make jewellery for myself. Bigger. Have you figured it out yet?

Diamonds, my friends. I am going to talk to my husband and set some realistic goals, and buy myself some diamonds. But not just any diamonds. For this plan to work, it has to be chocolate diamonds.  I want Bling rewards!

I might be too far into the wine to be rational at this point, but I don’t think so. I am planning to up my game and work hard for something tangible.  Something that won’t affect my blood sugars, and won’t cause me to be morbidly obese anymore.  I have been saying that I am worth it, and it is high time I start planning to show it.  So there you have it. I am setting the chocolate bar for myself, 😉 and you know what? I am looking forward to saving up for something really special.

#TrustYourGut

P.S. I am on time with this one!

Treasure Seeker Tuesday: Spotlight on Kadi Oram

Treasure Seeker Tuesday: Photo by Tish MacWebber; Photo Edited by Noa Price

Hello Treasure Seekers!  (Sorry it is Wednesday now, but I needed more time to get something extra special for you!) It is time to write something a little different. Again. 🙂 Stick with me, I have an idea.

I recently went to a movie premiere for Anonymous Zombie. It was filmed here, in New Brunswick, and I know the Special/Visual Makeup Artist for this movie.  The title this week gives away my idea, it is to interview my friend, Kadi Oram.  I have known her for at least fifteen years, now. We met as vendors at Impossible Realities;  a gaming convention, in Saint John, New Brunswick. We have each been travelling on our own individual creative paths to becoming entrepreneurs. I am happy that I was able to see her name on the big screen during the premiere. I think it is really important that we stay in touch, especially as we are both carving our own paths to capture our dreams and rein them in.  Here is the interview.

Tish: We first met at Impossible Realities. I find it uncoincidental that we were both there as vendors, wives of Gamer Husbands, trying to make our own craftiness pay off, each one in her own way. What gave you the idea to do that?

Kadi: I have always been crafty. I saw it as an opportunity to get my self out there. Perhaps make a name for myself. I think it was boredom honestly haha.

Tish: What was the first craft that you learned how to do?

Kadi: Ohhh that’s a tough one. I know I used to paint on board and make Holiday crafts around Christmas time. Goodness, that would be back when I was about 8.

Tish: Which craft do you still do from way back?

Kadi: Sadly I don’t actually craft anymore. I used to do perlers, clay work, beadwork. and now I am just far too busy with my new career choice. It doesn’t leave me a lot of free time.

Tish: Is there a creative hobby that you just can’t give up on?

Kadi: I guess my desire to own all the crafty things, even if I may never use em. Haha.

Tish: The desire to own all of the crafty things is something I can totally understand. I think a lot of other creative souls out there will relate to that sentiment, whether or not they are actively working on their crafts. Was there a pivotal moment that made you decide to go to school and pursue your current career path?

Kadi: Yes. three years ago, We went to Crystal Palace as a family and my eldest wanted to get her face painted. We did it, she fell in love with it, and demanded a face painter for her upcoming birthday party. With no avail, I took on the role myself. 3 years later I have achieved quite a reputation for myself and am now on film #3. *winks*

Tish: How did you know it was the right career choice for you?

Kadi: Anything with Beauty, Glam, Gore, Glitter and Colour, pretty much sums up my life so being a Makeup Artist and Face Painter made sense.

Tish: Where does the desire to be a Special/Visual Makeup Artist come from?

Kadi: I suppose it comes from the desire to always be bigger and better. And to go from a children’s party favour to become a critical part of a team for feature films is a pretty solid direction of bigger and better.

Tish: Did you ever think that you would be turning actors into Zombies?

Kadi: Maybe in my head, I did, which is why I think its so easy for me to imagine and put one together. Haha.

Tish: What was the dream that you have been chasing?

Kadi: To make my family and children proud of their Wife, Mom, Daughter.

Tish: Have you achieved it yet?

Kadi: I sure hope so.

Tish: I know you do. As you (may, or may not) know, I am on my own personal journey, taking my beadwork alongside my Author Career Goals. What type of books do you like to read?

Kadi: Ohhh I’m a harrrrrd core nerd. Fantasy is pretty much right up my alley. Hobbit-esque.

Tish: Excellent.  After I am finished writing my NaNoWriMo book about cat stories, I am going to work on one of my lifelong dreams of writing a Fantasy Trilogy. Do you have a favourite Author?

Kadi: Well with that I’d have to say, Tolkien. In fact, I have a Tolkien tattoo, it’s elvish, on my thigh *Proud*

Tish: What is next for you in your entrepreneurial goals?

Kadi: Opening a Salon of my own now that I have graduated Aesthetic College with a 99% average, might I add. It made sense for me to open and continue to do my movies and face painting.

Tish: Where does your inspiration come from?

Kadi: My own head, my children, everything and anything around me. I can usually turn my work into something beautiful or something horrifying.

Tish: Other than the wonderful things you have accomplished in your personal life, what are you most proud of yourself for doing?

Kadi: Pushing myself when there were so many days I didn’t feel adequate enough. My children and husband are a huge inspiration of my pride. My friends *smiles*. I’m proud; I refuse to let any of you down.

Tish: What scares you, and how do you overcome the fear?

Kadi: The fear of failing scares me.

I try to look at what I’ve accomplished so far and I remind myself that now, no one can take this away from me. We were surprised with great news today, Anonymous Zombie had won an award in Berlin at the Rising of the Undead Film Festival, for Best Zombie Movie!! Another thing to take with me and hold dear to my heart. and to keep that fear of failing far, far at bay.

Tish: What advice would you give to people who are just starting on their journey, and how are you planning to teach your daughters about this journey?

Kadi: My one piece of advice, would be….
Never think you’re good enough.
Never think you’re the best.
Having that fear of someone else being better will keep you on your toes and keep your game strong and on top. I plan to tell my daughters this. Humility is important in any journey. Always keep yours.

Wow.  Am I ever glad I thought of doing this interview. Kadi, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and lend your wisdom to the Treasure Seekers. I know I certainly have enjoyed being your friend, and watching you take chances and grow as an entrepreneur.  You are someone I am going to be proud to call my friend years from now; when we are both having a glass of wine and reminiscing about how we exploded into our own niches and expanded our horizons beyond our wildest imaginations. Congratulations Kadi, for believing in yourself and not settling for anything less than your very best, and Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of Anonymous Zombie for winning that award in Berlin!  That is fantastic news.  I am so glad you shared it here. I cannot wait to find out when and where I can catch the movie again.  I want to share it with my friends!

There you have it!  My first interview on my Blog. I know other authors interview authors, and I may try that later on in the blog. Kadi is such an inspiration to me, I love cheering her on, and cannot wait to see what she gets to do next!

You can check out Kadi’s Business page here: Fantasy Faces By Kadi, and you can follow Anonymous Zombie on their Official Movie Facebook Page: Anonymous Zombie Movie

Cut! That’s a wrap!

#TreasureSeekerTuesday (on a Wednesday)