Poetry Challenge #235-Everything You Do is Right
It’s Everything You Do Is Right Day!* That means nothing you do is wrong! (When was the last time you heard that?)
Poetry Challenge #235
Cause for Celebration
Write a list poem celebrating your accomplishments for the day, the week, the month, or even the year! Celebrate everything, no matter how big or small. Add details.
Start with: Today I… (or this week I… etc.) Remember nothing is wrong! You’re the best!
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
*National Everything You Do is Right Day is celebrated every March 16th. Definitely a day to remember so mark it on your recurring event calendar now!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
What Inspires Me #11-Strollers at the Border
This line of strollers stocked and waiting at the Polish train station for Ukrainian mothers arriving with young children made my heart sing. As I type Ukrainians are under siege. Bombs are exploding. Families are being torn apart. Homes, lives destroyed. While here, the sun is shining and my biggest worry is belly fat.
What can we do? How can we help?
Sunday, a friend shared a story of how, in response to a request for coats, hats, gloves to send to Ukraine, she emptied their winter closets and took everything to the collection center where her donations were turned away. The center was only taking the best of the best to send to the Ukraine. And, even at that, they were not sure how they were going to get the collected winter garments to the people in need. After being turned back, rather than being discouraged, my friend took the collected garments to a local mission where they were gratefully accepted. “We need your donations, right here, right now!” she was told.
Still…We Want to Help Ukrainian People. What can we do?
Do as those Polish families at the border do: Donate stuff locally. It might not be a glamorous to donate to organizations near home but think about it: By giving our stuff—clothing, food, time—locally, those organization and others can free up resources not spent here, there.
Donate dollars to Ukraine. Here’s a list of organizations put together by Global Citizen. 27 Meaningful Ways You Can Help Ukraine (globalcitizen.org)
Poetry Challenge #234-Cloudy with a Chance of?
Hip-hip Okay, it’s Meatball Day!
March 9th is National Meatball Day. A day set aside to honor meatballs, according to the National Day Calendar some restaurants even serve meatballs for free today. (What it failed to mention was whether that meant the restaurants would serve meatballs to customers or serve customers who were meatballs. . .) Moving on:
Poetry Challenge #234
Cloudy with a Chance of ?
According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, the #1 definition of “meatball” is “a small ball of chopped or ground meat often mixed with breadcrumbs and spices.” By this definition, the first written mention was in 1856 (although I didn’t follow up to find out where or by whom}.
But I did explore further.
Definition #2: “A stupid, clumsy, or dull person.”
Definition #3: “A pitch in baseball that is easy to hit.”
Other names for meatball include: netball, kofta, frikadelle, bitki, cheatballs (as son Max calls the store-bought frozen variety) and ala All in the Family: “Michael!”
In honor of the day, using one of the definitions of meatball above, or the popular picture book, movie & series, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (first published in 1978), to create a meatball of a poem. But . . .
Do not use the word “meatball” in your poem.
Do use one or more of the synonyms for “meatball” in your poem.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
What Inspires Me #10-Kindness Rocks
Kindness Rocks! Colorful, Thoughtful, Delightful stone nuggets sharing words of encouragement, hope, love from strangers to strangers.
“Our mission is to inspire intentional kindness in others, one rock at a time”
The Kindness Rocks Project was begun by Megan Murphy, a “ Women’s Empowerment Coach, Business Mentor, Kindness Activist, Meditation Instructor and Lecturer,” when after losing her parents in her early teens she’d walk the beach looking for guidance/messages/signs from them in the form of rocks. In the website video she shares how, finding a heart-shaped rock meant her parents were telling her she was on the right track. Listen to the rest of Megan Murphy’s “How the Project Began” with a tissue.
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for Kindness”
I don’t know if the Kindness Rocks Project is an offshoot of, part of, inspired by The Kindness Project, begun by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore in 1996, as a way of coping with the death of her daughter Cheyenne or not but the two projects are so aligned that on some level—the heart level—they totally are!
Here’s what I do know:
Gathering rocks is a cheap, easy fun!
Painting rocks is cheap, easy fun!
Deciding what to write and draw on those rocks is cheap, fun—not always easy—definitely thought provoking.
Placing those Kindness Rocks with hopes that a stranger will find them is exciting, fun and makes our hearts happy.
Kindness is something humans of all ages, shapes, sizes, social-economic situations can give.
If you need more, here’s a Step-by-Step tutorial from The Kindness Rocks Project to get you started:
Besides:
Kindness is a renewable energy!
Fin Pal asks Norman: "Up to New Tricks?"
Norman T. Goldfish answers letters from readers. Click on the link to read his reply.
This drawing is not from Miss Racz’s class. It was sent by another friend at another school but we are pretending those are first graders asking questions. “Pick me! Pick me!”
Dang! That’s a lot of questions isn’t it?
Miss Racz’s first graders sent an email after viewing the Norman One Amazing Goldfish read-aloud on World Read Aloud Day #WRAD
There was no way we could answer them all in one note—there wasn’t room on the paper. But, we gave it a try.
Scroll down to read what we answered. And then, we have a question for YOU! . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
What cool tricks do you think Norman the goldfish should try? And what do you think Norman’s next adventure should be?
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #233-Ho Hum, Humdrum, En-er-ee!
Ho-Hum, Humdrum, Second verse same as the first…
Exactly one month after Groundhog Day are you still doing things the same old way? Getting up on the same side of the bed? Tying your shoes the same way? Drinking coffee the same way—from the same cup, singing the same verse of the same song over and over—and maybe slightly off tune: “I’m En-er-ry the Eight I am/En-er-ee the Eight I am I am/I got married to the widow next door” . . . Enough!
For today is officially National Old Stuff Day! A day to look at your life and make some changes. Or, in the words of the Little River Band, Time for a Cool Change. But first:
Poetry Challenge #233
Ho Hom, Humdrum, En-er-ee
In honor of Old Stuff Day, look around your room. What treasures do you have?
Write a non-rhyming poem describing one (or more) of your treasures. Make it as descriptive as possible using as many senses as you can. What does the treasure remind you of? Is there a story that goes with it?
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
M&M turned this junkyard Hoosier into a bar!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
What Inspires Me #9: Paid to Play
What Inspires Me #9
Getting Paid for Doing What I Love!
When I began my writing journey, there were SCADS of paid gigs out there for writers willing to put in the hours. Back then, a single mother of 2 with a dream of being an author, I worked as a waitron robot so I’d have the flexibility to be there for my kids and work at being a writer. (Definitely more “Flo” than “Alice” although I fancied myself “Jenna”.
I didn’t go it alone, thank heavens. I was part of a team. My writing partner Ronnie and I queried and wrote and submitted stories, poem, articles. And the best part we began having work accepted. Each acceptance—each check—meant less wait shifts I had to work to make ends meet. Alas, nowadays with so many writers writing free content—basically giving it away for free (with blogs like this, Huff post, Wikipedia, etc. etc) those paid opportunities are harder to find. So, when Lucy Reed from Gigmine, approached me asking to share this article on how to get paid writing gigs, I said Yes!
Guest Post by Lucy Reed, founder of Gigmine
A Guide to Freelance Writing for College Students and Recent Grads
One of the best things about pursuing a freelance career in writing is that you can write from practically anywhere, no matter the time or day of the week. As long as you get everything done before your deadline, it doesn’t matter whether you’re working nights, weekends, or a standard 9-to-5 schedule. And because of the flexibility freelance writing provides, it’s an excellent career path for college students as well as recent graduates.
If you’re looking to get started as a freelance writer, this guide will tell you everything you need to launch a flexible, profitable, and rewarding writing career. Read on to begin!
Boost Your Writing Skills
Whether you’ve recently graduated from college or you’re working toward your degree, there are several steps you can take to become a better writer as you prepare to launch a freelance writing career. As one option, you could enroll in a writing degree program if you haven’t already completed one. Different types of writing majors include:
● Professional writing
● Creative writing
● Technical writing
● Business writing
● English
● Journalism
● Mass communications
● Marketing
● Public relations
● Digital communications
As an alternative to obtaining a writing degree, many free online courses are available to improve your skills as a writer. Amy-Mae Turner of Mashable shares 10 great courses for writers, or you can browse courses on learning platforms such as Masterclass, Udemy, Coursera, and edX to find the right fit for you. Reading and writing exercises can also help you to become a better writer, speller, and proofreader.
Find Your Writing Niche
If you’re working toward your college degree, you may still be finding your writing niche or specialization. After all, the niche you choose as a freelancer should depend on your passions and interests, areas of expertise, and competitors — and it can take some time to find the right niche for you.
Some examples of profitable writing niches to consider include finance, cryptocurrency and blockchain, technology, digital marketing, software-as-a-service, alternative health, and education. You could also specialize in a particular type of content, whether it be long-form blogs, white papers, case studies, or e-books.
When you’re just getting started as a freelance writer, there’s nothing wrong with marketing yourself as a generalist. You can always choose your niche once you’ve launched your freelance career and gained some professional experience as a writer.
Launch Your Freelance Writing Business
Once you’ve improved your writing skills and explored possible niches, you’ll be ready to launch your freelance career. Some of the steps you’ll need to complete when launching a freelance writing business include:
● Creating a professional website. This website should include a professional web domain, homepage, several writing samples, About and Contact pages, and testimonials from your teachers, colleagues, or former managers. Create your site using free website builders like Wix, GoDaddy, or Weebly, or hire a web developer to create one for you.
● Choosing a legal entity. Some of the most common legal entities for freelancers include limited liability companies (LLCs), sole proprietorships, and S corporations.
● Applying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Regardless of how you choose to structure your freelance writing business, there are many benefits of applying for an EIN (or a Tax ID Number). An EIN allows you to separate your freelancing from your personal life, simplifying the process of filing state and federal business taxes, building credibility as a freelancer, and applying for a business bank account. Plus, you can get EIN online using ZenBusiness formation services.
● Filing taxes as a freelancer. Above all else, make sure you’re keeping good records and filing the appropriate forms at tax time. As a freelancer, you’re responsible for all parts of the tax-reporting process, so ensure you’re tracking things like expenses so you’ll have accurate records. Collective has an excellent guide to help you get started.
On the topic of federal and state business taxes, many freelancers opt to pay estimated quarterly taxes in addition to filing an annual tax return. Alexis Grant of The Write Life shares some tips for paying estimated taxes as a freelancer, or you may wish to meet with an accountant to learn more about your tax obligations. Alternatively, use tax software to help you determine how much money you need to set aside to cover any money owed at tax time. Determine which system works best for you.
Furthermore, several business tools can make life a whole lot easier when you’re getting started with freelance writing. You can use free accounting tools like Wave and Zoho Books, time trackers such as Toggl Track, and project management tools like Trello and Asana. Other online tools can be used to check for plagiarism, grammatical errors, and readability.
Look for Freelance Work
Once you’ve launched your career as a freelance writer, there are several different ways to find freelancing opportunities. As one option, you could cold-pitch clients directly: Just make sure you have a professional email address and you don’t use your college email to reach out to potential clients.
As an alternative to cold-pitching clients, you could create a freelancer profile on job boards such as Upwork. Once you’ve created your Upwork profile, you can search for projects and assignments and submit proposals for the projects you’re interested in.
Another option for beginner freelancers is to use online job boards to look for paid writing opportunities. A few places to look for freelance work include ProBlogger, Freelance Writing Gigs, BloggingPro, and FreelanceWriting.com.
Market Yourself as a Freelance Writer
Building up a freelance client base takes a great deal of time, patience, and perseverance, so don’t be discouraged if you’re not finding immediate success as a writer. Continue to promote yourself online by guest posting on other websites, writing content for your blog, and sharing your work on social media. You could also contribute to freelance forums, improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO), and join and participate in groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Pursue Your Writing Dreams
As long as you’re skilled at writing, have a curiosity for learning new things, and you’re willing to put yourself out there, you can pursue your writing dreams — even if you’re still in school or have recently graduated from college. You don’t necessarily need a degree in order to pursue a career as a freelance writer, but the important thing is that you never stop learning.
While rejection is inevitable as a freelance writer, knowing this shouldn’t hold you back from launching a writing career if it’s something you’re truly passionate about pursuing. Whether you’re a college graduate or working toward your college degree, freelance writing can be a great way to make some extra money while improving your skills as a writer!—Lucy Reed is the founder of GigMine.
Fin Pal asks Norman: "Do You Pee?"
Norman T. Goldfish answers letters from readers. Click on the link to read his reply.
This is a question lots of kids ask.
Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
Below is a drawing of a goldfish’s guts (really just the intestines but guts goes betters with goldfish.) Below that is a drawing of the human digestive system aka people guts. See how much more complex human guts are?
When it comes to guts—goldfish or human—in the end, it all ends up…coming out the end!