What Inspires Me? Lighten the Load
Lately, I’ve been walking around lugging an extra 50 pounds…of baggage (OK, and of actually blubber, but that is not what this is about, yet.) This is about that extra baggage. The lists of must do-need to-overdue items on my task list. They are weighing me down. And so, yes, I do do them. But often at the expense of doing what I want to be doing. Guilt is a huge motivator.
Truth is, before last weekend when I attended the first in 3 years—hooray!—Alumni retreat, I hadn’t paid much attention, or frankly though it was something I could do anything to change. Instead, I just carried on lugging the baggage, growing more stooped, grumpy, unfulfilled…
Okay, so back to the actual blubber which is probably a result of dealing with tasks at the expense of personal needs—aka exercise—that hasn’t helped. But those extra blub pounds had finally become so disgusting that, inspired by friends and family members I finally decided to actually track my intake and pay attention and so I downloaded the Lose It App. Cue The Band’s Take a Load off Fanny. Confession, until I looked up the YouTube, I have been singing “Granny” as in Take a Load off Granny…which, now that I think about it is why I downloaded Lose It and what this post is about…
Which takes me to the VCFA Alumni Residency. The closing lecturer was new VCFA faculty member Anica Mrose Rissi who’s presentation, “Process Is a Story We Tell Ourselves” was partly about how how maybe—just maybe—the reason we do—or don’t do—what we want is because the story we tell ourselves is “I can’t! Too busy! I’m not important! What I want is not important! insert all our various “too busy for me” stories. Anica Mrose Rissi is former editor who managed to publish a slew of books while being a fantastic editor and is now, still, writing delightful books and teaching (Absolutely check out her books.) She suggests we change our stories. Rissi is inspiring! Her talk was inspiring. It inspired me to change my story from I-can-only-write-when-I-have-a-chunk-of-alone-time-and-my-chores-are-done to I WILL WRITE 15 MINUTES A DAY with the same commitment I give to brushing my teeth. And I have excellent dental hygiene. But saying it—even in ALL CAPS—is one thing. . .
This is the one I downloaded.
Doing it! Carving out 15 minutes for M.E. Making sure I do it! And celebrating it was another. Back to Lose It!
Lose it! *as I said, is a FREE (and if you want more paid) calorie tracking-exercise-weight loss app, like NOOM I suppose (although I’ve never used NOOM). The Lose It App is easy to use to track meals and exercise. It’s on my phone which is literally plastered to my yoga-pants clad leg aaaaaall the time. And best, I was using it. Heck! I was on a streak—not weight loss streak but a 10-day long Meal & Exercise Logging streak. So I got to thinking. Accountability! Celebrating! Record Keeping! Can I use the Lose It! App to record my 15-Minute Writing Goal.
And YES! YES! and YES! So I am not Tekke. I do not like “exploring” apps. I’m a tell me what and how to do it and I will do that and exactly that Tek user. But I did a little searching on the Lose it! App and discovered one can add Customized Workouts to the list of exercises listed. So that’s what I did.
I added “Writing” to the list of exercise options. And, because the App requires one to post the calories used beside exercises, I figured dang, when I’m writing, my brain is clicking—as are my fingers—so that has to use calories. At least as many calories as resting Yoga, hence I gave it 10. That’s it!
Amazing how a tiny change to My Story and rewarding myself by tracking my success has made such a difference! I’m still hauling around all that luggage, but the promise and reward of 15 minutes writing has me singing a new song. And not going overboard, I’m considering adding a few more goals worth tracking to my handy dandy customized LOSE IT app. After all, “Leisure Reading” and “Photo Sorting” are workouts, too, right? Care to join me?
Lose It is helping me Do exactly what I want! Now that’s inspiring!
*No Lose It App didn’t pay me to write this or provide the download link. But they should…hint hint
What Inspires Me? Women in Baseball
Baseball! Baseball! Baseball! As I write the World Series 2022—Phillies vs Astros or Astros vs Phillies—which team goes first at this point is still anyone’s bet!
This past spring and summer—through the more than 3-month long MLB owner-imposed Lockout, frenetic Spring Training, Regular and Post-season MLB 2022 — Shohei Ohtoni chasing Babe Ruth’s pitching records; Aaron Judge chasing Roger Maris’s season home run record; who was playing well, playing bad, losing, winning… it’s been about the guys!
I was really, really wanting to post a clip of that scene but couldn’t figure it out. So, if you want to watch the There’s No Crying in Baseball Scene click here. I won’t blame you—then come back!)
But…
In the movie “A League of Their Own” Tom Hanks playing team manager Jimmy Dugan wails, “There’s no crying in baseball!”
Notice, Jimmy Dugan (maybe my favorite baseball coach ever) didn’t say there are no women in baseball. He didn’t say it then. And he absolutely would not say it now. Because while there may not be many women MLB players now/yet. There most certainly are women in baseball!
We’re talking . . .
Women in the Big Leagues Baby! The MLB!
Women of various backgrounds, ethnicities, ages—
Female General Manager!
Female Managers!
Female Coaches!
Female Scouts!
Female Player’s too!
The writing is on the wall at the Louisville Slugger Muesum and Factory:
“We’re going to have women playing professionally (in MLB)”
These photos featuring some of the women working in the MLB this year, 2022. I write “some” because there are more! —many behind the scenes—and many ahead of the game (watch it, that “lady” in the stands might be a scout!)
These profiles grace the walls of the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. I snapped them on a recent visit—that’s an inspiring place too! (Another post; another time). Right now, today, while the teams, players, fans—the world—is buzzing with World Series 2022
Let’s here it for the girls! Here are some of women of the MLB:
Women in the Big Leagues! Now That’s Inspiring!
What Inspires Me? Visual Verse
A picture is worth a thousand words…the adage goes…and, as Visual Verse proves oh so many ideas!
As you may or may not know, about 2500 days ago, along with Cindy Faughnan, I challenged myself to write a poem a day. (Note: I didn’t say “good poem” I just said “a” poem, for most often, the result of the poem is not the point of the exercise, the “point” is in the thinking, the writing, the act of creating.
Visual Verse’s dedicated team!
And, at least once a month, the poetry prompts are provided by Visual Verse.
Visual Verse is a celebration. Of the drama of seeing and the desire to express it. Of the things that inspire us, move us, and that we find hardest to articulate.”—Visual Verse
Visual Verse submissions—inspired by select images—like this one by Erin Quinn titled “ETTA/Girl in Red Hat”—can be poems, fiction or non-fiction; must be between 50 and 500 words in length; and the read challenge: can be created in no more than 1 hour.
This October, by way of a challenge, Visual Verse hosted it’s Autumn Writing Contest!
Last week the 4 winning pieces and 16 shortlisted pieces (from 141 entries) were selected. I’m delighted to report that both Cindy and my efforts made the shortlist.
Visual Verse on the web, instagram @visualverseanthology; and twitter @visual_verse—it’s inspiring!
What Inspires Me? Being Alice
Ever wondered what it would be like to literally slide down that rabbit hole? Actually, be Alice? I have! And I’m thinking everyone who’s ever read Louis Carroll’s Adventures in Wonderland has too. Before now “Imaging” —or dressing up on Halloween—was as far as we went—let ourselves go—could go.
Alexa Meade paints human beings into art—literally—thus turning them into as Business Insider put it, “into living, breathing portraits.”
Artist Alexa Meade wasn’t content with “imaging.” Alice’s Wonderland from what she read in the book. Or to watching, reading about, imagining those other “Alices” and cast on the page or movie or Disney’s dizzying teacup ride. She wanted to be Alice!
And best, let us be Alice…and the Mad Hatter, too in Wonderland Dreams!
Wonderland Dreams is an interactive journey down the rabbit hole and into Alice’s Adventures created by artist Alexa Meade. 26,000 sq foot imagined, created, hand-painted from floor to ceiling, multi-dimensional world transporting visitors into Louis Carroll’s Wonderland.
Wonderland Dreams is artist Alexa Meade’s creation. You may not have heard of her, but if you recall Arianna Grande’s God is a Woman music video, in which she’s singing, while floating in a pool of paint, you’ve seen her work. The video, which is linked on Meade’s website, received more than 300 million views.
With Wonderland Dreams, Alexa Meade pushed herself to go beyond creating art—even human art—for us to view. She’s created a world for us to literally climb into. Now that’s inspiring!
Wonderland Dreams is live in NEW YORK! now through Spring of 2023. It’s located at 529 Fifth Avenue, near NYC’s iconic Bryant Park (a short walk from Penn Station.) You don’t need an apron or blue hair ribbon to climb through the rabbit hole. But you do need a ticket.
For more information and tickets visit the Wonderland Dreams website!
What Inspires Me? Netflix Storytime!
Netflix! Ahhhhhhhhh I see you racing around waving your arms in hysterical frenzy at the thought of a—gasp!— “children’s book author” mentioning the word.
Horrors!
Be real. Parents! Teachers! Caregivers! Grands! Our kiddos—your kiddos—watch Netflix. We all know that and it is not terribly inspiring. But get this…
VOOKS . . . VOOKS (Video-Books?!) is Story Time Book Read-Alouds streaming on Netflix!
What’s so inspiring?
VOOKS Story Time Book: Read-Along features 40 favorite animated books compiled into 8 themed episodes.
“This first-of-its-kind show invites kids to read along as their favorite storybooks come to life in each specially curated episode, including “Science, Letters, and Numbers,” “Adventurous Tales,” “Fuzzy Friends,” “Bedtime,” and more.”
How do I know Vooks books are “worth reading” aka “quality” books?
Because Vooks now includes 18 animated Familius titles!
Familus, with a credo of “Family First” publishes wonderful books! Including soon…mine! (Yes, of course my not-so-secret dream is that my forthcoming picture book, The House That Ruth Built, will one day be Netflix streaming on VOOKS along too.) But that’s not what this is about.
This is about this:
So you’re in the car, a restaurant, the airport—or maybe just too flippin’ worn down to argue—and the kids want THE DEVICE!
(Been there?….felt those judging onlookers? Seen those judging looks?)
Now, with VOOKS you can “let them” watch animated books on Netflix.
Watch! Books! Read-Along!
Now that’s inspiring!
What Inspires Me? Pumpkin Time!
It’s Pumpkin Time!
Fall is in the air and pumpkins are everywhere. We took the grands to a pumpkin patch to kick off the season. There must have been 30 varieties of squash—every shape, size, texture…some super gnarly, warty, stripey…some jack-o-lantern ready.
What inspires me most about pumpkins? Pumpkins are waterproof!
Grands, Parents, Teachers! This is a great, fun, messy kid activity:
Spread the picnic table or driveway with newspapers. Cut off the top of the pumpkin. Give the kids spoons and let them scoop all the gunk out of the center of the pumpkin.
It doesn’t matter how good a job they do.
It doesn’t matter if they get all the gunk out of the insides.
The only part of scooping out a pumpkin that matters is if they dig through the shell. Then it won’t hold water. But….it will still be good for baking-stewing-steaming…freezing. So it’s a win-win!
Let them have at it. Yes! Digging it all out will definitely be a hands-on job.
What’s most inspiring! All the things you can do with pumpkin after its hollowed out—beside carving them into jack-o-lanterns.
Pumpkin Vases: Once you’ve scooped out the insides of a pumpkin fill it with water and cut flowers. Or, fill the pumpkin with dirt and plant it!
Succulents are delightful!
Fall pansies or a mum are adorable too.
No need to worry about leakage, because the pumpkin shell is waterproof. But do put a dish beneath your pumpkin for 2 reasons:
Because the moist pumpkin might leave a water mark on wood.
Because after a time the pumpkin will begin to rot and liquify—melt essentially.
The pumpkin vase will last at least 3 weeks.
Afterwards, toss the pumpkin vase, flowers and all, in the compost bin.
If you used a plant, replant it in the dirt or another container.
Pumpkin Curry or Stew Pot:
Use the hollowed out pumpkin as a pot to cook pumpkin curry or soup.
Put the hollowed out pumpkin on a baking sheet.
Fill it with the ingredients in your favorite recipe. Here’s my go-to Pumpkin Curry Recipe
Cover your pumpkin pot with its cute pumpkin stem top and cook as directed.
Serve right in the pumpkin pot!
The best part is that the pot is edible! Yes, digging out bites of the cooked pumpkin shell as you nibble is allowed. Look Ma! I ate the whole thing)
AAARGH! Help! The kiddos get so carried away carving out the inside of the pumpkin and bust through the shell?????
Plan B: cook the pumpkin and use it to make pumpkin pie, or mashed pumpkin with butter, or butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper, or microwave the pumpkin in a covered bowl. Or peel and chop the pumpkin into pieces, pop them into a freezable container and freeze to deal with later.
And don’t forget the Seeds!
Harvesting those seeds is gooey fun, too. Wash the seeds, soak them in salt water, season them and bake them.
Warning: pumpkin seeds are a healthy treat!
That’s what I call inspiring, Punkin!
What Inspires Me? Goldfish Love
Goldfish are not only funny, they are smart! And, surprising…if you doubt me, check this out.
This photo is not a hoax.
Nor did Norman have anything to do with Gabriel taking a flying leap?
As far as I know, Norman doesn’t even know a goldfish named Gabriel.
But if he did, I’m sure they’d be very good friends!
This photo was snapped by a friend in Fairfield, Connecticut.
As far as we know, Gabriel is still out there, swimming at large.
So, be on the look out for a swim-away goldfish. Although…
Check out that reward. WTF??????????
only 27cents?
That’s not exactly what we call Goldfish Love…
mild like maybe…
but, LOVE???
What Inspires Me? Digging Through the LOC Stacks
This is a page from the 1893 H.H. Kiffe Catalogue. How did I find it? Joanna Colclough, a Librarian Extraordinaire/Archival Archeologist at the Library of Congress dug it up!
That’s what inspires me: The Library of Congress!
The Library of Congress (LOC) is “the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country.” -wikipedia
What’s in the Library of Congress?
Copies of every publication in the English language that is deemed significant. Specifically:
via Wikipedia: “The Library of Congress states that its collection fills about 838 miles (1,349 km) of bookshelves and holds more than 167 million items with over 39 million books and other print materials.[5] A 2000 study by information scientists Peter Lyman and Hal Varian suggested that the amount of uncompressed textual data represented by the 26 million books then in the collection was 10 terabytes.[77
What’s especially inspiring is that the Library of Congress is OUR LIBRARY!
Each of us—me and you—can access the library. We can visit it in person—it is an actual library located in Washington D.C. and we are welcome to visit it, browse the collections, see the books and some memorabilia and collection items ourselves.
But, what’s easier is that much of the Library of Congress holdings—especially photographs—is on line! All we have to do is input what you’re looking for in the search box, click and look!
And if, like me, you need lots of extra help finding what you’re looking for, the Library of Congress staff is super helpful.
See for yourself! Click to Visit the Library of Congress!
See you at our library!
I’ve been digging—yep! Elbow deep, digging, but not “in the dirt.” I’ve been digging through the Library of Congress archives in search of baseball minutiae for my forthcoming picture book The House That Ruth Built (Familius 2023). It’s about the opening day game in the original Yankee Stadium and Babe Ruth’s historic first homer in the stadium, but so much more. It’s about the origin of the game, and history—so much history—100 plus plus plus year-old history of the sport and the world as it was back then. For instance, how do you think that April 18th, 1923 game was broadcast?
It wasn’t.
That’s right. No one saw that historic game on TV because there was no TV back then.
No one sat with their ears glued to some huge box radio either, because while radio had been invented—credited to Guglielmo Marconithe in 1894, and the first professional baseball game had been broadcast on the Radio—Aug 5, 1921, Pirates vs Phillies at Forbes Field in Pittsburg— the NY Yankees did not allow their games to be broadcast until the 1923 World Series.
The only people to enjoy that first baseball game played in Yankee Stadium in real time were folks at the actual game. The rest of the world experienced second-hand from sports reporters who shared the play-by-play with fans via telegraph which was then transcribed and printed in newspapers. And where, 100 years and more later, does one find those newspapers?
Kids: Try some Baseball Math!
These pages from the 1893 H.H. Kiffe Catalogue list baseball stuff for sale. If $1 in 1893 is equal in purchasing power to about $32.92 in 2022, how much would one of these baseball hats cost today?