ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING is on the way

by Kelly in Announcements 4

I’m thrilled to holler out: My new picture book , ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING, is on the way!  It’s coming to bookstores on April Fool’s Day!

Illustrated by the creative goddess, Terri Murphy, with whom I partnered to create DANCE, Y’ALL, DANCE (also published by Bright Sky Press) ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING stars Zane, a boy who finds fun and adventure within found objects.

Come rambling with Zane and his friends and you’ll discover the priceless jewels and other treasures that lie all around…if you just know how to look!

 

Chances Are the Chances Are Awfully Good

by Kelly in Inspiration 2

What Inspires: 2nd Chances!

It’s the New Moon and the beginning of the Chinese New Year 4709: Year of the Black Water Dragon!’s Celebration! A 2nd chance to make a fresh start of 2012; a 2nd chance to commit to change. Chinese tradition on New Years’ houses are swept clean. Old thoughts, deeds, misdeeds are brushed out the door. Out with the old; in with the new. New Resolve! New Ideas! New Slate!

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year!

Firey Eyed Water Dragon in Bali

 

The first day of the 2012 Chinese New Year is today—January 23, 2012 in China’s time zone. This day is a new moon day, and is the first day of the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system. But, according to all my Internet research, the first day of the Chinese New Year is Feb. 4th.

The Year of the Water Dragon comes only once every 60 years. 2012 is the year of the Male Water Dragon.

Are you are Dragon? Know a Dragon? Want to be prepared for the Dragon year? Here’s more about the Dragon:

“The Dragon is a legendary creature. It can survive on the ground, in the water, and in the sky. Dragon is mystic, misty, blurred, unreachable and unpredictable animal. When Dragon has attraction relationship with the other animals, Dragon is quite likely to hide its Earth characteristic. When Dragon meets Rat, Dragon will show more Water characteristics. When Dragon meets Rabbit, Dragon will fully support Wood characteristic in the Rabbit. When Dragon meets Chicken, Dragon will turn itself into Metal identity. Dragon is a stranger to Dog. When Dog meets Dragon, Dog will bark and prepare for fighting. Dragon is kind of lonely. It’s hard for other animals to build love or romantic relationship with Dragon.” Chinese Forecast website

What does the Year of the Black Dragon mean?

“Dragon contains Earth, Water and Wood. If your Lucky Element is Water, then you will have pretty good luck in 2012. If your Lucky Element is Earth, then you will gain some degree of good luck in 2012. The Dragon is the last year of Wooden Cycle, which is from 2010 to 2012. If your Lucky Element is Wood and you do well in the 2011 Rabbit year, then your luck will continue.”

It’s really all about knowing your “Lucky Element.” But first, you must find your Lucky Element. After finding your Lucky Element, you can click over to see a graph of the rise and fall of your life.

Luck if you’ve ever been a lady to begin with,  Luck be a lady. . . Happy New Year, Take 2!

Chinese Paper Lanterns Light the Way into the New Year!

What’s the Use Of Listing?

by Kelly in Inspiration 2

What Inspires: Lists

Last night, on a whim—and desire not to waste a National holiday off—we flew to Bali and checked into Kayana Villas. It was past midnight and raining when we arrived. It’s the rainy season, so we weren’t surprised by the rain; we brought books, computers, cards, etc. but we were hoping for sunshine. Several times during the night and this morning I woke to the sound of rushing water. Believing it was still raining—pouring—I rolled over and buried my head.

Curtis finally managed to coax me to breakfast. Surprise! Surprise! The big floodlight in the sky was shining full beam. The rushing water/rain sound was the waterfall flowing into our private pool. Hurrah! Over breakfast (huevos rancheros ala Kayana are indescribably “enak” delicious!) we formulated a plan for the day. First item: Pool Time!

A trip or two back, Lexi, my extremely organized daughter, had shared her Trip Packing List with me. She keeps it on her phone, viewable at a touch. Would that I had used it when I was pulling things together for this trip…

I’m a heavy packer. My motto is: if you might need it, bring it! But this trip… this trip we are under serious weight restrictions: only 15 kg each. No exceptions. No paying extra for more. From Bali we’re flying to Moyo, a tiny island off the coast— in a seaplane! Anything over our weight allowance would have to be abandoned at the gate. So I packed predently; changed suitcases to flimsy light-weight duffles; took out all but one pair of shoes, two suits, one book,  two bottles of sparkles.  In the end, even with the restrictions I managed to bring almost everything I needed. Almost

See this glorious picture of the pool, the trickling waterfall hidden behind the curtain of green, those inviting, empty lounge chairs?

Kayana Villa Pool: What's Missing From this Photo?

Me!

Ask yourself: What are the most important items to bring on a tropical island holiday?

Yes, I brought sunscreen-3 kinds!

But, I forgot the most, absolutely most important 3 items: my hat, my sunglasses and my lipstick. Anyone who knows me knows, I do not sit in the sun without my hat, my sunglasses and especially my lipstick (Like Queen E, I am never, never, never am without my lipstick). FYI: Shops in Jakarta Airport Domestic Terminal do not sell lipstick, chapstick, gloss or Crisco.

Curtis & The Computers: Safe in the Shade

So, instead of basking in the sun I’m sitting in the shade typing and thinking I need to add 2 New 2012 Resolutions:

#1  MAKE AND MAINTAIN LISTS

# 2 USE THY LISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

ENOUGH TO HAVE A LIST; YOU HAVE TO USE IT!

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