Please, Can I Get Sick Again?
I’m a publisher and editor. I read all day, every day. Yes, much of it is emails and other non-book stuff. But I also read a lot of books – work-related submissions and books to edit. I also try to read books by some of our newer authors, to keep up with what we’re publishing. And I do enjoy a lot of them.
WwW with Megan Hart
An Ode to my Alphasmart
My Alphasmart was the best tool I ever got. I’d been writing for years. Long-hand, to start, of course. Later I got a typewriter and some time after that, a word processor. By the time I got a computer I also had a husband and an infant, so while Word might have made writing a novel easier, I didn’t have the time to spend.
By the time my daughter was a toddler and naptimes had fallen on the wayside, I needed something else. I couldn’t spend hours on the computer (no matter how much I wanted to) and writing long-hand simply didn’t cut it any more. My thoughts outraced my fingers, not to mention the cramps my hands got after a page or so.
Enter Alphasmart. I wasn’t sure I could justify paying for a writing tool when I wasn’t actually earning money. But then I figured I never would earn any money unless I was able to write. So I got the Alphasmart and I started taking my daughter to a local indoor playground… and I started writing. Hard. Only a few hours a week but it was more hours than I’d had before and with the keyboard under my fingertips and the Alphasmart’s easy on-off function that allowed me to open and close documents with the touch of a finger instead of shutting down a laptop, I was producing. Big-time.
I’ve lost track of how many full-length novels, novellas and short stories I wrote on that little machine. My writing work-horse. I dropped it. Spilled coffee on it, more than once, when I started writing at a local coffee shop after the kids (now two of them) graduated from the playground to daycare. I replaced the keyboard once when it began to stick. I took it to the park, the beach, in the car, to the lake, to sports practices and games. I took it wherever I went, wherever I thought I might write.
I’m convinced I’d never have written as much as I have without it. So, thank you, faithful Alfie, for the years of service. I love you!
Just recently I bought a new Alphasmart, a Neo. Aside from being named after one of my favorite movie characters of all time, the Neo has a few upgrades the Alphasmart 3000 lacked. I gave my 3000 to my daughter, to write her own stories. Passing on the legacy, I guess.
I haven’t written anything on it, yet. I’ve been busy with edits and haven’t yet begun any new projects. I know what I’ll start on it, though, and I confess it feels a little funny to be contemplating working on a new story on a new machine.
But I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to another untold number of books and stories and novellas to get typed out on the Neo, which I’ll carry with me in the car, to the lake, in box and on a train and in the rain and in a house with a mouse…
You get the picture.
I would still be a writer without my Alphasmart, but I guarantee you I’d be far less productive.
~****~
Megan Hart is published in almost every genre of romantic fiction, including historical, contemporary, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, futuristic, fantasy and perhaps most notably, erotic. She also writes non-erotic fantasy and science fiction, as well as continuing to occasionally dabble in horror.
WwW with Jaci Burton
Are you thinking about our planet? When you go about your no doubt very busy day, are you thinking about how everything you do impacts the world we live in? From the cost of gasoline to the burning of fossil fuels to the amount of garbage we create that’s littering up the landfills, we have to take a step back and realize that we can make a difference and create a better planet for our children and all the children that come after them. And save money!
Taking Care of Business
By N.J. Walters
Time. What happens to it all in the run of a week. Every working woman, whether she works from home or out in the world, understand what I’m talking about. There never seems to be enough time to get it all done.
Work, kids, husband, family, friends, and various groups we’re all part of—everyone wants a piece of us. Where in there is the time for us?
It’s an epidemic in the modern world and women are slowly killing themselves trying to do everything. It’s more prevalent among younger women, I think. As we get older, I’d like to think we gain a little more perspective on the world and realize that we can’t do everything. Nor can we be all things to all people. And we shouldn’t be.
Ultimately, the only person we’re responsible for is ourself. If we have families, sure we want to take care of them, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of ourselves. If we wear ourselves out and have nothing left to give, how does this enrich our family? It doesn’t.
It’s hard to find time for ourselves in this day and age. It seems as if each “time saving” device leaves us less time. Think about it. Computers, cell phones and Blackberries make work much easier, but it also means that we never truly leave work at all. Instead of saving time, they take all our time.
So here are 5 simple, and cheap, ways to pamper yourself. Ways to take care of the business of taking care of you. Some of them don’t require much time, which means you have no excuse not to do them.
1. Take a hot bath. I mean it. Turn off the cell phone and tell the kids they’re only to knock on the door if someone is bleeding to death. If they’re too young to be left on their own enlist your hubby’s help. Belive me, he’ll be happier to have a relaxed and happy wife when you go to bed.
Showers are for the morning when you have to get clean in a hurry. A bath is all about pampering and relaxation. Before you step into the tub, brush your skin with a loofah or soft brush. It will slough away dead skin cells and help your circulation. Buy a sample pack of bathoil or bubble for your bath. You can buy them for under $1 a piece so there is no excuse. Slip into the tub. Relax and enjoy. You can sip on a cup of tea, a glass of wine, or whatever you’d like. When you get out, dry off with a clean fluffy towel and take the time to moisturize your skin.
2. Indulge in a piece of good chocolate, or whatever other treat is your favorite. It’s yours. You’re not sharing it with anyone. Furthermore, you’re going to go off by yourself and eat it. Whether it takes you ten minutes or a half hour, I don’t care. Take a bite and let it sit in your mouth. Savor it. If it’s chocolate, just let it melt in your mouth. Let yourself really taste it. Again, good chocolate now comes in bars under $3. Indulge.
3. Read a book. I know that this is a retreat for many women. I love browsing the bookstore to find my new book. With computers, you can also buy books on-line whenever you want. If new books aren’t in the budget at the moment, hit the library. But remember, you can buy e-books fairly inexpensively. I read before bed. It helps me unwind and relax.
4. Turn off the computer and television. Do not have either in your bedroom. Your bedroom is for sleeping, relaxing and being with your partner if you have one. It’s not for work or television. It’s your sanctuary. Treat it that way. Removing all electronic equipment will give you a much better night’s sleep. The only thing I’d keep is possibly a stereo. But no news, just soothing relaxing music.
5. Take five minutes, close your eyes and just be. Don’t allow yourself to think about anything. This is much harder than it sounds. We have a tendency to always be multitasking, always thinking two or three tasks ahead. Let go. They’ll all still be there five minutes from now.
There are many more ways to relax. These are just a few. What do you do to relax and unwind? Inquiring minds want to know!
Emotional~Sensual~Satisfying Reads!
http://www.njwalters.com
http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
(newsletter group)
A Legal Affair—Samhain Publishing—July 15th
Jackson’s Jewel—Ellora’s Cave—July 25th
One of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make came early last year, just prior to the birth of my daughter. Already the mother of one, I had decided three years earlier to quit working full-time and be an at-home mom. Of course, along the line, I pursued some freelance writing and editing work and was employed part-time at a local college three nights a week, and in the end, I felt like I was working full time even if I wasn’t getting paid like it. But in any case, this schedule allowed me time to spend at home with my son — time I cherished and very much enjoyed.
My husband and I were fortunate in that the small house we own has an even smaller mortgage. Between the two of us, we had little if any other debt, and this allowed me the chance to get by primarily on his income. But when I found out I was pregnant the second time around, I had to do some serious soul searching. Our house has only two bedrooms, and while two kids can get by sharing the space for a few years, at some point, they’d need their own rooms. Which would mean moving. Which would mean a bigger house, bigger mortgage and bigger financial strain on our already limited budget. To me, two kids seemed to necessitate two full-time incomes, and it was with a heavy heart that I started to look for a job.
While I was fortunate enough to land the job I’d held for almost seven years prior to my son’s birth in what can only be described as a strange twist of karma (the girl who’d taken my place quit), and I love my coworkers, so was delighted for the chance to rejoin them, I have to say it broke my heart to bring my daughter to daycare for the first time. She was only six weeks old, and on that initial day, I came back to visit her at lunchtime, holding her in my arms and bawling like an idiot because I felt like the worst mother in the world.
One thing that helped me get over that impression quickly was my older sister. When her daughter was born, she went back to work, too, and I was able to see first hand that it didn’t hinder their mother-child bonding at all. My niece is growing up normal and affectionate, and that was really a comfort to me.
So almost a year later, I can say that I’ve enjoyed the best of both worlds. I treasure the opportunity I had to be able to afford to stay home when my son was a baby, but likewise I treasure the time I spend with my baby girl now that I’ve returned to work. I like the security that comes from rebuilding my savings, from having a full time paycheck again, along with full time benefits. It also helps me enjoy more time with my family — all of us, including my husband, because when I was working from home and at night, I felt like I never got to see him, much less all of us spend any time together. Now we can go on vacations together, go for a walk, hit the playground, have a picnic — anything we can think of, and all without trying to juggle my husband’s schedule with mine.
I know a lot of women out there are faced with the same decisions I have, and I can honestly say there is no right or wrong. The choices I made were based on my circumstances at the time — I left my job to care for my son because we could afford it; I’d built up my savings for more than a year and already a plan in mind for supplementing it with my freelance endeavors. The stars were all in perfect alignment for that particular situation, just like when I was carrying my daughter, they seemed to align again when I realized it would be best for us financially if I returned to work.
Based on my experience, here are some tips and advice I can offer work-from-home mothers:
- Before leaving your full-time job, talk to your employer to see what, if any arrangements can be made to allow you to work from home, even if it’s only in a part-time capacity. A friend of mine did this and has been able to work from her home office for more than three years.
- If you’re freelance hunting, contact small local newspapers and/or magazines in your region to see if they are seeking freelance writers. Pitch story ideas to them and be willing to supply your own photographs to accompany the story. Inquire as to whether or not they offer any long-term freelance arrangements. (Steady freelance work is a godsend and you don’t wind up shopping around story ideas all over town.) Use a standard freelance agreement for any assignments you take and for which you are paid. Keep accurate records of payment for tax purposes.
- Be wary of potential work-from-home scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
- Work while your child is sleeping: naptime, early morning, late at night or (optimally) find a daycare that offers part-time services so you can bring your child once or twice a week. This not only gives you a break and allows you some uninterrupted work time, but allows your child some critical socialization experience, as well.
- Remember you’re not a stay-at-home mom. You’re a WORK-from-home mom, even if you’re strictly caring for your child. Being a parent is a full-time job, especially for an infant or toddler. You become caregiver, playmate, chef, chauffeur, laundry worker, bottle-washer, maid and more.
- Make time for yourself. No work, no kids, no husband — just YOU. Go see a movie. Get a manicure or facial. Hit the gym. Don’t allow your pre-baby identity to be lost.
- Make time for grown up conversations, too. Be it with your husband, neighbor, best friend, former coworkers, whatever — do more than ga-ga-goo-goo or sing Doodlebop songs. Try to remember what you used to talk about before you had kids. (Yeah, I know. I often wonder myself.) Try to keep in touch with your pre-baby interests and talk about them, be it books, music, movies, politics, what have you. Again, don’t allow your pre-baby identity to be lost.
And for you mothers who choose to go back to work, here are some tips you might be able to use, too:
- Remember first and foremost: YOU ARE NOT A BAD MOTHER FOR GOING BACK TO WORK.
- Visit your baby at the daycare on your lunch break, if possible, at least for the first couple of weeks upon your return. (I visited my daughter for several months, in fact.) As long as it’s not interrupting the nursery nap schedule, your daycare shouldn’t disapprove of this, and if they do, find another one that won’t.
- Find a pediatrician with evening or Saturday hours. My pediatrician has Saturday hours, and we live within driving distance of an after-hours pediatric care center. These have both come in handy since I returned to work more times than I can count.
- Don’t try to be a superwoman. Let the laundry slide. Don’t worry if dust accumulates a bit or you can’t vacuum every week. Instead of fussing with housework, go outside and play with your kids. Make the most of your time with your family and enjoy yourself. Along those lines, convenience foods are fantastic — skillet dinner kits, frozen casseroles, quick-and-easy stir fry meals, these are all great ways to throw together a fast but filling and healthy dinner. (Because eating out is very tempting after a long day at the office.)
Do what is best for you and your family and you’ll never go wrong!
~***~
Sara Reinke is the author of several books, including Dark Thirst, the first in a
new paranormal series from Kensington/Zebra Books that Romantic Times
Book Reviews magazine calls a “new twist on the vampire legend” and “a
fascinating and unique romance.” Other available titles include Tethers, a
science-fiction thriller, the historical romance, An Unexpected Engagement
and the fantasy series, the Chronicles of Tiralainn. A member of Wild &
Wicked Authors, the Dark Muse Society and the Louisville Romance
Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America, Reinke is represented
by Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency.
Fun fast treat!
8 packs of already done individual serving sized pudding cups vanilla
8 packs of already done individual serving sized pudding cups choc
1 tub of cool whip
1 choc bar
4-6 Graham Crackers
6 cups
Smash up graham crackers and coat bottoms of 6 cups. In a bowl mix the vanilla pudding with a scoop of cool whip. Divide into cups. Next layer–cool whip. In the bowl, mix choc pudding with a scoop of cool whip. Divide into cups. Top with a layer of cool whip. Shave some of the choc bar over the cups. Break bar up and place in center of top. Put in fridge for about 2 hours. Serve and enjoy.
My kids love making these. Its something they can help with from start to finish.
Okay, so I might not be your everyday, ordinary mom. That being said, I do enjoy arts and crafts. We spent the day making something kind of fun. Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch, know ahead of time that the boys have a clear understanding of the bad vs the good involved in this. They asked that we only use colored pins to promote good things like success, spirituality, money, love, power, and so on. We made “happy good luck dolls”.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it, dammit. Seriously though. Ours are guardian ones with nothing but good will.
This is a fun easy project that up until the hot glue part, is kid friendly. Two sticks, some batting, cut strips of material, buttons, feathers, pins, hot glue gun and you’re good to go. You can paint the finished product. Leave as is. Dress. Draw on. Whatever. Use your imagination and have fun with it.
The trend of moms working from home to be near their children has grown in the last couple of years. Now that they have found jobs or businesses to run, they’re starting to realize that working from home is not as easy as they thought it would be. The work they do is hard to separate form their personal lives, which makes it hard to schedule time for work responsibilities and home duties.
The workspace these moms use to do their jobs at ends up being a part of their household, so that makes dividing work and home life even more difficult to do.
Imagine that your office is a part of the dining room, which also happens to be the room where you eat your meals as a family. How easy is it going to be for you to leave your work life to be with your family when the office is 5 feet away from the dinner table?
The realities of dividing work and personal life can get smudged for work at home moms. When that happens, one’s stress level is sure to rise, which could jeopardize one’s sanity. To prevent your sanity from leaving, you should find ways to ensure that separation takes place between your job/business and your family life.
Assess the current situation. Try to find an area, within your home, to have your office so that it won’t interfere with your family life. The home office needs a room with a door where you can be apart from the rest of the house. A den or a garage can be converted into office space that is exclusive to your business.
Some people have resorted to placing their office in the laundry room, just because it has a door! When that is not an option, set up shop in your bedroom to keep it away from the family areas.
Organization is the next step. A messy desk can be a huge distraction when trying to work. Everything needs to have its place. If you worked in an office, your boss would not stand for a messy work space. There’s no difference when you’re office is at home and not at the worksite.
Use inexpensive organizing items, such as baskets with separate compartments to help organize the odds and ends on your desk. You can keep rubber stamps, letters, invoices, pens, pencils, and the like in here. Organization makes finding things much easier, which results in a more relaxed work day.
Keep your business phone separate from the family phone line. When using the same line, you run the risk of your children answering business calls or picking up the phone during a conference call. This causes your professionalism to fly right out the window and takes your customers or employers along with it.
The same goes for the computer. It’s best to keep your business computer separate from what the other family members use, but budgets don’t always allow for this.
In that case, make sure that the business/job files and documents can’t be easily accessed by anyone but you. This will help prevent some of the stress that could be brought on by family members stumbling on a client’s important document and accidentally deleting them.
Be sure to use calendars or planners as they are very helpful when trying to keep track of business appointments or deadlines and family appointments. This will lessen the stress of setting up family appointments when you’ve forgotten about business deadlines you have.
Consider hiring a sitter on days you have a lot of work to do. Being a work at home mom gives you the benefit of controlling your own schedule. Having a sitter keeps the kids away from your office and gives you quiet time to focus on your work and gives your kids a chance to have fun without you feeling too guilty.
Mixing business with family in the home setting can be a major source of stress. Keeping the business side of your life organized and separate is crucial to success in keeping your stress levels down and your sanity intact.
Aurelia Williams is a certified life coach and author of Real Life Guidance to Balancing Work And Family an Easy Step-By-Step Guide To Balancing Your Work And Family Time.
Let’s face it ladies, it doesn’t matter what your occupation is, be it corporate executive or stay at home mom, you work your butt off. I’m going to spend the summer dedicating every Wednesday on my blog to topics that pertain to you—you know, a real person who doesn’t have ten hours a day to devote to making a seven-course meal while ironing handkerchiefs with one foot and using the other to mop the floor. We’ll talk recipes, cleaning tips, money saving ideas, relaxation techniques, beauty products, fun family ideas. You name it, we’ll talk about it here. I’m enlisting your help along with some buddies of mine to make this a weekly treat for you.
So far, you can expect visits from… Sara Reinke, Caridad Piñeiro, Jaci Burton, Raelene Gorlinsky, NJ Walters, Megan Hart, Angela James, Melani Blazer, Shannon Stacey, Michelle Pillow and MORE!
**PRIZES-If you win a prize in a contest or theme day (etc) from Mandy M. Roth Blog or from any of its affiliates and do not claim it within 30 days, its void. We do this for the sanity of the record keepers.
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