The PegBoard

Of Cats and Conundrums

2011-02-21T16:38:00.002-05:00

Where have I been all these months? Living, traveling, changing direction, and generally enjoying this ever challenging and rewarding phase of my life.

Now I am faced with a conundrum: a long-distance move is in the offing, and we are hosts to two senior cats who are not very movable. We would like to keep them as our family but have not been able to figure any way to get them across the country that would be safe for them and realistic for us. They cannot travel with us as we'll be driving for a couple of weeks, staying at different places each night, and certainly parking the car during the day (in hot weather) for possibly hours at a time. Then when we get where we're going, we will live in temporary lodgings for two or three months until we get a place of our own.

Finding new homes for them is not easy either. There are always many cats and kittens seeking homes, and senior cats are low on the popularity list, especially when one of them has takes a bit of extra care.

Clearing out years of "stuff" and getting the house ready for sale are nothing compared to our concern for these two furry souls who share our lives.

And then there's the tank full of guppies....

What Makes Something a Real Bargain?

2010-08-26T15:23:00.001-04:00

I'm old school enough to believe that a bargain is not simply something you get for a cheaper price. That often means that you are getting something...cheap.

To me a bargain is paying less and getting more than you expected. Like finding a house that looks ordinary on the outside but is a treasure of handcrafted quality and exquisite design inside, and is priced to sell, too. Here's a smaller scale example: Last spring my husband and I went to the local Home Depot for something - don't remember what - and as we walked toward the entrance we saw a large group of hibiscus plants in black plastic tubs. Stacked higgledy-piggledy around a sign that said $8.97, it was clear they were there to be moved out quickly.

None of the plants had any blooms on them, though a few had small buds. One or two plants showed the remnants of a pale, peach-colored flower. A couple of years ago we had a hibiscus plant that we put out front for the pure pleasure of seeing the brilliant red blooms. Remember we are in Maryland where such plants don't survive the winter, and though we brought "Hortense" (yes, we named her) inside, she did not survive her second winter. Now here were dozens of potential replacements at less than half what the original Hortense had cost. What could we lose?

So Hortense the Second came home and took up her place by the front steps. Sure enough, she put out a peach colored bloom. But not just any flower - it was a double! Multiple layers of pale sunset-colored petals were so heavy that the slender stem could barely hold the flower up.

Then it happened. A few days later, a red flower, also a double. What? Red and peach on the same plant? Yes - and she has done it several times again throughout the summer. The pictures show two blooms that opened within three days of each other.

A plant that is healthy, puts out gorgeous double blooms in two colors, brightens our mornings, and came at an unexpectedly low price. Now THAT is a bargain!

Richard Frank Silloway - Arlington National Cemetery May 20, 2010

2010-05-28T10:50:00.001-04:00

Clicking for Kibble

2010-04-27T15:24:00.001-04:00

There's a young lady in Oregon who has fed a lot of hungry cats and dogs. Not by taking them food, but rather by using the power of the Internet to stock the shelves of shelters across the country with almost 110 TONS of cat and dog kibble.

Mimi Ausland is a seventh grader who believes in making a difference in the lives of shelter animals. Inspired by a website that donates rice to needy countries, she and her parents came up with FreeKibble.com and, coming in June, FreeKibbleKat.com. Every day you can go to the site, answer a trivia question about dogs or cats, and whether you get it right or wrong, they donate 10 pieces of kibble to one of 13 shelters in the US. As of today, 319,821,200 pieces have been donated!

I learned about Mimi through an article in Cat Fancy magazine - read it here: Cat Fancy article about FreeKibble. I love the end of the article where Mimi is quoted:

"Just do whatever you can do, whether it's doing a lemonade stand or setting up a site like this," she says. "Just get out there and help something or someone. Try your best to help."

So every day I'm going to FreeKibble.com and answering their question. I got today's wrong, but so what? The cats and dogs still get the kibble, and I'm telling other people about it.

If a seventh grader can make a difference, so can I. So this weekend I'll be searching for odds and ends of acrylic yarn so I can knit "snuggles" for cat shelters - if you haven't heard about the Snuggles Project, learn more here. Kira and Pipsqueak will help, I'm sure.

Do Libraries Sell Houses?

2010-04-12T15:27:00.000-04:00

What do I mean by "Do libraries sell houses?" Sure, local libraries are pinched for funding, but they're not going into the real estate business. No, I'm talking about all the considerations that add up to a sale.

This is an article I posted on the Active Rain site (for real estate professionals), but I think anyone who is selling, buying, or thinking about moving could add "Library Nearby" to their wish list for a home.

There's no single factor that will make a buyer decide that the house you have listed is THE perfect house. But after you get past price and location, there are many things that can tip the scales in favor of one house over another. Curb appeal is important of course, cleanliness and maintenance are too. But a major factor can also be the community that surrounds the house and what it has to offer.

Public libraries are always popular for families as they offer great resources and stacks filled with books on every subject imaginable. These days, they also include videos and music CDs along with computers, book clubs, author talks, and story times for the little folks. If a public library is in easy distance of a home for sale, that can be a feature of value to a buyer.

This is a great time to highlight libraries in your community. April 11 through 17 is National Library Week sponsored by The American Library Association. This year's theme is "Communities thrive@ your library" and local libraries will be celebrating with special programs and exhibits. One of my favorite events of the week is the release of the annual "Top 10 Most Challenged Books" list - these are the books that most often are subject to attempts to have them censored, banned, or removed from library shelves in violation of the First Amendment.

I don't know if libraries really do sell houses. But I do know that libraries and librarians are an important part of every community. This is the week to celebrate them and the role they play in making any community a better place to live.

Another Book is Brewing

2010-03-25T14:20:00.000-04:00

That's right, another book is brewing...or perhaps I should say gestating. The life cycle of a book in some ways mirrors the life cycle of other living things. It begins with a seed - a thought. It grows organically, based on the genetics or outline created for it at the start. Even though there's a general plan, the growth of each individual organism or book is never the same as any other.

When you write a book you may know how it will end, but you don't always know how it will get there. If it's fiction you may find that your characters take over at some point. They surprise you with what they say, or they become stubborn and refuse to go where you send them. The plot that you thought was carefully constructed can take a twist you never saw coming.

In non-fiction such as my newest project - The Dog Lover's Book of Days - even with a good framework already in place, you cannot know for sure what the book will be until it's done. Just today I received an email from a woman who took the time to tell me about how her first dog died tragically young, and yet how that young life lead to another dog who is still with her. Better yet, she discovered a passion for rescuing and caring for dogs that has led her to a whole new phase of her life that gives her great satisfaction. That's a great story and I'll find a way to include it even though I had not intended to focus on pet rescues for this book.

And there's the secret whether you are writing a book or selling a house or simply taking a walk: Have a plan but be open to taking advantage of surprising changes as they come. See the opportunity and beauty that can come from something you didn't expect.

Now please pardon me while I go find a dog to interview. Think I'll start with my new neighbor, an adorable little West Highland Terrier who is all energy and wiggles. It should be fun to see the world through puppy eyes that are about 8" above the ground!

The Creativity Kick-Start

2010-03-21T13:51:00.001-04:00

For the last couple of months it's been difficult to get into the groove. Maybe you know how it is; something happens that knocks you off course for a while and you find yourself wandering around, being busy, but not actually doing anything.

When that happens, I need a change of scene, a creativty kick-start. As a writer and publisher, I can only wallow around in research so long (reading books, following internet links, getting side-tracked with interesting stuff that doesn't actually go anywhere!) What to do?

I've found two ways to give myself that whack upside the head that can clear the cobwebs and get me back to productive work again, and both have to do with other people.
First tactic: Find a craft show where there is an abundance of creativity and eye candy. Go look at what artists and craftspeople are doing - they are all living their passion, and some of it will certainly rub off on me. A favorite is the ACC show in Baltimore, of course, which Margaret Rome and I visited last month. A few minutes in Josh Simpson's booth, soaking up the glorious colors of his glass and chatting with this very approachable artist, clears my mind and feeds my soul. I also could not resist the work of Barbara Sebastian who makes exquisite small porcelain pots with carved cat beads on top; I loved the celadon green, but this one in earth tones with the mother and kitten came home with me.

Second tactic: Find a group of people who are doing what I do, but doing their own version. In this case, it's a group of independent publishers in the MidAtlantic area. We get together several times a year for sharing information and acting as a mastermind group for each other. The room fairly crackles with creativity! And I come home with new ideas that move me in a new direction. This time I presented the group with a question about what my next Book of Days topic should be. I gave them three choices, and they all looked at me with that "Are you really so dense?" look. Then almost in unison they said, "Dogs!" Yep - even though The Cat Lover's Book of Days is popular, I actually had not put The Dog Lover's Book of Days on my list! It is now, and I'm starting to collect the dog names, stories, and photos that will become my next Book of Days.

Finding and being around creative people works for me...what have you found to kick-start your creative juices?

Publisher of The Cat Lover's Book of Days and Zen and the Art of Negotiation: Successful Negotiation for People Who Hate to Negotiate.

Proof That Marketing Pays

2010-01-28T13:47:00.003-05:00

I realize that the concept that it pays to market is not new to most entrepreneurs and professionals. But I got positive proof just yesterday that letting people know what you do is the first and maybe most important step to building your business.
You probably know by know that I wrote a book - The Cat Lover's Book of Days - and several folks on have said nice things about it. But to meet my definition of success for this book I needed to reach a wider audience, so I chose to work with a PR professional to get the word out. She drew up a list of target media, we prepared a press release, and started to spread the news.

And it worked! In a matter of a couple of weeks we've sent review copies of the book to radio stations, magazines, and websites. Yesterday I got confirmation that I'll be interviewed on a national radio talk show, "Talkin' Pets" with Jon Patch, on this Saturday! It's going to be great fun and I would love it if you all called in with questions or comments. Here are the details:

"Talkin' Pets" with Jon Patch - 5:00 p.m. EST - Saturday, January 30, 2010

Toll free call in number: 866-606-TALK begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 866-606-TALK end_of_the_skype_highlighting (866-606-8255 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 866-606-8255 end_of_the_skype_highlighting)

Website - you can listen online: http://talkinpets.com

The show runs from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and I'm scheduled to be on during the first 1/2 to 1 hour. To find an AM station near you that carries the program, go the website and click on the "Station Info" button on the left.
Please call and say "Hi!" - I'd love to hear lots of friendly voices. This Saturday. 5:00 p.m. Fun

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-01-14T11:58:00.002-05:00

I don't know if there is such a category here as "Thoughtful Thursday," but that's what it is for me today. After a morning of networking, a midday of working on a press release and creating a new edition of a client's book, and an evening of more networking, I will be packing to go to my brother's funeral. In the past days I've learned things about him I never knew, thought a lot about him, and find that sad as it is, I'm looking forward to seeing many family members this weekend. We will drink toasts to him, we will remember him, and there will be as much laughter as tears. Mostly we will, as my cousin said, "celebrate a life well lived."

We've found old photos and sent them to his family so they could add them to a memory site. It was good to see some of those old pictures again, but even better to see ones I never knew of. This is my favorite - the man who loved golden retrievers was also a friend to cats, and they knew it.

Dick Silloway and Coriander, both R.I.P.

We can all aspire to that...a life well lived.

Tell Them You Love Them

2010-01-10T13:28:00.003-05:00

I've been away for quite a while with some big projects. By now I had hoped to be back in the swing of blogging, but life threw a huge curve ball on Friday night. My brother who is only a few years older than me, died suddenly. I was reminded forcefully of something we all know and all forget - there is no guarantee of tomorrow, no assurance that someone you love will be there next week or next year.

Reach out, call them, hug them. Remind them that they are an important part of your life. Create good times and good memories together, for the day will come when you'll have to wrap yourself in those memories to keep warm. And when that day comes, it won't matter how many big deals you made or dollars you earned, only how good were the memories you made along the way.

Today I am wrapping myself in memories of my brother, Richard F. Silloway, 7/14/1941-1/8/2010. Big brothers aren't supposed to leave kid sisters. He was healthy and active which makes it that much harder to comprehend. His death has left a gaping, dark hole in my life, and I still cannot believe that he's gone.

Wittenberg - The Play's the Thing to See in Columbia, MD

2009-09-06T12:01:00.004-04:00

Last evening we did something unusual for us - went to see a play. We're more a symphony concert couple, but Phil saw a write-up and it sounded interesting, so we decided to check it out.

Short review: Fantastic! If you are in the Baltimore area, make it a point to see Wittenberg at Rep Stage in Columbia at Howard Community College. Four characters - one a real historical figure, the other three strictly fictional but known to us all. Martin Luther, Dr. Faustus, Hamlet, and the Eternal Feminine all at the University of Wittenberg in Germany, 1517. Sounds kind of heavy, doesn't it? Not at all!

The four actors were great, especially Seth Reichgott who played Dr. John Faustus, and Michael Stebbins who played Rev. Martin Luther. Intelligent dialog with clever references to lines from Hamlet, impassioned discussions of faith vs. questioning of everything, laugh out loud schtick, and the occasional ukulele bit by Faustus. I'm not nearly doing it justice, so you need to see it for yourself.

The play by David Davalos is relatively new having premiered in Philadelphia last year where it won the Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play. It has been produced a few times and I expect it will show up in more local productions. When one comes near you, go see it. You'll find yourself writing a blog like this the next day.

Facebook Fan page for The Cat Lover's Book of Days

Follow me on Twitter @McFrugal

Vacation's Over - Now It's Time for PR

2009-09-04T09:36:00.002-04:00

It was a lovely respite - 10 days on the lake in New Hampshire with beautiful days and deep, dark nights with loons calling across the water. If I hadn't been working on a project near to my heart, I would have relaxed more, but I knew it would be like that. It was a blessing of sorts that there's no Internet at the cabin, that we had to take our laptops to the local library to get and send email. Boy, does that focus your reading and writing!

But now we're home and getting into the rapid speed-up of the fall and winter. Now it is time for me to be like Marti, the AR guru of The Art of Marketing You. I've been watching and learning from him and the others on AR who say Blog! Tweet! Facebook! And so I'm starting to blog more. And I tweet as @McFrugal (of the Clan McFrugal, of course). And I'm on Facebook not once but twice. First, for myself and keeping up with family and friends. But now also as The Cat Lover's Book of Days for the book that comes out in October. With the help of a savvy young PR professional, there's even a fan page for the book now.

And that's where I learned another important lesson. You don't have to do it all yourself! I'm one of those who has never found it easy to delegate. I "knew" a fan page would be important. I figured I could do it myself, could understand the technology, and save some money. Wrong! I might have been able to figure it out, but probably not in time to be of any value. So through a referral I found someone who did it in a couple of days and continues to help with press releases and more.

There will always be more that needs doing than I can get done by myself. It takes me a while, but I'm learning from friends like Margaret Rome who find people like tech gurus to deal with the things that need doing, and that would otherwise take away from her incredible productivity. That's my new watchword: Outsource.

Now if only I could outsource sleeping, think how much more I could get done!!!

The Pleasure of New Neighbors and Old Friends

2009-08-11T14:11:00.001-04:00

Last year I was pretty upset about what was going on behind my Columbia, MD townhouse. It was necessary, I knew, but I was afraid that I would not see some small friends again. There had been a little stream that ran between houses, and the county determined it needed enclosing to direct runoff better. So for weeks it seemed there were large, noisy beasts galumphing along the stream, digging a trench, installing enormous concrete pipe, and then covering it all over.

That was fine. What wasn't fine was the removal of dense bushes and some trees that had lined the stream. They had to go for the work to proceed, but I knew that those same bushes were home to a couple of groundhogs, the neighborhood rabbit we named "Scamp", and the trees gave cover to cardinals, blue jays, and especially to ruby-throated hummingbirds. The occasional deer wandered by, too. I was afraid they were gone forever when the bushes were removed and some trees taken down.

It turns out nature is more forgiving than I am. The groundhogs have moved on, but I did see Scamp - or one of his cousins - earlier this year. And the hummingbirds are back! Not as many this year, but still, I have regular customers for my new and improved hummingbird feeder.

Which brings me to the new neighbors. A delightful young couple with a toddler and a baby soon to be born, the young man has generously offered to mow our tiny patch of lawn - a kindness I'm grateful for. Then one day he told us they had enjoyed watching the hummingbirds and would I like to see the photos he'd taken? Of course! And now you can see them, too. These tiny wonders of nature, like flying jewels, are one of the best parts of summer. And despite my fears, they are back for us - and our new neighbors - to enjoy.

Brian Hughes took these wonderful photos, and said I could share them with you.

Time to Dream

2009-07-22T13:46:00.004-04:00

Up to there with work, no time for blogging and hardly time for breathing...but it's a good busy.

For now, dreaming of a vacation getting closer, and a time when I will again take my heart home to a small lake with clear, cool water, mountain views, glorious sunsets, and the loon's call for music.

Make Mine Espresso - Hold the Coffee

2009-07-02T17:16:00.001-04:00

Whatever your business, whether real estate, office supplies, or publishing, you can bet that your customers will be looking you up online before they talk to you or send an email. And even if you have an established relationship, they will still go online to satisfy their curiosity and compare you to others. Using technology has become almost second nature to many of us, and as natural as reading a newspaper or looking up a number in a phone book.

We also like to do things for ourselves, especially those of us who tend to be control freaks. (Who, me?) So it's natural to want to control the technology and have it do ever more tasks for us. A few years ago, email was amazing to us. A few years before that, if you were on the road and wanted to make a phone call, you had to pull over and find a phone booth. Is there anyone out there now who does not have a cell phone permanently attached to them, and likely as not reads email and surfs the Web on it?

Wherever you look, technology is changing the way we do business, the way we communicate, the way we spend our precious free time. For those of us who are avid readers, there's a new way to get a book: in a matter of minutes, printed just for us!

A few bookstores and colleges are testing the latest in on-demand book printing and selling. Able to produce any book out of hundreds of thousands in a database, The Espresso Book Machine makes it possible for you to have just the book you want…or the book you have written. At a bookstore in Vermont, an Espresso Machine has been used to print local author's books in short runs and for sale in the area. The machine that the store employees call "Lurch" has proven to be a great curiosity as well as the means for people to get those impossible-to-find titles and books that are in the public domain but rarely on bookstore shelves.

The Espresso Machine is a wonder to watch as it prints the cover and pages, trims and glues them together, and delivers a quality book in minutes. It was on the show floor at Book Expo America in New York and I watched with fascination as the various shiny metal parts moved deliberately around inside doing their book making. That's one of the fun parts – the machine has see-through sides!

Watch for it – there may be a different kind of Espresso Machine in a bookstore near you before long.

The Best Part of My Job

2009-06-11T14:14:00.001-04:00

It's the phone call – "They're perfect!" – when an author receives the first shipment of books. It's the photographs of the justifiably proud author holding the first copy out of the carton. Writing a book is hard work and takes longer than anyone thinks it will. To complete that, and then to actually publish the book, that's something to be very proud of.

Today I'm celebrating Tim Burrell's accomplishment. His book, Create a Great Deal: The Art of Real Estate Negotiating, is one of the best I've seen on the subject. It's well written and has an eye-catching cover thanks to the design skill of his wife, Judy Burrell. It's already received a very good review by Bernice Ross in Inman News on June 1, and endorsements from many of the top names in the business.

Tim knows a thing or two about marketing in addition to his formidable negotiation skills, and I expect this book will be a great success.

Yep, it's my favorite part.

Brain Fried, Body Weary…And Great Fun!

2009-06-04T17:45:00.009-04:00

A week ago this time my brain was on overload, my body was screaming, "What the *#%! do you think you're doing?" and all I wanted was a quiet corner where I could just…be. It was the third day of Publishing University in New York City, that marathon event for independent publishers when experts of all sorts and subjects endeavor to stuff one more new idea into your head. And they do, because the lure of another fresh approach to the business of independent publishing is impossible to resist.

I was the happy and grateful recipient of a scholarship to this annual conference that precedes Book Expo America. (As if three days of book talk weren't enough, we then had the opportunity to become lost in the cavernous Javits Center and the second largest book event in the world.) What did I learn in those three days? I'm still sifting through my notes, still sorting business cards and session handouts. But there were two clear messages I brought back from New York.

First, no one is quite sure where the industry is going, but they are sure that ebooks and ebook readers will continue to be the fastest growing segment of publishing.
Second, that the people who are afraid of losing any printed book sales (by offering ebook versions, because of ebook sharing, and the like) will miss the enormous opportunities that exist when an industry is a state of change.

I'm not saying anyone should give up their copyrights, but we should also take a lesson from the music industry. People will always want to share things they like. People now pass books on to friends; why should we expect that they won't do the same with electronic versions? Some publishers complain because the second person doesn't buy a new book. Are they sure? There is some early evidence that people who download low-cost ebooks return to buy the printed version, either for themselves or as gifts.

After listening to presentations about ebooks and Google Book Search, I've concluded that it's really no different from any other business. You can either be a person who worries about getting every dollar you are entitled to, or you can be a person who first asks, "What can I do for this person? How can I best communicate with them? What can I tell them, how can I help?"

Which one do you think will end up with the healthier business and bank account?

Yikes! Another Early Morning

2009-05-08T13:18:00.010-04:00

Where have I been for more than two months, you may ask? Clearly not keeping up with my blogging, that's for sure.

Well, I've been having to choose where to spend the same hours as you have each day and night, and recently my choice has been on client work and my own creative endeavors. For details on some of those, you could sign up for my monthly newsletter (hint, hint), KeyNotes, where I write each month about what's happening with the publishing business and the new books that are coming out. The April issue, especially, talks about the newest project that has clawed its way to the top of the priority list.

One other thing I've been doing is networking...a lot of it. At the beginning of April I went to one of those early morning networking events that I dread, but that I am usually glad I attended. Around here they are organized by the local chambers of commerce and draw 100+ people each time.

Have you ever been to one? It's a bit like speed dating. You start with breakfast at a table with 6 or 8 people, and as you eat you introduce yourself and your business, pass your cards around, and try to wake up enough to be coherent. After about half an hour the real fun begins. You move to a new table where each person has 90 seconds to do their elevator speech and pass their cards out. When everyone has had a go, you change tables and do it all again. Whew!

For a non-morning person this is not easy, especially since these shindigs generally start no later than 7:30 in the morning and usually require some travel time, too. But still I go a few times a year, as I did last month. With a stroke of good luck, I sat at a table for the breakfast part with a man who is a business coach and motivational speaker. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I talked about how people are publishing books as a way to differentiate themselves from the competition, he thought that was an intersting idea. I carry along a couple of books for visual aids (always a good idea in networking) - including Margaret Rome's Real Estate the Rome Way, of course.

A few days later John called and we met for coffee and conversation. Turns out he has been planning to write a series of short books, each focused on a success strategy - a perfect project for self-publishing. He's also a member of the Annapolis Motivational Speakers, a group of people in different professions but all with a motiviational speaking component. They invited me to come talk with them about publishing, so earlier this week I took myself, my laptop, and a collection of books to Annapolis for one of the most delightful events I've been to in a long time.

This amazing group has only been together for a short time, but they have created a network within their membership of friendship and encouragement. I've never felt so at ease with people I've just met, and the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming that I had nary a butterfly. They were an attentive, interactive, and appreciative audience. What more could you want? (If you are a motivational speaker in the Baltimore/Annapolis area, you should consider joining the group.)

Networking is a fact of life for all of us whether our business is real estate, retail, restaurants, or publishing. It isn't always convenient, but it is always necessary. And as in this case, you never know where a good lead will come from. Besides, you might just find a delightful group of people whom you would never have met otherwise!

When You Finally Know

2009-02-23T10:51:00.006-05:00

You know how people ask children and teenagers, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always had answers back then – scientist, pilot, writer. But once I hit the age when you're supposed to have some direction, the choices were not so clear. And since then I've spent decades saying, "I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up."

Margaret Rome signing Real Estate the Rome Way

The other night I realized that I finally DO know. I want to be what I am now. I want to be the one setting up the signing table, schmoozing with the fans, and helping authors make that connection with their readers. I want to be the one with the camera, roaming the room and taking pictures as the author talks with customers and signs their books. I want to be the one they mention in the acknowledgments because I've helped them make a particular dream come true.

It's only taken mumbledy-teen years, but it finally happened. I know what I want to be when I grow up!

(I still don't want to actually grow up…but that's another story.)

Girls' Night Out…Redefined!

2009-02-18T10:54:00.002-05:00

That's what we're calling it. Sure there will be the usual "girl" things like fashions and makeup and cool stuff to buy. But salsa dancing? Belly dancing?! And how about learning to make the perfect Kir Royale cocktail? (Not sure what that is, but I know it has champagne in it and I intend to learn about it.) This all sounds a bit indulgent, especially for these days, but it truly is for a very good cause. The beneficiaries of the March 6 event will be the women who receive scholarships for post-secondary education from the Business Women's Network of Howard County, MD.

The scholarship purpose is what got me involved in helping with the fundraiser. Now more than ever, women need help to improve their education and skill, no matter where they are in life. What I especially like about the BWN scholarship is that it's open to women who have been out of school for years as well as those just graduating high school. I love hearing the stories of women who have taken it upon themselves to get more education even if they are single moms and working either full- or part-time. You know they will be the ones who not only reach their educational goals, but also the ones who will then give back to their community.

So here I am putting together a Silloway Press tote bag full of books and chocolate, all of which I'd like to have for myself, to donate as a raffle prize. It's just one of more than a dozen great donated gifts that will be on display and waiting for their winners. (Creating the description cards for the display of raffle gifts is also giving me good experience with my new software nemesis, InDesign, so that's a nice side benefit.)

For further diversion there will be several vendors with wares to tempt, including Crystal's Jewelry – hand crafted with fine silver and beads by a remarkable young woman – and Erika's Ceramics, hand made and original designs. I expect that between these two and the other fine vendors, I'll be leaving the event with a lighter wallet and some wonderful treasures.

You're wondering why I haven't stressed when and where? OK, here it is:

Friday, March 6, 2009 - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Student Services Building, Howard Community College in Columbia, MD

Why not keep it simple and go to the BWN site right now and register? For only $45 you get heavy hors d'oeuvres, two glasses of wine, that Kir Royale, an opportunity to win some great gifts, door prizes, and plenty of fun and networking. And remember, it's for a great cause – education for women.

See you there!

Talismans

2009-02-13T11:22:00.005-05:00

I'm not a superstitious person. Black cats make me call, "Here, kitty, kitty." I walk under ladders if they are between me and where I'm going. Friday the 13th is no big deal – one of my nephews was born on a Friday the 13th and he's a great guy. No rabbit ever lost a foot for me. So why is there so much stuff hanging around my work area?

My talismans are all within view and easy reach as I work. There is comfort in their familiarity. Each piece has a reason for being here, even if it's only that I liked it at some time and just haven't gotten around to moving it since.

On my desk lamp alone there are:

One yellow sticky with two horoscopes I liked
a bit of ribbon in the burgundy, green, and gold colors I chose for my website, tied around the lamp pole with a "gold" skeleton key dangling from it and a blue jay feather stuck in the knot
a mini-cow with magnetic feet that keep it wrapped around the swing arm
a bendable skeleton about 5" long that I picked up at the Malice Domestic mystery convention a few years ago, also hanging from the swing arm
a small dream catcher that came with a donation solicitation
and a small plush elephant, also with magnetic feet, wraps himself (herself?) around the pole at its base.

On the other end of the desk, clustered around the phone, are the red lacquer cup that holds my fountain pens, the Cumberland Rum Flavoured Butter crock from Fortnum & Mason (souvenir of a 1973 trip to London) that holds pens and highlighters, the hand-thrown stoneware mug from the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen store in Center Sandwich, NH. Nearby is one of my favorite gifts – an intricate wire mesh and glass bead rattle that looks like a sorceress' ice cream cone. Hand crafted and a gift from my best friend, it's always close at hand.

Don't worry – I'm not going to go into all the things that are near and in view but not on my desk – photos, quotes, magnets, etc. The point is that I don't think of myself as superstitious, yet I surround myself with familiar things throughout my workday. It's a human thing to want familiarity; I can imagine that early humans had favorite items – skins of animals they had killed, pointed stones, and other tools they crafted. How many of us had a favorite bear or blanket that went everywhere with us as toddlers? For that matter, how many have a favorite mug or a lucky shirt/tie/shoes/outfit that we wear to those important events?

What's the point? Just that we should be careful about laughing at the superstitions of other days and other people. We're rational, logical, modern people today, but the creatures who wondered at the magic and mystery of fire still live within us. I happen to think that's a good thing.

That's My Bag

2009-02-10T10:41:00.001-05:00

Many companies buy promotional items and gifts for clients, I know. I've often wondered whether they could track an increase in business back to the investment they made in magnets or calendars. And for a long time I've resisted buying anything more than business cards because I couldn't see the benefit.

But that has changed now. The trigger was a combination of two events that I wanted to support - both organizations are raising money for scholarships – but at the same time I wanted to promote by business. They both also have a silent auction. Ah ha! Finally I could see a reason to invest in a promotional item. But what?

The first criterion was it had to be something I would like to have myself. Second, it had to be of good quality. Third, it had to be something that people would actually use in a way that others would see. Fourth, it had to have a logical connection to my business. (There are wonderful key chains and calculators, but what do they have to do with books???). Oh, and it had to display my name clearly.

Thinking about those silent auctions I started with the idea of a basket for book lovers. Wait! Why not a Book Lover's Bag? Yes, that was it. A nice canvas bag with dark green handles to match my website, a pocket on the outside, and my logo on the pocket.

I picked them up today, and only wish I had done this sooner. They are just right. (Kira also approves, as you see.) And in a couple of weeks I'll be filling two of them with books for writers and readers, gourmet hot chocolate mix, a cozy lap robe, and a large bar of dark chocolate. (Didn't I say it had to be something I'd like to have?) They will go to raise money for the Baltimore-Washington Corridor Chamber of Congress and the Business Women's Network of Howard County. I hope the people who win the auctions will enjoy the bags and their contents as I enjoy knowing I've helped deserving students of all ages get a college education.

Be Careful Out There...

2009-01-16T09:44:00.003-05:00

...when you're playing in social media. You would think it is common sense, that by now everyone knows that (1) whatever you write and publish to the Internet can be seen by anyone, and that (2) it never, ever goes away.

In a stunning example of what NOT to do, a man from a high-end PR company, on his way to making a presentation to FedEx in Memphis, put a comment on Twitter that was insulting to Memphis! That little Tweet got the attention of employees and executives at FedEx, AND the chain of command at his employer. Anyone want to guess how long it will be before this guy is looking for a new job? Yeah, I'd say about as long as his flight back to New York.

You can read all about it on Peter Shankman's site here: http://shankman.com/be-careful-what-you-post/.

Another tip - if you're in business and haven't yet signed up with Shankman's HARO (Help A Reporter Out), it can be worth the few minutes it takes three times a day to read his emails. HARO aggregates reporter queries seeking experts or people who can comment on topics for books, articles, blogs, and TV. He classifies the queries by subject area - some are from big names (Good Morning America, Huffington Post, etc.), and some are on short deadline. I scan the summary lines to see if there's anything interesting or that could apply to someone I know. A couple of times a week I'll see something that isn't for me but might be a good opportunity for a client or friend, and those I forward.

Is it worth the time? I think so. In December I was interviewed for a podcast series on women entrepreneurs that will run beginning this year. Even if you're not looking for publicity, it's a fascinating peek into the range of subjects that people write about. Sign up here: http://www.helpareporter.com/. Yes, it's free, and no, he doesn't spam.

One Man + Innovative Eyeglasses = A World of Difference

2009-01-12T17:54:00.006-05:00

One of my reminders to myself for this year is to find a way to make a difference. I just read about a man who has quietly made a difference for tens of thousands of people around the world by giving them clear vision. (Washington Post story here.) Photo: Oxford University Site

Joshua Silver, an atomic physicist in Oxford, England, invented eyeglasses that can be adjusted on the spot to help either nearsighted or farsighted people see better. Admittedly ugly (think Woody Allen's worst), the glasses have round lenses that contain a thin sac. Hidden in the earpieces are plastic syringes filled with silicone oil and a pump to move the oil into the lenses. By turning a little dial on the earpiece, the wearer adds or subtracts the clear liquid until the focus is right. When the adjustment is right, the syringes are removed and the glasses are ready to go. Current cost? Just $19.

Silver's desire is to provide eyeglasses to more than a billion people with poor eyesight throughout the world. In many developing countries, few people have glasses because they don't have access to eye care professionals. And for those who can see an eye doctor, even fewer can afford glasses. Enter Joshua Silver's amazing glasses. So far, he has distributed some 30,000 pairs, and hopes to distribute a million pairs in India in the coming year.

The part I like best about this story is that a vision company offered to buy his technology years ago and dangled a "substantial" amount of money in front of him. But they would not assure him that they would use his patented technology to bring low-cost eyeglasses to the poor. He refused to sell.

There's a tailor in Ghana who couldn't work any more because he could not see to thread the needle on his sewing machine. He could not afford an optometrist or glasses. With Joshua Silver's glasses, he's seeing and sewing again.

Here's to Joshua Silver and his beautiful, ugly eyeglasses.

Resolutions? No! Reminders? Oh, Yeah!

2009-01-02T11:02:00.005-05:00

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? If you do, how does it work for you? I'm one of those who gave up after years of fine resolutions and less than fine implementations. Now, when pressed for a resolution, my favorite is, "I resolve to include dark chocolate in my diet regularly." This meets the requirements of being something that is good for me – we all know that dark chocolate is healthy, right? – and being a goal I can easily attain.

For my writing, rather than make resolutions that don't have a chance ("I will write 500 words a day every day"), I prefer to list reminders – those things that I forget when deep in a project or feeling as if I haven't accomplished anything beyond being frustrated. Rather than "I will write every day" it will be "Do something for a writing project every day." That allows me to include writing a blog for Active Rain, finding articles in the newspaper, or clipping something from a Smithsonian magazine. Heck, it even counts if I only Tweet once on Twitter! It can also be networking with other business owners, visiting a museum or craft show with a friend, or drafting an article to contribute to the local business journal. All of it feeds into the writing and publishing.

A reminder can also be, "Stand up and walk away." I don't know about you, but I tend to keep after something that isn't working, whether it's a sentence or a software program, until I'm ready to use my laptop as a Frisbee®. Persistence is good – it's one of the characteristics that makes a successful real estate professional. Dogged head banging against brick walls is not good. So I have to remind myself to put space between me and the nemesis du jour so that some fresh air can blow through. There's always something else that needs attention.

"What can I do that makes a difference?" That's an important one. Is there anyone who doesn't want to make a difference, to feel that the world (or some small corner of it) is better for you having been here? This is one that can easily get lost in busyness, which is why it's on my reminder board. It doesn't have to be a big thing; sometimes all it takes is a phone call or a card that says, "I'm thinking of you."

One of the most important reminders is a question: "Am I still having fun?" Some days the answer is a growl, but I know that's situational and will pass. Other days it's a chair wiggle, a grin, and a flip of the head; that's good. If the answer ever comes back a flat, battleship gray "No," there will be changes ahead. Because it just isn't worth spending what little time we have doing something that saps the spirit.

Am I still having fun? Absolutely! And I hope that you can say the same all through the year ahead.

Leftovers...and What To Do with That Gift Card

2008-12-26T23:35:00.002-05:00

Like others, we decided to make it a low-key, home-made holiday. Family and friends for a small but delicious dinner, dessert consisting of a platter filled with cookies, brownies, and fudge. The sofa got a good workout as people relaxed and snoozed in the late afternoon. Still time to enjoy the full feeling, too soon to start thinking about the 2009 resolutions to cut back and eat healthier. Today - leftovers! I think a hot turkey sandwich the day after is as good as the original bird.

But what about the other leftovers? Those gifts that aren't quite right - including gift cards. Despite the warnings about companies going out of business, there are still plenty of gift cards being given and received. A teenager would love a Forever 21 card, but would her grandmother? Probably not. Or a man who yearns for the latest techno-gadget might not be completely thrilled with a gift card from Dick's Sporting Goods. What to do?

Gift Card Rescue! You can sell your card for cash or trade it for one you like better. Of course you don't get the full amount in exchange, but you do get a card you will actually use. Plus, if you want to buy a gift card, you can get one at a discounted price. Seems like a nice resource to know about for client and family gifts both. Many charities also accept gift cards, so you could think about trading the Starbucks card for a Target card, and donating that to a local domestic violence shelter or animal rescue center. I can make my own recipe Frappuccino and make a difference at the same time. That sounds like a good start for the new year, doesn't it?

The View From the Top

2008-12-24T11:22:00.002-05:00

Top of the east coast, that is. Mt. Washington, NH, home of the world's worst weather. This volunteer supported and funded is home to an extraordinary group of people who just love vicious cold, high winds, and isolation. Every hour they go out to take measurements and readings, and to gather the data that often ends up on our local weather report. Most days I stop by the website to see what's happening atop the rockpile, and to get a view from the webcam. And yes, I do support them because I think it's important work, because they are not a government-funded organization, and also because I have a very warm spot in my heart for that part of the country. (On a clear summer's day we can see the top of that mountain from our little piece of New Hampshire heaven.)

Most days the observers post comments – their blog – and today Ryan has contributed his version of the 12 Days of Christmas. I eventually got through them all, but this photo held me breathless for quite a while. 130 miles visibility – wow! I'll bet even Santa takes time for a turn or two around the mountaintop just to enjoy this view.

Wishing everyone a peaceful, healthy, and happy holiday season.

The Day After

2008-12-18T12:08:00.002-05:00

When I was growing up, the excitement that built up before Christmas was an important part of the holiday fun. My brother and I spent hours imagining all the wonderful things Santa would bring us, and when my little sister came along, we played our parts in that happy fantasy. I helped bake cookies galore and my brother did his part to keep the tins from overflowing. Day by day the anticipation built until we were just about jumping out of our skins.

Then it was here!

And then it was over.

The day after Christmas was quiet and slow and gray, even if the sun was shining. There were still presents to enjoy and cookies to eat, but the anticipation was all used up, and we were down.

Over the past few days I've been there – anticipation used up, delight in the just-opened packages still as great as ever, but somehow just a little down. With Christmas still a week away, how could that be?

Ah, yes – it's the books! Last Friday we finally received the shipment of Margaret Rome's book – my company's first published title. Every time I see that cover I get a thrill. Sure, there is still much to do with sending copies to the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office, a contest to enter, and orders to fill. But all those hours of working to get it right, and then the weeks of worrying that it would actually be what we envisioned when it came from the printer – all that's done now. And yes, The Silloway Press has three more books for other people to get published in the next few months, but Real Estate the Rome Way is my first. You never forget the details, the emotional attachment of your first, do you?

As my friend Margaret says, "WIN?" What's important now? Time to do what always worked for the 10-year-old me on the day after Christmas: play with my favorite toy (a new 22" flat screen monitor – yay!), have a cookie, and start again.

Here's to a season and new year of great beginnings, happy anticipation, and successful conclusions for everyone.

Celebrate Your Freedom to Read

2008-10-02T16:38:00.006-04:00

Every year at the end of September, the American Library Association joins with other groups to celebrate an important freedom. During "Banned Books Week," they remind Americans not to take this precious freedom for granted. This year the week runs from September 27 through October 4. For obvious reasons, the week hasn't received much attention as we've been caught up in Presidential politics and an economic firestorm.

But what better illustration can there be of the importance of this First Amendment freedom? We can read about the candidates as described by themselves and also by those who see them as the greatest or the worst to lead. We can read about what happened in the past that affects us now – as it was written, not as the winners/survivors would like to have had it written.

The ALA describes Banned Books Week (BBW) this way:

BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.

During the week, librarians, teachers, and booksellers feature books that have been challenged in attempt to ban them. In this way, they "…teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society."

Maybe Noam Chomsky said it best: “If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.”

So celebrate – go read a banned or challenged book! There are plenty to choose from, starting with To Kill a Mockingbird, through The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, right on up to the Harry Potter series.

Readin' in the Rain

2008-09-30T16:28:00.015-04:00

As the sky glowered a dismal gray, the first visitors stepped carefully down the slick cobbled streets of Mount Vernon Place at Baltimore's Book Festival. I guess we should have expected this; in past years the Festival has been cancelled at least once when a hurricane came through. But still, we hoped that on this Saturday dry weather would keep the thousands of books in scores of booths from curling. It was not to be.

First it drizzled, then it rained, and then you couldn't hear yourself think over the pounding of the downpour. The picnic tables sat soggy and forlorn while the food vendors smiled hopefully at the passersby huddled under umbrellas. Even with the lights that the City of Baltimore provided inside the tents, there was no way to dispel the gray sogginess.

But in publishing, as in theater, the show must go on. And thanks to stalwart visitors and an engaging young writer, the MidAtlantic Book Publishers Association's booth was a good place to be. In the couple of hours that we (author Margaret Rome and I) were there to volunteer, we talked with writers of fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. MBPA's president, Sheila Ruth did a great job of setting up the booth, assembling information packets, and displaying the association members' books.

I love to see the creative covers that come from people not constrained by big publishing's limits. Sheila's husband, Nick, was "wearing" the cover of his book, Dark Dreamweaver, and son David was in the spirit of things with his purple cape. It was David who stood outside the booth and stopped visitors with his smile and invitation to take one of MBPA's information packets. And every packet that left had in it a post card for Margaret's book, Real Estate the ~~Right~~ Rome Way, and one for my own book that I'm scrambling to get out before the holidays, The Writer's Book of Days. You can read more about both upcoming books on The Silloway Press Website. While you're there, be sure to sign up for the free monthly newsletter, KeyNotes - the next one is coming out soon!

Despite the low turnout and the river running through the booth, we had fun. While waiting out one of the heaviest downpours at the Book Festival, I talked with a woman who had come on a bus trip from New Jersey just for the event. It took me back to my days at craft shows when even bad weather wouldn't keep the die-hard fans away. And it gave me renewed hope that the well-written, independently published book is alive and well in America.

My Dance with Wolves

2008-09-19T17:12:00.008-04:00

A sparkling September-like day – temperatures in the 60's, clear blue sky, a few fair-weather clouds, as we drove across the state line to Maine. On increasingly less main-type roads, we eventually turned up a dirt road that led more than a mile up and then down hill, back to the place where 76 wolf dogs live in large (up to an acre) fenced areas. Straddling the New Hampshire/Maine border, the refuge is not a place you will find advertised, but if you learn about it you can call and Fred Keating will give you directions to visit his sanctuary and meet his friends.

Our adventure began because I was looking through some old Yankee Magazine issues that had accumulated under my coffee table. About a week before we were to leave on vacation for New Hampshire, I pulled out the next on the stack – October, 2002. Leafing through I saw an article called "Dances with Wolves" and a photo of a white haired man nuzzling what looked like a wolf. It told how this man went from breeding to protecting wolf dogs – animals bred from wolves and domestic dogs. As a breeder he learned that people wanted wolf dogs to be pets, and they simply will not be. It started with just a couple of animals, but as word spread, people started sending him more animals. It wasn't long before he had to move himself and his rescued wolf dogs to a larger and more remote area. Now, the Loki Clan Wolf Refuge (a 501(c)3 non-profit organization) occupies more than 63 acres straddling the Maine/New Hampshire border.

As we drove into the yard, Fred Keating greeted us and introduced his assistant, Dan. A chorus of barks and howls started – not as a greeting to us, but to Fred. His friends saw him and wanted attention.

We approached the first pen where a lone animal came to the fence and Fred stuck his hand right in to rub his side and scratch his head. Tinga was a new arrival and was being kept by himself until Fred and Dan could learn what his personality was, how smart he was, and what group he would best fit in with. That's one of the important features of this preserve – the animals live in groups, the natural arrangement for wolves who live in packs in the wild. Tinga is a wolf/malamute cross and has some of the appearance of both – a beautiful animal, obviously used to humans. Throughout we found many of these creatures were quite used to humans and love to lick hands and lean against the fencing to have their earns, faces, and backs rubbed.

Friendly as some are, you can clearly see the wild animals in them. Several stayed back from the fencing, melting into the shadows of their areas. Some pulled back when instead of a face they saw a camera pointed at them. And others simply ignored us.

Many wolf dogs have the long legs and narrow chest of wolves, a sleeker head, and the very large paws. They all have the golden yellow eyes of wolves, and when even the friendliest looks you in the eye – which they all do – they seem to be able to read your mind and soul. In fact, according to Dan they have the intelligence of an 8 to 14 year old human, and each has a distinctive personality. A wolf will roam over 30 to 60 miles a day, and wolf dogs have that need to move around – another reason people find them hard to keep as pets. Their sizes vary widely from about 60 to 140 pounds, but all seem to have the bushy wolf tail, even the wolf/Samoyed cross who looked as if she should be roaming the tundra with her thick, rich creamy vanilla colored fur coat.

One particular version of the wolf dog has been bred with a coat that has splotches of color to make it look less wolf-like. This is no less wolf than the others, but it is called a "Native American Indian Dog" to disguise its heritage. However, since the animal is still part wolf, the wolf traits come out and too often, owners decide they can't handle this "dog" that won't stay home and that howls. Tunka was one of these that we met, and there are several at the refuge.

A natural question was, how do they feed 76 hungry mouths, each with the ability to pulverize large bones? (Dan told us their bite pressure is 1,400 to 1,700 pounds per square inch!) The answer is that there is a slaughterhouse a few miles away that donates the parts they don't use. And there is no dainty dining out of bowls here. Chunks of meat weighing 15 to 20 pounds are literally lobbed over the high fences and the animals take it from there. We watched as a small white female, Mia, crunched up the rib bones of her catch.

As we walked around visiting the various fenced areas and meeting dark faced and light faced animals, Dan told us of some of their personality quirks. One, Sassy, is fond of playfully nipping his behind when he's working in the pens. Each penned area has shelters and doghouses, but the wolf dogs use them as places to stand on or relax on like a deck. Like dogs, they love toys and will take anything they can get their paws on. More than one person has put down a hat or gloves too close to the fence, turned away, and turned back to find them gone without a sight or sound of the thief. We learned just how quiet these animals are; leaving one fenced area where three wolf dogs had lurked in the shadows, Dan told us to look behind - the three animals had come right up to the fence just a few feet behind us with not so much as a rustle from the leaves.

The animals were generally quiet, mostly just watching us or coming to the fence to be touched. Then suddenly a howling began down the hill and voice after voice picked it up. Dan explained that they were "gossiping" – that something will start a couple of them and others chime in. In the pen next to us a small female lifted her head and added a gentle moaning howl to the chorus. Not far away we heard Max's baritone. And then as suddenly as it started, it stopped. The conversation completely excluded us humans and made it very clear that it is we who are in their territory.

Dan explained that wolves use 60 sounds for vocal communication. Plus, they have complex body language using the combination of eyes, head, body, and tail. And at least at the refuge, they communicate with the wild coyotes that live nearby. Dan told us that some of the wolf dogs have learned to make coyote sounds when the coyotes are calling. Wild coyotes are not the only other creatures here, either. There are a few cats who have adopted Fred, several chickens who wander about and keep the ticks under control, a domestic rabbit, and large birds such as ravens, vultures, and bald eagles. Though squirrels and chipmunks run through the penned areas, the wolf dogs don't bother them – with food provided, they have no desire to hunt.

Fred told us later that he receives 12 to 15 calls a week from people looking for a place to send a "pet" they no longer want, or from an animal shelter that has received a wolf dog and has no other choice than to euthanize the animal. The animals at the Loki Clan Wolf Refuge have come from all over the country – many from both Texas (where apparently you can have any kind of animal) and Massachusetts (nearby), but also from California, Maryland, Florida, Ohio, and even one found roaming the streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant in New York City. As we spoke, there were several more animals in the pipeline heading for the refuge, but only so many can arrive at a time as each animal needs time in a separate pen – like Tinga – until they adjust to their new outdoor home, to the people who will care for them, and to the reality of living with others of their kind. In the wild, a wolf will live six to ten years; in the preserve they live 13 to 15 years, and some have lived as long as 16 or 17.

Most animals receive new names when they arrive, like White Face who became Inca, and Mocha who became Moche. Tinga got a new name and learned it within a day; he'd been in the preserve less than a week and when I said his name he looked at me and tilted his head slightly with that, "You talking to me?" look.

At the end of our visit we met Atlas, a large gray animal who looked much more wolf than dog with his very large feet and long legs. Yet he was as friendly as many of the others, leaning against the fencing so he could be rubbed and have his head scratched. When he would lie down you could see that age was beginning to make his joints stiff, but then a few minutes later he was pacing back and forth quickly near the fence as Fred approached with his favorite treat – watermelon! Fred lobbed two quarters of the melon over the fence and Atlas pounced on it, cleaning the fruit to the rind; apparently it was a little ripe for his taste or he would have eaten the whole thing.

Fred lives with his wolf dog friends full time, and counts on grants, donations, and volunteers to help keep the refuge going. Any animal lover would have to be moved by the commitment he and others have made to giving these beautiful creatures a safe place to live in the kind of environment that is theirs by nature. Their winter coats protect them from the bitterest cold, they get food that is what nature intended, they have veterinary care, fresh water, attention, play, and most important – others of their kind. And the hills of western Maine and eastern New Hampshire are alive with their songs.

Are You Helping Decipher Vintage Texts?

2008-09-11T21:26:00.003-04:00

You know those funky skewed letters you have to type sometimes when you want to leave a comment on a blog or confirm an online order? Well, there’s a name for that: CAPTCHA. Sounds kind of like “gotcha,” doesn’t it? But it’s actually an acronym that means Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. Thank Luis von Ahn, of Carnegie Mellon University, who helped develop the security technique that is intended to foil the intrusion of bots.

There was a fascinating article in the Boston Globe (8/17/08, Ideas Section) on how people are now deciphering words from a decaying old book and helping to transform a historic text into a new digital file. Libraries worldwide are using digital cameras to scan millions of pages of old books using OCR (optical character recognition) to "read" the texts and turn them into digital files.

The trouble comes when age takes its toll on pages, and the old type smudges or flakes off the page. Computer software gets hung up on words that humans can easily decipher. The system developed by von Ahn takes those messy bits of text and places them as mystery words on websites. As people solve those logon puzzles, they also decode a real world. Dubbed "reCAPTCHA," the system is used on some 40,000 websites and has solved more than 44 million words in one year. You can even add it to your site or blog if you want to be part of the solution!

The results are used to correct the text and build clean copies of the books. It's more complex than that, of course, with a system in place to verify the accuracy of the human helpers. But it's nice to know that the next time you have to squint and tilt your head to figure out what those characters are, you might just be saving an old book for future readers.

Blueberry Bonanza

2008-09-04T11:16:00.003-04:00

If you've never sat in the midst of a patch of blueberry bushes and enjoyed the delicious anticipation of picking wild blueberries, this may not mean much to you. But one of the delights of going to the mountains of New Hampshire for vacation – for me, at least – is picking wild blueberries, freezing them, and bringing them home to become mid-winter blueberry muffins, pies, and cobblers. I know you can get "blueberries" in the grocery store, but to me those factory-farm-grown gigantic puffs are tasteless in comparison to their wild cousins.

The real thing grows on bushes that may be knee high (high bush) or only a few inches off the ground (low bush.) Ripe berries hide under the leaves, but turn the branches back and there you find blue/purple treasure.

Near where we vacation is a nature preserve, the Ossipee Pine Barrens. Primary access is off the main road, but a Class 6 Town Road (really an unpaved track) leads off our secondary road into part of the preserve. So one day I took my new walking stick, my bottle of water, camera, and berry bucket, and headed into the quiet of that tree-shaded road. An hour later I came out with my back and knees a little the worse for wear, a few mosquito bites, and my berry bucket holding a bonanza of wild blueberries.

All the time I was wandering and picking, only one other soul appeared – a man on a bicycle who called and waved to me as he went pedaling by. Otherwise, it was just me, the breeze, sunshine, and the blueberries. A perfect vacation day. To be followed by delicious wild blueberry muffins for New Year's breakfast.

This Stick is Made for Walking

2008-08-20T17:16:00.001-04:00

It was bound to happen. Eventually I knew there would be a day I'd want something – like a cane but not a cane – to be a little support when the old knees are particularly creaky. In fact, since I took a header last January and played smash-a-face on the front walk, I'd been looking at eBay and at craft shows for something with a bit of style. My husband beat me to it and found his own stick on eBay – the head/handle is a wonderful carving of a crouching panther with fangs bared. (His knees creak, too.) We left for vacation without me finding one of my own, but figuring that the fine craftspeople of New Hampshire might have something to offer.

The other day we walked into a local cigar shop so I could buy him the traditional vacation truly ugly cigars. They are very dark with one end tapered like a torpedo, and he smokes them outside on the porch. As I stood at the counter to pay for the ugly things, he pointed down to my left…and there it was. A walking stick of many layers of laminated wood, with a gentle twist and shaping to it, and a leather thong for the wrist. The wood was smooth and soft to the touch, and the compass in the top meant there would not be much excuse for getting lost. It was exactly right, and now it's mine!

A Playground for the Mind

2008-08-11T15:04:00.005-04:00

Back in early June we had four delightful days in Cambridge, MA. It was Phil's mumbledy-fifth reunion at MIT, and the second time I've been able to be part of that stimulating company. While it's fun to see him reconnect with old friends, and to meet and appreciate them myself, one of the best part for me is what's known as Tech Day.

Every year as part of reunions and graduation weekend, Tech Day is presented by the MIT Alumni Association. On Saturday morning people file into Kresge Auditorium to hear about the latest work being done by Institute professors. The event is free and open to anyone who wants to stop in; if I lived in the area I'd be there every year.

This time the theme was, "Out of this World." After a welcome by MIT President Susan Hockfield, three professors held the audience in thrall.

First was Max Tegmark, Associate Professor of Physics, whose presentation was on Precision Cosmology. Starting from an aerial view of the auditorium where we sat, he drew us with him to outer space and the far reaches of the universe. Dr. Tegmark was an engaging speaker and illustrated his work with jaw-droppingly beautiful images and mind-bending representations of the size of the universe and our place as a tiny speck in an insignificant galaxy.

Still in space but closer to home, Dava Newman, Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems was next. Dr. Newman's expertise is in human performance across the spectrum of gravity, and several of her experiments have flown on board shuttle missions and the Russian Mir space station. She is currently studying human adaptation to extreme environments including and advanced space suit design for extravehicular activity. Her BioSuit ™ won her recognition as a Best Inventor of 2007 by Time Magazine.

The final presentation began with a surprise celebrity introduction. The curtains parted and a toddler-sized creature with enormous, expressive eyes and a gentle voice rolled out to introduce her creator, Cynthia Breazeal. As Associate Professor of Media Arts and Science, Dr. Breazeal is a pioneer in social robotics and human-robot interaction. You might have seen Kismet, her appealing social robot in news stories. Her ongoing research includes developing socially intelligent robots that can interact with humans, work with people as peers, and learn from humans as apprentices.

It was only three hours out of a four-day weekend, but Tech Day alone would have been worth the trip. With such creative minds at work, I have renewed hope for the future of the human race.

Judy Collins...Still The Best

2008-07-09T21:42:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we joined hundreds of others who remember the 1960's very clearly, thank you, in an auditorium in Columbia, MD. For more than two hours we were enchanted, charmed, and basically blown away by the wonder that is Judy Collins.

She sang the songs that we all wanted to hear, of course - "Send in the Clowns," "Both Sides Now," and my favorite, "Someday Soon." She sang a couple of Lennon/McCartney tunes, promoting her newest album. And she sang several that clearly were pieces she just loved, that told stories.

The audience of mostly gray heads clapped, whistled, and sang along. We laughed when she joked about her life; who knew she did stand-up, and did it well? She played the guitar and had only the accompaniment of a pianist. After the intermission she played the piano and sang, a virtuoso performance.

She looked as wonderful and ethereal as ever. She did not need or use over-amplified sound systems to make an impression. And what really blew us away was the clear, pure tone in her voice. It was as good as it was more than 40 years ago, if not even a bit richer and fuller. Amazing! This lady is almost 70 years old, and can out-sing, out-compose, out-play, and out-perform people half her age or less.

It was an evening of pure delight and and strong emotional "yeah!" for all of us who still have a lot to give and do in life despite our gray hair, creaky knees, and senior discounts.

If you EVER have a chance to see Judy Collins in concert - do it!

Photos from Judy Collin's Website

Cantata for Three Chainsaws

2008-06-18T09:13:00.004-04:00

And even though I know it's just for today, and it's necessary, I'm worried. Scamp, our backyard rabbit is losing some of his hiding places. The birds are nowhere to be seen, and the squirrels have vamoosed for parts unknown.

It's the angry snarl of contrapuntal chainsaws that rips the air in our back yard this morning. Yes, we knew it was coming – they are clearing underbrush and small trees from the borders of the stream that runs through the area and eventually feeds into the Little Patuxent River and then to the Chesapeake Bay. They have to install some water control system and it will be better for all of us when it's done. Last year they met with homeowners and we walked the area as they explained what would be done and why. It all makes good sense. But oh, the noise!

Inside the house, Kira is hiding beneath my feet, and Pipsqueak has retired to the front of the house away from the noise. The robin parents who have been faithfully flying feeding missions to their nest under our deck are having trouble finding the right rafter to land on. Who knew that sound would disturb their directional system so? But after a few misdirections, they seem to have adapted and their two bobble-headed babies have their squirmy breakfasts.

I can see from my desk that three agile young men are clambering about, and already I have a clearer view of the townhomes behind us. Not that I want it, but there it is. I trust that they know what they are doing and will take only the necessary brush and trees away. But just in case, I'm keeping an eye on two of my favorite trees. And when they leave this afternoon, I'll be looking for Scamp and the squirrels who entertain Kira and me as we work.

The Whole Cat & Caboodle

2008-06-16T22:17:00.009-04:00

Do you have previous lives? I mean the kind that many of us who have been around for mumbledy-four years have…where you've had a different career, a different focus, and put your heart and soul into a venture for a while?

For me that was Cat & Caboodle. For once I was ahead of the game, but I should have waited a few years. What I did was start a business to sell handcrafted items for cat lovers. There were no imports, no manufactured pieces – everything was hand made by a skilled American artisan. I found people who made jewelry, pottery, fiber art, and stained glass (that last one was me.) Had I waited for the Internet, I could have set up a site, had great photographs of the pieces, and reached thousands of people.

But it was 1993 and I didn't wait. Instead I created a newsletter/catalog. I wrote the copy, used scissors and rubber cement to paste up a master, trundled to the local print shop, had the issues printed on recycled paper, got a bulk-mailing permit, addressed and bundled each issue, and schlepped them to the post office. Whew! It was fun and exhilarating…and not profitable.

So after a while, Cat & Caboodle wound down. But the dream persisted of going back to it one day. And so when I started collecting domain names (doesn't everyone own several dozen???), I also bought CatAndCaboodle.com and CatNCaboodle.com as well as the .net versions of them both.

And that was it, until…

A few weeks ago I had a phone call from a delightful lady in Washington State. She had a question for me: was I interested in selling the Cat & Caboodle domain names? Hmmm. Had to think about that. I still love cats, still love fine handcrafts. But did I still want to make that a business? Honestly…yes, I would like to make it a business. But was there any chance of that happening? No. Now that I write full time, and have started a publishing company, there is exactly zero chance of me going back into handcrafts.

So yes, I would sell the domain name, and yes, we came to an agreement. In the process, I've met a new friend, and I see a name that I treasure put to good and loving use. Cat & Caboodle lives on as Cat and Caboodle.com, The Cat Lover's Gift Shop. Take a look…if you love cats, she has something you won't be able to resist.

Having Way Too Much Fun by Design

2008-05-20T15:57:00.006-04:00

I love to learn. Almost any subject will do, too. For years after I got my college degree I found reasons to take courses in a variety of art subjects. In fact, when I took stained glass I got so hooked on the beauty of colored, textured glass, that I made it into a business for a few years. But that's another story.

A couple of weeks ago I took a basic course on InDesign, Adobe's desktop publishing program. InDesign is part of the Creative Suite that includes Photoshop and other fun stuff. I took the course because of my foray into publishing, and wanting to learn all the nitty gritty details that make a book something to be proud of. When I decided to start publishing, I was determined that any book that comes from The Silloway Press will be well written, and professionally designed, edited, and printed so that it will stand up against anything that Random House or Houghton Mifflin might publish. The hitch, of course, is that there are hundreds of years of knowledge and tradition in printing, and figuring out the most important things to learn is tough when you don't know enough to know what you don't know...y'know?

How a book looks on the inside is, I think, the third most important factor in its success, right after the title and cover design. (Yes, I know good marketing is essential, but I'm talking about the book itself here.) If you pick up a book and open it, your eyes need to feel comfortable with the margins, the font style, the size of the text, how the pages are numbered, and all the other things you don't even notice specifically but that create a positive or negative emotion. And all that designing is one of the many things you can do with InDesign. Even if I don't end up doing the book design, I wanted to understand what's involved.

Well, the course was exactly what I wanted. We had a small group and a terrific teacher - Chrissy Waldron - and the hours of the two days were packed with useful learning. I was exhausted at the end and absolutely couldn't wait to play some more. When the second level course runs later this summer, I'll be there.

Now, of course, my dilemma is that I have a new toy and want to play. But I also want to have hours to bill at the end of the month, so I'm having to control my desire to poke around and try all the cool tools in the program. Designing a marketing postcard for Real Estate the Rome Way was a good excuse to get in there and see how much I remembered.

A couple of days later I designed business cards for the publishing company for more practice...what do you think?

The Predicted Blizzard Arrived

2008-05-04T18:50:00.005-04:00

It happens every year. In spring, just as the daffodils are fading and the tulips are nodding toward the sun, the pink blizzard arrives. It was forecast. We knew it would come. It did not disappoint us.
This year has seen particularly deep drifts among the flower beds with accumulations of up to an inch on the sidewalk. The grass is almost covered, and like the winter white stuff, we track it into the house on our shoes. Every morning we clear the walk and by evening it has drifted over. We stamp our feet and drag our shoes across the door mat trying to dislodge the sticky bits, then give up and just walk in leaving tiny pink puddles behind.

Now there's another forecast: high winds and turbulence. That would be the vacuum cleaner picking up those bits of pink. We don't mind at all.

Proud Papa

2008-04-28T09:03:00.007-04:00

What happens when your son publishes an important book, has an article in the New York Times Magazine, appears on a top rated nighttime show in Canada, does several important radio interviews, has a review in the Book Review section of the NY Times, will soon be interviewed in Newsweek, and then heads out on a multi-state book tour? Why, you bust your buttons with pride, of course! That's the happy condition of my husband these days. Here he is wearing his Kluge t-shirt, with daughter Julie, in our local Barnes & Noble, holding a copy of the book, Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind, by Gary Marcus.

What's a "Kluge," (rhymes with "huge") you ask? The short definition is, "A clumsy and inelegant solution to a problem." If you've seen the movie, "Apollo 13," the crew used a kluge to make a repair that brought the damaged spacecraft back to earth safely. If you ever watched the old McGyver series, you saw the hero create kluge after kluge with duct tape and whatever he could find to solve the immediate problem. As to how that applies to the human mind, well, you'll just have to read the book!

We think the cover is brilliant, just like the contents. The British edition has a different cover, also terrific. Either way, Kluge is getting great reviews and making the author's father (and stepmother, too!) very proud.

Pink Snow In the Forecast

2008-04-25T17:31:00.010-04:00

Outside our front door is a tree that turns fluffy pink each spring. I believe it's a Kwanzan Cherry, but its name doesn't matter. Pink blossoms like mini-roses form a canopy over our miniscule front yard, branches reaching high against Phil's office windows, and low arching into the still bare branches of its neighboring bush.

Standing at the front door and looking out is one of the pleasures of the morning, to see the sun streaming through pink clouds. We rarely trim it back, preferring to let the tree spread protectively even though that means our tiny front yard is not grass covered. It's a fine trade-off for the shade it provides against summer's heat.

Soon the clouds will break and snow down on the ground, covering it with little pink petals. A couple of years ago a toddler came by during this snow and began lifting chubby handfuls and tossing them over his head. Giggling happily, he did it again and again.

Isn't it nice that one tree can give such pleasure?

Feathered Sunshine and Crimson Chase

2008-04-14T09:11:00.007-04:00

It's typical Baltimore spring - a couple days of open-all-the-windows warmth, and then back to temperatures in the 50's. The backyard is alive with color, movement, and sound. The pre-dawn chorus of chirps and trills has grown from a lone cheep-cheep to something that sounds more like an orchestra of flutes and piccolos tuning up. Soon I won't be able to find them as the trees turn from blush to pale green to full leaf.

I was standing at the sink yesterday when a flash of bright yellow caught my eye. Without a thistle feeder we rarely have yellow finches, but there he was - a still mottled but unquestionably bright yellow finch - clinging to the feeder and poking at it for something worth eating. A smaller, drabber version of him alit on the feeder pole, then hopped to the rail. And then they both zipped away.

It must be the connection to New Hampshire that makes me exclaim everytime I see one of these little flying lemons. My grandmother always loved them, calling them "drops of sunshine," as they flitted among the trees at the lake front cottage. They are good memory birds for me.

So of course I'm looking for them today, but instead I'm seeing games of chase in both feathers and fur. Two brilliant cardinals are chasing each other around the yard - is it a game or a dogfight between rivals? I can't tell, but it's delightful to watch. Two squirrels are scrambling from deck to ground to trees. And the robins are everywhere. My neighbor's hydrangea is showing tufts of green on the dried stalks of last year's bush. A rabbit is checking out the suddenly-green lawn.

And it's time for me to get to work, but now with a much improved Monday mind.

The photos, alas, are not mine, but come from stock.xchng (www.sxc.hu)

Amazon's Smiling Logo is a Sneer, and Jeff Bezos is Looking Like Snidely Whiplash

2008-04-04T18:07:00.006-04:00

There's a firestorm that's been brewing in publishing over the last week or so, and the flash point is amazon.com. In the matter of a few days, this behemoth of the book world has managed to rile up thousands of authors and small publishers with a greedy monopolistic grab for a few more dollars.

Having purchased a print-on-demand publishing company a couple of years back, and then tried to build a printing business, they were apparently not satisfied with having that piece of the pie. Nope, they wanted it all.

So they sent the sales reps for that company, BookSurge, with orders to contact print-on-demand (POD) publishers. Oh, no! Don't put anything in writing! But call the POD publishers like iUniverse, AuthorHouse, Xlibris, PublishAmerica, and many more. Tell them that if they don't switch all their on-demand printing to BookSurge, Amazon will make it really, really hard for people to buy those books. And gee, if that hurts their customers, the authors who write, pay for, and sell those books, well that's too bad. Oh, and if your contract with those authors promises to get them on Amazon, well we can still make that happen for you. But it will cost more. Of course, you'll have to pay to meet BookSurge's printing specifications which we can just about guarantee are different from whatever printing service you're using now. Too bad.

Sure smells like a protection racket, but then maybe I've seen too many old movies. The deal then was that a shop owner would pay the local thugs to guarantee that nothing unfortunate would happen to his property. Naturally, some refused. They had mysterious accidents that caused damage and, in some cases, put them out of business.

Amazon doesn't have anything to do with unfortunate accidents. They make it clear to publishers. Use our more expensive printing service, the one known in the industry for shoddy quality and lousy service, or discover that the "Buy It Now" or "Add to Cart" button disappears from every Amazon page of every book you publish. And just to drive their point home, they removed those buttons on many books.

There have been hundreds of blog articles and thousands of words written on this that I can't begin to summarize. Angela Hoy's Writer's Weekly is information central – I recommend it highly and am grateful that she and her husband who own BookLocker (a POD publisher) are the standard-bearers in the fight against Amazon's folly. Though Amazon was forced to release a statement that tries to clothe their greed in customer service, Angela points out some inconsistencies that put the lie to the press release. http://www.writersweekly.com/amazon.php

Did Bezos and his crew forget that they are not just selling books and software and cosmetics for heaven's sake? Every time someone goes to their site, every time a box with that smiley swoop arrives at someone's door, they are promoting the Amazon brand. For years they have built a brand that people saw as positive, friend of the consumer, and a good thing. Then they went and threw the equivalent of dung at it. Wash as they may, the stain and stench won't go away soon. Neither will all the authors and publishers who refuse to be cowed by a bully, and who refuse to be silent about the bullying.

So why am I all worked up about this? I'm not an uninterested party; later this year I will be publishing the first of what I intend to be a series of niche non-fiction books through The Silloway Press. The reality is that Amazon is the first choice for most people when buying books on line. If Amazon manages to force even micro-publishers like me to use their inferior service, it will affect my reputation and viability as a business.

But mostly, I hate injustice and bullying. So I'm adding my voice to the chorus of protest, and signing my name. I also sign my name to protests against warrantless wire-tapping and the invasive aspects of the so-called "Patriot Act" that allow the government to find out what books I take out of the library. Phooey on them both. Margaret Mead had it right: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Rockin' Robin

2008-03-27T10:11:00.005-04:00

Birds flutter nearby for my viewing pleasure most of the day - I plan it that way. My desk sits right in front of a window that is at ground level and below our mini-deck. A bird feeder hangs out from the deck rail above and draws feathered visitors to entertain our indoor cats. When I fill the feeder I make sure that a fair amount of seed falls to the ground below, thereby assuring me of an equal amount of entertainment from the area doves, cardinals, and squirrels. Nope, no exotic types here...and the hummingbirds are still a good month away.

But we have robins again. Boy, do we have robins! And now I think we will have more robins.

A little while ago I noticed unusual fluttering under the deck. Long strings of what looked liked dried grass dangled from the cross beam, waving in the wet breeze of a rainy morning. Another flutter and the architect arrived with more of the same. I'm going to call it "she" because I can't tell the difference (yet.) She added the new materials to the small collection already there. Three or four times she pulled up the dangling ends and poked them toward the center of her creation. Then she did a little dance, wings about half unfurled, and side-stepping across the nest-to-be. More pulling and poking, then more dancing. Apparently satisfied she flew off, only to return a few minutes later and repeat her ritual. (No, that's not her in the photo - my shots are all too dim.)

I'm sure an ornithologist could tell me what's going on in proper scientific terms. But I just like to think of her as our Rockin' Robin.

Far Out!

2008-03-24T17:14:00.006-04:00

Dying Star - Cat's Eye Nebula

Today I re-stumbled upon a Web site I saw several years ago and then lost track of. Thanks to the SPAN Connection newsletter (SPAN is the Small Publishers Association of North America), I spent far too many minutes trolling through page after page of literally out of this world photos.

Dying Star - Ant Nebula

Infrared Image of Saturn

Sombrero Galaxy

When it was first sent up, the Hubble Space Telescope got a lot of bad press and bad jokes about lowest bidders on government projects. It had its glitches, but since the engineers worked through the problems and tuned up the Hubble, it's been sending back amazing images of worlds beyond anything we can see with our puny eyes.

Veil Nebula

Orion Nebula (This one looks like some gorgeous
stained glass I used to put into lamps and windows!)

Yes, I know the images are enhanced and that the colors are probably a guess, but who can argue with the majesty, grace, and beauty of worlds dancing for our pleasure light years away? Since I don't expect to see warp drive in my lifetime, these peeks into the lives of nebulae will have to do.

Home of an Intergalactic Wizard, don't you think?

Star A-borning

Any day you need a break from flashing images or too much text, surf to http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album. Then relax and prepare to be awed.

A National Treasure Hidden in Plain Sight

2008-03-17T20:41:00.012-04:00

On Friday morning I dragged myself out of bed and trundled down I-95 toward Washington for an 8:00 a.m. networking and information session. This Women in Business group (part of the Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber) usually doesn't see me because their meetings are always at an hour that does not compute. Being your basic "owl", a.k.a. a night person, my brain does not do well before about 9:30 in the morning. So it is a given that the subject or event has to show a lot of promise for me to not only be there but to have appropriate clothing and a public face on.

This one was absolutely worth the effort. Just off Route 1 in Beltsville sits a 14-story brown block of a building that screams "government architecture." Well off the main road that is otherwise crowded with stores, this chunky edifice seems both distant and foreboding.

Didn't your mother tell you not to judge by appearances? Here's your object lesson. Inside this unattractive container lives and breathes a remarkable collection to delight any lover of nature and history. This is the National Agricultural Library - bet you didn't even know there was one. Neither did I. Not only is this the world's largest research library focused on agriculture, but it is open and welcoming to the public. You can't wander the stacks - the helpful librarians will bring you whatever you want - but you can borrow through interlibrary loan, and you can also access many resources via the Internet no matter where in the world you happen to be. In fact, they have several computers right there to help you with research.

The size of the collections is staggering, and the breadth is amazing. Special collections include rare books, seed catalogs dating back to 1771, original correspondence from Thomas Jefferson, amazing original watercolors of fruits and nuts, and more. The library subscribes to thousands of periodicals - where else could you find a copy of the "Common 'Tater" or "Spudman" for potato farmers? Were you aware that there is actually a standard color system for identifying flowers, complete with color chips that remind you of a paint store? The Royal Horticultural Society publishes the color set, and the NAL includes that in their collection as well. Need a program for teaching nutrition to kids complete with videos? They can help. Curious about llamas and alpacas? They have what you need to raise and care for these gorgeous creatures.

Our group was fortunate to be there the day after a special reception, and saw some truly valuable items in the Special Collections area. A book published in 1539 in Italy, in Latin. An original folio of Carl Linnaeus. A diary of one of the early plant collectors sent out by the Department of Agriculture to travel the world and bring back specimens. And on and on. There is so much, and everyone we met there was not only welcoming and helpful, but they obviously enjoyed their work immensely.

Now here's the sad part - the Current Occupant of the White House (to use Garrison Keillor's term) has proposed a budget that would cut funding for the NAL by 25% in fiscal 2009. If that goes through it would have a non-recoverable impact on the NAL and its collections: They would not be able to buy any new printed books; all subscriptions to printed materials would be cancelled; NAL would not be able to fill the 29,000 requests they receive yearly for delivery of materials that are available only in print; access to most NAL print materials would be available only on site (so if you are a researcher living in California you are out of luck); and access to the special collections - valuable for work against invasive species and in the discovery of new pharmaceuticals - would end.

My husband is a great writer of letters to editors and his elected representatives. Not me - until we got together I was basically apolitical. But this is too much, even for me. Destroying a resource that has taken almost 150 years to build - (Abraham Lincoln signed the act creating the Department of Agriculture and the NAL in 1862) - that is false economy. We're talking a difference of about $6 million. Sounds like a lot of money, until you realize that the total U.S. budget for 2009 is $3.1 trillion (I cannot wrap my brain around a number that big). $20.2 billion went to the Department of Agriculture in 2008, and $6 million is only 3/100 of 1 percent of the Agriculture budget. Pocket change! If my calculations are correct, and Wikipedia has the right numbers, the Department of Defense burns through almost $55 million dollars every hour of every day of the year, and that does NOT include the billions going to Iraq.

Here's a modest proposal: What say we take six and a half minute's worth of DOD's budget and give it to the NAL where it will be used to build rather than destroy?

Rant ended. Please enjoy the treasures of the NAL. I certainly did, and will again. And I'll probably go back for images from time to time - all these photos were downloaded from the NAL's Image Gallery , with the exception of the Amarylis drawing - that's a beautiful holdiay card available from NAL. The sentiment inside is "Peace and Joy". What more could we ask?

Crocuses (Croci?) and Daffodils

2008-03-05T14:52:00.007-05:00

Crocuses are running riot out front on a spring-fever day. Temperatures in the upper 60's, sunshine, and windows open to air out the winter-stuffy house. Yes!

Laptop with Photoshop on it is in for repair so there's no way to get the photos I took from the camera to my blog. Phooey! Remembering the sight brightens my mind. For you, some not-from-my-garden shots that capture the feeling.
No matter what Punsxatawney Phil said, my springtime is here. Robins are holding convocations in the backyard and squirrels are chasing each other up and down trees. Maybe it's wishful looking, but I swear the trees out back are starting to blush. For sure I heard a woodpecker this morning. We're going to make it.

Back in your hole Mr. P. Phil - my season is here!

A Different First Female President

2008-02-27T12:08:00.007-05:00

Last evening I was in heady company - the MIT club of Baltimore had a reception for Dr. Susan Hockfield, President of the Institute. As the 16th president in its almost 150 years, Dr. Hockfield broke several barriers including being the first female as well as the first to come from the life sciences. As head of an institution that boasts 72 Nobel Prize winners, you might expect a woman more comfortable in a laboratory than a cocktail party.

In person, though, Dr. Hockfield (or "Susan" as her name tag proclaimed) is both approachable and eloquent. Like many others there, my husband - the MIT alum - and I waited to have a few words with her, and she greeted us as warmly as if we had just pledged several million dollars to the endowment. (We didn't.) Turns out this highly accomplished neuroscientist loves the meet-n-greet part of her job. Later during her remarks she talked about what MIT is doing and where they are focusing research and cooperative efforts with industry. These days there is an increasing emphasis on life sciences and the space where biology meets physics and engineering, as well as energy projects around combating global warming.

One of the most remarkable accomplishments of recent years started before her Presidency - placing every bit of MIT courseware online - free - and available to anyone, anywhere in the world. Not only does OpenCourseWare have lecture videos, notes, exams, and other resources for more than 1,800 courses online, but many are available in languages other than English. No other advanced learning institution has made such a commitment to sharing knowledge.

The reach of MIT's influence touched close to home. We sat with a high school Physics teacher from Columbia, MD who was recognized as an inspirational teacher by MIT. His enthusiasm for his work and his students was contagious.

They say that a tennis player improves competing against a better player. It wasn't competition, but being in the company of all those intelligent and dedicated people gave me the same kind of energy boost that I get from other kinds of creativity. Besides, I just love seeing a woman as the respected and successful leader of one of the finest science and engineering institutes in the world!

Creativity Infusion

2008-02-25T21:39:00.007-05:00

I've been silent for a long time here. No crises prevented me from writing other than the usual small ones that come along under the guise of Life and Aging. No crushing deadlines to blame either, though there have been plenty of semi-crushing ones that seemed like looming dragons at the time. Nope, it's just been a case of too much to do and not enough time. I'm still looking for that "Time Turner" that J.K. Rowling used in one of the Harry Potter books – a lovely necklace with a small hourglass on it, as I recall. Turn it once and you get that hour back so you can be somewhere else and doing something else. Oh, boy, do I want one of those! (TimeTurner from http://tinyurl.com/dmswu)

What's brought me back is an infusion of creativity that I enjoyed on Saturday. Every February, several hundred talented craftspeople descend on Baltimore for the American Craft Council show. For the first few days they see only wholesale buyers, but from Friday through Sunday the rest of us can get in at the massive Convention Center.

There are a few craft shows that draw the best of the best, and this is one of them. In the mid-Atlantic area, the others are the Philadelphia Museum show in November and the Smithsonian show in April, and they both have their charms. For sheer size and variety, though, nothing beats ACC in February.

My friend and I do other things now, but we've both been working artists in the past – she in porcelain, and I in stained glass. So we go to shop, of course, but we also go for the sheer enjoyment of filling our eyes and ears and fingertips with the beauty of finely crafted work presented by the people who created and crafted the work themselves. Her blog about the show is well worth a read.

What a treat it is to spend time talking with fine crafts makers! Just as birders flock to the blogs of Julie and Mary for inspiration, we artists soak ourselves in the colors of creative craft. Mentally I spent thousands, and every dollar well worth it. My finger still itches for an exquisite ring of 18K gold set with a brilliant green tourmaline, and just my size. Reality, of course, is another matter, but I did come home with earrings that have my colors (turquoise, gold, and carnelian), and a bookmark of finely inlaid woods. My friend found a necklace of silk cords with a clever magnetic catch, and a sweater/jacket in her browns, plus a couple of gifts.

We both came away with ideas and designs dancing in our heads, and with that warm glow of confirmation that we still recognize and appreciate fine design and craftsmanship. Back home, I polished my prize from last year's show - a Josh Simpson "Inhabited Vase." Had I unlimited funds, I would be a serious collector of Simpson's work, and I thoroughly enjoy the few small pieces I do have. Amazing what he can do with glass!

For me, the surest proof of the benefit of a day out for art is right here – a new blog article after a very long, very dry spell.

Kindle-ing a Buzz

2007-11-22T11:11:00.000-05:00

Amazon's new Kindle "wireless reading device" generated a "Yecch!" reaction in my gut when I first heard about it. I love books made of ink on paper. Old ones show the tatters of loving use. Books from my childhood share shelf space with those from my mother's early life. Christmas would not be complete without pulling out my copies of Miss Flora McFlimsey's Christmas Eve, or Big Susan. The content is not the issue - it's the memories that are held between their covers. No electronic device could ever replace them.

Some of my favorite books have underlines and highlights. There is sensual pleasure in the texture of a fine binding and the promise of something new and wonderful as you turn each page. There's a feeling of discovery even with a new mass market paperback. What's waiting there for me? The lyrical writing of Julie Zickefoose would still be beautiful, but her watercolor illustrations add so much to Letters From Eden, and they need paper.

So the Kindle started out as a "no way, no thanks, not for me" device. The name alone turns me off. Why did Bezos choose a name that conjures images of fire? Does this man who's made millions on selling real books believe his new toy will make ink and paper obsolete, leading to bonfires a la Fahrenheit 451?

Then I went to the Amazon site and saw the image - not as bad as I thought. If the screen truly is as easy to read as promised, then it might be a good solution for people who have limited mobility. If you have one arm in a cast, for instance. People with poor eyesight can adjust the type size which will give them access to many books without having to wait for a "large print" edition. Those who commute on public transportation could read the newspaper without flapping it in their neighbor's faces and ending up with blackened fingers. Except if they happen to ride the DC Metro, in which case they'd be out of luck when the trains go underground.

The thing is, though, that you still need to have access to the network in order to read a book. I don't know anything about Sprint's data network, but I do question whether you'd be able to read everywhere. Backwoods of Maine? On a cruise ship in the Caribbean? For $400 plus $10 for each volume I can buy a lot of real books that I can read anywhere in the world without charging a battery or finding a network. And the ones that I love I can pass around to friends, who can pass them on to their friends. Who can pass them on to people who perhaps cannot afford to buy a book at all.

Lest I sound too curmudgeonly, I'm not against the thing - though I really dislike its name. I'm just a very long way from adding it to my wish list. If I see someone using it, of course I'll ask them about it and even try to get my hands on it. But to own one? No thanks.

Sideling Up to Geology

2007-11-05T15:21:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago we were in Western Maryland where the hills roll from one into the other, and roads do the best they can going up, over, and through. It's all beautiful country, but there's one brief section that makes you say, "Wow, look at that!"

Just beyond Hancock, I-70 turns north into Pennsylvania, and I-68 begins its westward track. Old U. S. 40 follows the same route but then veers sharply south to climb the side of a hill, and then does a switchback down the other side. It's clear that when the old National Pike was built, it was no match for Sideling Hill.

Fast forward a few decades to the building of I-68. Engineers blasted through and created an easy, curvy run for the new interstate highway. And in the process, exposed a remarkable geologic formation that clearly illustrates the immense powers that formed our Appalachians. Thanks to the construction, you can see how the rock layers were lifted, curved, and eroded away over the millenia to the gentle mountains we know today.
Thank goodness they didn't just blast through and leave it at that. In the visitor's center there is an informative display that explains how Sideling Hill was formed as well as a three story-high timeline of the earth's formation. Outside, stairs let you walk up to the rock formations, and a pedestrian bridge across the interstate - complete with "camera ports" that let you photograph without having to thread your lens through the protective wire fence - gives you a remarkable view.

This is one example of your highway taxes not only at work, but doing something very worthwhile.

Move-In Condition Haunted House

2007-10-31T10:09:00.000-04:00

Our recent drive through western Maryland was a lovely respite from the megalopolis of Baltimore/Washington. Here, buildings nudge each other for space, and anything that is more than 25 years old seems at risk of razing. Buildings rarely become charming derelicts. Their land is too valuable as the future site of a mega-store that I'll never go to.

So it was a delightful discovery we made on a road just a few feet north of Interstate 68. Visible from the highway, this lovely old place seemed to want just a few ghostly moans and flickering lights to be the perfect haunted house. There are no neighbors to complain - the nearest building is an old barn. Property values don't suffer because the value is in the land. It's clearly not safe for any but the spirits of the departed, but isn't it nice to know that such a place still exists on Halloween?

Learn Something Good

2007-10-30T16:03:00.000-04:00

One of the frustrations of being very busy is that I don't always make the time to give back in meaningful ways. For now, my business requires the attention of an infant. That limits my ability to get involved as I might like in causes that matter to me. I write checks at the end of the year, but wish I could do something more often.

Now I've found a way I can. Thanks to The Publicity Hound, Joan Stewart, I learned about Good Search. Whenever you use their search engine, GoodSearch donates money to the nonprofits and charities of your choosing. Just go to GoodSearch, choose your charity, and enter your search terms. It's based on Yahoo! Search, and you can even add a local charity or school of your choice to the list.

As an info-packrat I do a lot of searching. Now that I've added GoodSearch to my Firefox toolbar (they make it easy), each of those searches will generate a donation for my choice, Heifer International. True, it's only pennies a day, but they will add up. GoodSearch is a great idea – give it a try and know that your searching will help a cause that matters to you.

Of Leaf Peeping and Barn Art

2007-10-23T20:25:00.000-04:00

It's the end of October. In Maryland that means brisk days, cool nights, and breezy cascades of gold, terracotta, and scarlet as the trees shed their leaves.

Except this year. Like too much of the country, we are unseasonably warm and very dry. Usually we have some nice colors in the trees even here in the Baltimore area, but this year the trees seem just tired of it all and are dropping leaves of pale yellow-ish tan, brown, and only an occasional peachy orange.

In need of a long weekend away, and celebrating our anniversary, we headed for the hills. Western Maryland and that bumped up part of West Virginia that threatens to crush the panhandle right up to the Mason and Dixon line - that was where we hoped to find some proper leaf peeping.

The C&O Canal

In three days of wandering around Berkeley Springs, WV, and the area between Hancock and Cumberland, MD, we did finally find some good fall color. Even better, we found peaceful vistas, twisty roads that crawl sideways up a hill and then switch back for the downward run, and a few quirky buildings. One of my favorites was this barn that stood right up against the road. Clearly abandoned and weathered to a stately gray, it boasted three paintings hung on its sides. Long ago weathered and with the paint worn off in streaks, the painted wood panels spoke of an artist whose work seemed to foretell the fate of the building and its farm.

Interstates 70 and 68 allow for a quick trip from Baltimore to Western Maryland. But for a better ride, I recommend getting off the highway and taking good old U.S. 40. In many areas it parallels the interstate, but allows for those spur of the moment side trips that make your day.

Tonight! The 17th First Annual Ig Nobel Awards

2007-10-04T20:46:00.000-04:00

Do you remember Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In"? Yes, that dates me, too. And do you remember Jo Anne Worley asking, "Is that a chicken joke?" Well, tonight, the mere speaking of the word "chicken" is drawing a roar from the crowd in Cambridge, MA. That's right, in staid old Harvard's hallowed halls, the world (in)famous Ig Nobel awards are being conferred this very night. For reasons not entirely clear - I haven't had time to do an in-depth study - the theme of tonight's event is Chicken. This unique, hand-crafted prize will be given to this year's lucky(?) honorees.

Now these are serious scientists, not just a bunch of sophomoric intellectuals, and winning an Ig Nobel confers a certain cachet. The following is taken directly from the web site of Improbable Research, and they can say it so much better than I:

"The Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) is a magazine printed on genuine paper, and also in digital form on the web. Subscribe, and you'll find our very best stuff -- genuine, improbable research culled from more than 20,000 science, medical, and technical, and academic journals.

We administer the Ig Nobel Prizes, given each year for achievements that make people laugh, and then make them think.

Our goal is to make people laugh, then make them think. We also hope to spur people's curiosity, and to raise the question: How do you decide what's important and what's not, and what's real and what's not -- in science and everywhere else?

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but, 'That's funny..." --Isaac Asimov

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." --Sherlock Holmes"

So what qualifies for an Ig Nobel honor? In 2006, winning research included an exploration of why woodpeckers don't get headaches, a study of the different odors emitted by frogs under stress, and my personal favorite, the discovery that herring communicate with others of their kind by...how to put this delicately...passing gas.

All of these research projects had a serious purpose. Really, they did. And tonight, the ten newest Ig Nobel winners have traveled from all over the world, at their own expense, to accept their honors. According to the web site, "The Prizes will be handed to them by a group of genuine, genuinely bemused Nobel Laureates, all before a standing-room only audience of 1200 people."

Isn't it good to know that there's still room for such silliness in the world?

Interlude

2007-09-18T22:33:00.000-04:00

This brilliant, crisp, promise-of-fall day brought with it a gift. Concentrating on spiffing up a photo my favorite client had taken for her blog, I almost missed it. First, it stopped me cold. Then sent me scrambling upstairs for my camera and wishing I had the lenses and skill of fine nature photographers like Julie and Mary.

Just beyond the support for my tiny deck, right by my neighbor's hydrangea bush, there he was. And I recognized him from last spring! Sadly, it wasn't his gentle eyes or fine young antlers but his lame right foreleg that gave him away. Last time he wandered through our puny excuse for woods his antlers were furry and rounded, but now he has a couple of points on each side. When I first saw him last spring I didn't expect he would survive since walking was so difficult for him. When he touched his right front hoof to the ground, it was as if he was permanently en pointe. It looked painful and awkward and I just wanted to run out and hug him or somehow make it right.

So today when he wandered by again, I was delighted to see he is still here. I drew the curtains back from the sliding door and then stood still - he was looking right at me, measuring the threat. Soon enough he went back to eating low-hanging leaves from the trees and even wandered in and out of sunlight for my enjoyment.

This is one of the delights of working at home, looking out a window. With townhouses all around I'm amazed at how much wildlife comes through the few feet of trees and tiny stream that separate one group from another. Usually it's robins, blue jays, squirrels, and Scamp, the resident rabbit. Today it was the gift of seeing a special fellow again.

What I Did On My (Not Long Enough) Summer Vacation

2007-08-02T21:59:00.000-04:00

If this blog had smell-o-rama you would be able to enjoy the scent of sun-washed pine. With sound-o-rama you could hear the soft splish of mini-waves washing over the rocks on the shore, and the wispering of birch leaves trembling in the breeze. And enviro-true would help you feel the warm sun, then as the light ebbed, you would feel the cool come down from the hills.Now multiply that by about 6 days and you have a perfect vacation in New Hampshire.

Wish I were there.

Nature Next Door

2007-07-30T16:36:00.001-04:00

The press of obligations has smooshed blogging off to the side in recent weeks; here's my attempt to loosen up and post just because something neat happens, even though small.

Case in point: my next-door neighbors have kindly done a wonderful job of landscaping around their town house's postage stamp back yard. This includes a butterfly bush that is easily 10' tall and that lives up to its name. A few days ago it was a particularly beautiful warm, non-humid summer's day. Looking out the window beyond my desk I kept seeing drifting waves of butterflies headed next door. So for a few moments I put the computer on standby and took my camera out for some fresh air.

We were obviously no threat to the beautiful yellow and black butterflies since they posed nicely before drifting away. I was amazed at how many of them had ragged wings. Some were missing whole chunks but it didn't keep them from flying and feeding on the brilliant purple flowers. After about 10 minutes of butterfly therapy the day went much better.

She's Got a Baton and Knows How to Use It

2007-06-10T21:10:00.000-04:00

She walks out in front of the crowd with assurance, bows briefly, steps up...and the magic begins. Marin Alsop has not even officially begun her tenure as the Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, but she's clearly not letting that stand in the way of showing what a woman with a baton can accomplish.

Today's BSO concert validated the decision to hire her that was controversial at the time, even - if you can believe the news stories - unpopular with some of the musicians in the orchestra. I never could understand why anyone would lament the departure of Yuri Temirkanov who spent as little time as possible in Baltimore, who never spoke to the audience, rarely spoke English for heaven's sake. Now we have this dynamic woman who is proving she can pull the orchestra together and get them bounding in her direction, making magnificent music the like of which the Meyerhoff hasn't heard since David Zinman left.

Elgar's Cello Concerto and Dvorak's symphony From the New World were today's offerings, the latter being recorded for a CD of Alsop leading the BSO. Watching her draw the music out with energy and emotion, and working without a score, was as much a pleasure as the glorious sounds themselves. I challenge any other symphony orchestra, anywhere, to better today's reading of the Dvorak. The standing, cheering audience would have given Alsop a fifth bow had she not drawn the Concert Master off with her on her fourth exit.

If anyone from the BSO is listening, you have finally regained the support of long-time season ticket holders who quit in disgust during Temirkanov's time. Thanks for having the guts to appoint the first woman to lead a major American orchestra. She's already proving you made a great choice.

An Antidote to What's-His-Name

2007-04-18T22:04:00.000-04:00

I have an antidote to the Imuses and Sharptons and Coulters and other sewage-spewers of the world. For every spotlight seeker going for the cheap quick headline, there are dozens of beautiful examples of writers and speakers who caress words into glowing images.

I commend to you Julie Zickefoose. With an 80-acre back yard in the Appalachians, and an encyclopedic knowledge of nature, she writes about her world and paints it with appreciation for the company of birds and bullfrogs. Her lyrical style first caught me in a brief article in the Nature Conservancy magazine, and that same day her new book went on my Amazon wish list. Fortunately, my birthday was just weeks away. As my day arrived, so did Zickefoose's Letters from Eden: A Year at Home, in the Woods.

It's clear from the Preface that a treat awaits. She talks about her "…neighbors: coyotes, copperheads, gnatcatchers, and bluebirds. I walk through their woods, and I'm lucky enough to come to know some of them." She sees the goings on in her bit of forest as nothing much extraordinary. Creatures go about their affairs. "Bullfrogs leap from the water to snap up birds. Bluebirds and Carolina wrens sometimes have threesomes. These things are extraordinary only if we know they happen. My work is to notice them."

She is a master of her craft. Enjoy.

She May Know Fashion, But ...

2007-01-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

In today's Baltimore Sun there's an article that got my goat. First of all, they are running a series called "The Middle Ages." This is not about that dark period just before the brilliance of thought and art that flowered in the Rennaisance. No, they are talking about the booming generation of people that the rest of society doesn't quite know what to do about. Boomers. Middle aged. Semi-senior. No one has come up with a good name yet - for there is none - but plenty of people have advice.

Now there's a fashion manual for the boomers from someone who, by age at least, is one of their own. But if you believe the Sun article, mostly she has disdain for the clothes choices of her group. She focuses on "unflattering, frumpy and dated looks" and offers advice on transforming them into hip, with it styles.

Some of her advice is good but obvious and unrelated to age: tennis shoes with a skirt suit for women never look good. Frumpy is rarely flattering.

What I take issue with is her handed-down-from-on-high statements. Teal is a nursing-home color. White shoes say old. Pastel jogging suits are out. A colorful pullover sweater for a man is a no-no.

What if you have spent your working life in black or navy suits, looking forward to the day when you could live in pastel jogging suits? What if you happen to love teal and look especially good in it (says she with the red hair)? Where is comfort in her plan? Where is the familiarity and ease of a favorite sweater or less-than-hip jean skirt - another item on her "don't" list?

Early in the article the author points out that boomers are spending billions on clothing. Somehow, all I got from this article was another "expert" doing what "experts" have done all our lives...tell us what we are doing wrong and how we can fix it by simply buying something else, including their books.

I suspect a lot of boomers are too busy writing their own books to worry about whether a "style expert" approves.

How To Get Rid Of a Customer

2007-01-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

What's the fastest way to get rid of a customer? Without saying a word?

You got it. The answer is not saying a word. Being unresponsive. Showing that you really don't care what their experience was, even if they go to the trouble of pointing out - politely - that there might be a problem with your quality or service.

Two big names in women's apparel have recently provided me with an up close and personal example. Delta Burke - the clothing line that bears her name - has some nice designs. A few months ago I started swimming in the local indoor therapy pool (great for creaky knees!), and I bought a Delta Burke bathing suit at Lord & Taylor. Between the two I expect good quality and excellent service.

Right. My dismay quickly turned to ire when, after barely a dozen wearings, the suit began to disintegrate. The fabric lost all its oomph. Tiny gray ends of broken elastic fibers covered the surface. When wet, the skirt hung below my knees! Now my knees are not a great sight, but I don't want to have to fight with fabric when I'm swimming.

Yes, I rinsed the suit carefully and repeatedly after each wearing. The pool is state of the art and uses salts and very little - if any - chlorine. Clearly, there was a quality problem with the fabric.

So I wrote to Delta Burke Fashions describing the problem and my suggestion that they have a problem with quality, and I sent a copy to the Women's Buyer at Lord & Taylor at their headquarters store. (I would have written to a specific person, but the very helpful department manager at the local L&T couldn't give me a name.)

The result? Resounding silence.
My response? Two new swimsuits purchased - neither of them a Delta Burke, neither of them from Lord & Taylor. And one blog article.

In a dentist's office once I saw a sign: Ignore your teeth and they'll go away. The same goes for customers. The fact that I won't buy anything else from Delta Burke or L&T probably won't even register on their radar. Or maybe it will.

Addendum: Thanks to Alex for reminding me of the Demotivators to be found at Despair.com. Herewith a pertinent example: http://despair.com/disservice.html

Thanks For the Other 364

2006-12-25T17:14:00.000-05:00

Friends and family know that I have a bad habit of believing I can do more in less time than is actually possible. It's not intentional. I can "see" the thing done, and so it seems a short hop from vision to reality. Reality, however, has its own timetable, and we are rarely in sync.

So for those who've noticed that my intention of a weekly "thank you" profile beginning on Thanksgiving – accompanied by a Heifer International donation - also ended on the same day, here's the mea culpa makeup. On Christmas Day there is finally time to consider the people I'm grateful are in my life on the other 364 days.

Phil – my best friend, soul mate, husband. Every day I am delighted by the love and laughter we share; you empower me to be and do everything. You were worth the wait. For you – trees - because you care about the world and its future, locally and globally. And because we all know there really is global warming.

Dick and Kathleen – my siblings. We share knowledge, history, and family stories that no one else can understand. On the rare occasions we are together, conversations and banter pick up where they left off. Having you in my life is knowing that I have a built-in, guaranteed cheering section, and a refuge if I ever need it. You are the basics in my life. So for you – sheep – for they provide food and warmth.

My Extended Family – Stepdaughter, stepson and daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, aunt, uncle, cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews. We are very lucky in this family. Minimum strife, maximum caring. We're scattered around the country but any of us could say "I need help" and we would all respond. For you – geese – because they are adaptable and efficient and great at raising a ruckus when need be.

Friends – like Paula who writes for children and is one of the most caring, giving people I know. And new friend Jay, who I have not met in person, but I know that when we do we will not shake hands but will go straight for the hug. And Lee, Margaret's husband, who is courageous and huggable and loves flying as I do. For all of you – a goat – a very giving animal.

Future Friends and Family – two young people who will marry into the clan in 2007, and those who will join us in years ahead. You enrich an already fortunate group. And people I meet through blogs and online communities – talented writers, artists, and professionals – you all expand my world by giving me someone knew to meet, something new to learn. For you – rabbits – whose legendary ability to multiply mirrors the enrichment of my life you will bring.

Hmmm – that's a lot of feathers, fur, and new growth. What we need now is something to round them all up. Yes, a llama will be just right.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a shady, warm, cackling, munching, hopping good night.

Breathtaking

2006-11-26T11:33:00.000-05:00

Look at this and tell me you don't say "Aaah" and feel the cool, calm infuse your mind.

Mother Nature is glad to provide for your well being with the help of the intrepid folks atop Mount Washington.

What Do You Get When You Cross the Energizer Bunny with….

2006-11-23T10:52:00.000-05:00

A nurse
An artist
A Realtor®
And a TypeE visionary…all in one person?

You get my friend, Margaret.

Anyone who already knows this extraordinary woman understands. The rest of this is for people who haven't yet met Margaret Rome. You are in for a treat.

We met almost 20 years ago when she was a ceramic artist just beginning her transformation into a highly successful real estate professional, and I was an accountant/computer consultant. In our first phone conversation she invited me to her studio, and I was struck by her openness and desire to share. What I didn't realize then was that the givingness of this woman is her hallmark.

A few months later I needed help selling my condo but didn't think I could afford to use a Realtor – it was not a happy time financially for me. Margaret stepped in declaring "you can't afford not to use me," and proved it by selling my home for more than I expected. I'm pleased that years later my story became an article on her blog, a blog that exists because she saw the potential of the "I Blog For You" idea.

There isn't enough space on Blogger's server for me to talk about the many ways she has had a positive effect on my life, often just by being who she is. If I sent out a call for anyone Margaret has helped to meet in Baltimore, I believe we could fill Ravens Stadium. And so for every one of them – and myself – I say "Thank you for being my friend."

The Best Gift Guide

2006-11-22T22:43:00.000-05:00

Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is

2006-11-17T18:35:00.000-05:00

Back in September I wrote an article on this and my other blog about philanthropy. It was triggered by the generous givings of Richard Branson and Warren Buffett. And now, with the seasons of giving bearing down on us, my mailbox overflows with desperate pleas from charitable organizations. "Please help the… [insert category of needy – two-footed, four-footed, winged, finned, environmental, or service.]" From the very local to the intergalactic, I'm on their list. And so my recycling bin overflows, too.

Had I Gates' billions they might all get checks. But I don't, and so I choose those causes that seem to me to make the kind of difference I believe in, and where most of my dollars go to the purpose of the charity rather than its administration. On New Year's Eve I will write checks and make online donations to a number of such nonprofits.

But what about the rest of the year? OK, today is a memorable day for me, so I've decided to commemorate it with more than a celebratory lunch. I want to also honor some of the people who have reached out their hands and thoughts to me, and helped me take those steps that have changed my life for the better.

Here's the deal. Each time I profile one of these special people on this blog, I will make a donation to Heifer International in their honor. I choose Heifer because they also help people improve their lives. Recipients of animals from Heifer receive training and support, but also agree to pass on the gift by sharing the animals' offspring with others in need in their community. Thus, the gift of self-reliance and self-esteem multiplies and spreads through the village, whether it's in Albania or Appalachia.

When you go to Heifer's website, click on "The most important gift catalog in the world." There you'll see all the animals – and trees and bees – you can select. Personally, I'm partial to llamas and sheep because of the wonderful fibers that come from their fleece. So today, to kick this off, I'm giving a share of a llama in honor of all my friends and family. Here's the gift card I chose for you all....

And starting on Thanksgiving Day, I will profile one special person a week for the rest of the year. To honor each one I will choose something from the Heifer catalog that seems to suit them and what they've done for me and others. I sure hope they like their "gifts"!

Who will you honor today?

Note: All photos are copyright Heifer International, and come from either their online media resources or, in the case of the gift card image, from the electronic card I selected.

Autumn...Incomplete

2006-11-11T12:32:00.000-05:00

Crystalline sky the color of "Dutchman's breeches" as my mother would say. Just enough breeze to tease the remaining gold and bronze leaves from the tree out front. It's a glorious fall morning in Maryland. And so I spent some time raking semi-dry leaves, lifting rakefulls into a black plastic bag, and thinking about this corner season.

Winter is dark and crackly cold at best, leaden gray at worst. Summer brings the heat and humidity that make breathing difficult and turn car interiors into people-cooking ovens. But at the corners we find the cycle of life, the birth/rebirth of spring and the languorous death of autumn.

Come March and April the trees spring to life, and birds hold multi-lingual morning convocations. October sets the landscape ablaze until November's snap colds and brisk winds tear the landscape clean. The air now has the musty scent of dead leaves. Kira the cat finds it irresistible; leaves we've tracked in become skittering prey for her games.

How can this ancient cycle be incomplete? My nose knows. Missing from the mix is the one smell that means fall is almost over. Before air pollution regulation, the reward for raking leaves into the street was the sight and smell of an oak/maple funeral pyre. There was an art to it passed through the generations, father to son, son to daughter.

You needed good dry material so that flames would leap from the top of your leaf cone. A few damp leaves were OK, but too many would produce a slow, smoky, and unsatisfying burn. A little breeze to keep the fire going, but not so much that half-burned leaves would fly off the pile and start mini-burns in the neighborhood. When you got it right, you felt connected to nature and the unending cycle.

I agree with the rule about no open burning. But on days like this, my nostalgia takes over and I yearn for one more perfect fall afternoon spiced with the scent of leaves returning to the dust we all share.

Skewed Perceptions

2006-10-29T22:18:00.000-05:00

Take a moment and watch this video on the Dove "Campaign for Real Beauty" site. Is it any wonder our perceptions are skewed when a naturally attractive young woman is primped and powdered into a gorgeous creature, only to be further "enhanced" into an advertising man's (gender designation intentional) ideal?

Advertisers and fashion pushers say they only give us what we want. We (women) like to see the ideal, what we strive for. But that's not what they are showing us, is it? The "ideal" is in fact a digitally created, unattainable level of perfection. Those of us who have stopped comparing ourselves to supermodels shake our heads sadly at the disdain they have for us, those advertisers who would make us feel inadequate in order to gain our business. We can't stop them from creating false beauty, but we can let younger women know the truth. And we can make our voices heard in the one way that advertisers understand – by withholding our money from those who dismiss, disdain, and denigrate any woman, any age, any size.

Do We Really Need This Kind of Help?

2006-10-17T13:05:00.000-04:00

First, a disclaimer. I am far from petite and could even charitably be called Rubenesque. Fat fighting has been a fact of life for me since I was 10. And sure, if a pill appeared that was safe and that would melt away unsightly pounds overnight as I slept, or during the daytime for that matter, I'd be first in line. But I've never kidded myself about the basic truth that what I eat affects my weight. Some people are blessed with faster burning metabolic engines while I'm equipped to survive famine. So it goes.

The idea of stomach-stapling surgery to lose weight has always made me a bit squeamish, but I'm not a candidate so I can't judge what it's like for those who choose this option. Such a drastic solution – and the need for it – are at once scary and discouraging. But what got me going on this was an article on CNN announcing that soon it will be easier and cheaper to get this kind of surgery, making it an accessible option for more people. Instead of the longer healing time of incisions, doctors can now use the natural orifices of the digestive tract (the mouth and the other end) to insert tubes through which they perform laparoscopic surgery. It's lower risk and lower cost, and may open up a whole new group of candidates for this bariatric surgery. That means that people who now are not obese enough might be able to "take advantage" of this medical breakthrough.

Sorry, but to me his concept is vaguely reminiscent of Roman banquets with people eating to excess and then vomiting to make room for more. Let me eat everything I want – who cares? Supersize me, sure. I can always get my stomach stapled and lose weight that way. Now if only I could silence the old refrain that keeps playing in my brain: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Don't Have a Cow...Give One

2006-09-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

Last week Richard Branson pledged $3 billion to fight the global warming that certain people in Washington are pretending doesn't exist. It does, it's a problem, and Branson is doing something about it.

Not long ago Warren Buffett gave billions to the Gates Foundation to fight a variety of diseases including HIV and AIDS. Some in Africa and Asia still try to pretend that AIDS is not a problem. It is, and Buffett and Gates will make a difference.

I can spell "billionaire" but that's as close as I'll ever get to the likes of Branson, Buffett, and Gates. Ah, but I can make a difference just as they can. My choice is a solution to hunger that brings with it self-esteem, economic self-relieance, and the essential concept of giving back in recognition of the gifts you've been given.

My choice is Heifer International. I first learned about them several years ago, and thought it was one of the best ideas ever. Don't just give people food, give them the means to feed themselves. Don't just hand them a month's worth of cheese, give them the cow so they can feed their children, make their own butter and cheese, sell the extra milk, and work toward self-sufficiency. People around the world – including right here in the United States – receive not only an animal but also training on how to care for it.

But the best idea – the one that makes Heifer unique and so effective – is the idea of "passing on the gift." People who receive a cow, or chickens, or rabbits, or a llama, or any gift from Heifer, agree to pass on the gift by sharing the animals' offspring with others in need in their community. Thus, the gift of self-reliance and self-esteem multiplies and spreads through the community.

So every year the largest contribution I make is to Heifer. As my business grows, so will my donation. I can't think of a better way to express my gratitude for gifts I've received than to pass them on to where they can make a permanent and positive difference for people who only want to care for themselves and their families.

If you have a favorite cause, start setting aside something every month to give. If you don't have a favorite of your own, consider Heifer. And pass on the gift.

Traffic Snarl

2006-09-08T17:47:00.000-04:00

I make that sound on days like this when I try to get from one place to another in the D.C. morning slow. A "felony traffic stop" – whatever that is – had caused the closure of all lanes on the Washington Beltway. So even though I was going nowhere near the Beltway, that "police activity" brought everything within miles to a crawl.

I had a meeting scheduled but still plenty of time to get there. I watched, first annoyed and then snarling, as time marked by the unemotional numbers on my dashboard evaporated. At first, it was just that I would be a little late. Then I would be late enough to miss out on any of the convenient parking places. And then I would be schlepping all the way from the garage with briefcase and laptop. Grrr.

I sought comfort and calm on the radio. NPR offered more senseless death in Iraq and the recognition that we are trapped in a game of Whack-a-Mole as we shift too few troops from place to place. As the stench of the political campaign season filled my car I switched to music – classical is my choice for stress reduction.

Except that this morning WBJC was playing a harpsichord piece that could not have been Bach – it was getting nowhere except on my nerves. So I switched to WGMS and they had something that sounded like the Saber Dance on speed.

The numbers blinked at me with cat-like inscrutability. Now once I had trekked from the garage I would have to choose between checking email and reviewing my notes for the meeting.

The pace of traffic picked up slightly then lost momentum as quickly. I looked around and saw people on phones, others beating time to their own music choices, putting on makeup, and sipping coffee…all the usual driving-to-work activities. I wondered why people buy every possible derivative variation of white oval stickers for their cars. OBX was original. The next few for beach resorts were OK. But does every little town and activity need one? On the van next to me was a white oval sticker that said "Kensington" and under it "MD." Kensington, Maryland needs a sticker? They couldn't even come up with a clever abbreviation but had to spell it all out?

And now I could forget the email and might not even have a chance to review those notes – I would have to run in, grab the folder, and go.

Ah, Beethoven's 7th. Glorious and familiar, rollicking, powerful, and purposeful. Presented in its "splendid 40 minute entirety." The good news is that it is uplifting music that made me feel better. The bad news is that I should not even have been hearing it because I should already have arrived.

Finally, the last turn and clear road ahead. My 45-minute trip has taken an hour and a half. My cell phone barely intruded on Ludwig. I caught it as the last notes of my fugue ring tone died. I didn't want to talk to him anyway, and I could see the entrance up ahead…just beyond the long line of cars waiting at that traffic light that just turned red. A glance in the mirror showed it matched my face very well.

Comeuppance is Sweet

2006-08-13T18:02:00.000-04:00

This one did my heart good. AuthorHouse, a subsidy publisher of ill-repute, has been ordered to pay damages in a defamation lawsuit. The short version of the tale is that they published a book that libeled a romance writer, Rebecca Brandywyne. The book in question was written by her vindictive ex-husband, Gary Brock. AuthorHouse claims they can’t read every book before they publish it, but they had ample warning of trouble ahead. iUniverse, another POD (print on demand) publisher had rejected the manuscript because of possible libelous content, and Brock advised AuthorHouse of this during contract negotiations. And now AuthorHouse has been ordered to pay damages of over $200,000. That will put a crimp in their bottom line.

There are far too many scam artists in publishing. They play on the desires of authors – talented and otherwise – to see their names in print. Dishonest agents, phony poetry contests, and publishers who will print anything no matter how badly written and edited it may be – they wait in the seamy backstreets of the world wide web to snare the unwary and naïve. And I just love to see them get their comeuppance!

There are many reputable agents and publishers. If you want to see your name on the cover of a book, do your research. Start with Miss Snark, PubRants, and BookEnds. These are literary agent blogs with loads of good information and links that will take you to help of every kind. They’ll also steer you away from the scams, frauds, and snake-oil publishers. Even if you decide to self-publish, do your homework. And when you hold that book with your name on it, you’ll be glad you did.

Not In My Refrigerator, You Don't!

2006-07-28T15:54:00.000-04:00

I thought I’d heard the ne plus ultra in bad taste advertising a couple of years ago. It had to do with ads placed in public rest rooms so that gentlemen taking care of business could also be encouraged to buy more of what sent them there. Music, flashing lights, and an electronic voice would pitch to that briefly captive audience. Worse, they threatened that a version for women’s bathrooms would be next. Talk about tacky.

Now some equally warped genius has come up with a way to pay for his product development costs by forcing me (he thinks) to read an ad before my eyes are even open in the morning. A company called EggFusion uses finely tuned lasers to etch freshness and traceability information right on the shells of eggs as they are processed and packed. All well and good; it’s not a bad thing to know how old those eggs are in the back of the refrigerator. It might even be interesting to know where they came from. Stop there and I have no argument. Any bets on whether they did?

Of course not. All those square centimeters of blank shell canvas cannot be allowed to go unembellished. And so this September and October, CBS television is buying exclusive advertising space on some 35 million eggs to promote their fall lineup. Eggs will be transformed into mini-billboards with the CBS eye and show logos lasered on the shells. Puns will be rampant, from “Crack the Case on CBS” (“CSI”) to “Funny Side Up” for a Monday night comedy show.

The President of CBS’ marketing group, George Schweitzer, said he wanted to bring laughter to American kitchens. That’s fine. What I take issue with – what makes me dead set against buying any lasered eggs – is Mr. Schweitzer’s delight in the intrusiveness of the concept. “You can’t avoid it,” he said.

Wanna bet?

One Giant Leap

2006-07-20T21:10:00.000-04:00

Do you know where you were 37 years ago today? If you’re forty-something or older, you bet you do. You were glued to the television – any television you could find – as a never-before drama unfolded a quarter of a million miles away. For us on the East coast it meant staying awake so late we were guaranteed to have brain fog the next day. So what? We were watching history.

Back then, every rocket launch had full, many hours long network TV coverage. We were mesmerized by space travel. It was so new, so Twilight Zone. That night we saw John Kennedy’s challenge met – our men walked on the moon – and Americans were proud again. We were still stinging from Russia’s Sputnik success in the 50’s, but Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin's footprints in moon dust stomped that Red Bear.

Today a space shuttle launch or landing barely rates 20 seconds on the evening news, sandwiched between eternal strife in the Middle East and equally eternal strife in Washington. I’m glad I’ve lived to see space travel become so common place. I hope I live long enough to see peace.

How to REALLY Get Away From It All

2006-07-15T17:17:00.000-04:00

Ever wished you could fly up to the International Space Station and get a whole new perspective on the world? For now it’s a vain hope unless you are an astronaut or obscenely wealthy. Most of us have to stare at the moon and be content to wonder what the earth looks like from up there.

Ah, but not for long. An enterprising hotel tycoon is thinking way out side the box – or the earth – and planning hotels in space. Robert Bigelow already has a prototype in orbit and plans to perfect his inflatable capsules over the next few years. What now looks like an overgrown watermelon will eventually be replaced by a three-story space habitat.

Bigelow Aerospace picked up on a cancelled NASA program for inflatable space station crew quarters. Congress pulled the plug on the program, but the technology didn’t die. So when you hop a rocket to the Bigelow Space Resort, you can take some pride in the fact that your tax dollars helped make it all possible.

Ain't Love - and Technology - Grand?

2006-07-07T17:32:00.000-04:00

Here’s a story about good old-fashioned love in the heartland. And I do mean literally, hearts on the land.

Brian loves Stacy, but it was not enough for him to just buy her a nice dinner or go down on one knee to pop the question. He took her up – several hundred feet – to view his carefully planned proposal. Using Global Positioning System data and geographical software, Brian plotted the coordinates and then tilled his plea in a Wisconsin cornfield.

Stacy said “Yes”.

Of Silk Purses and Sows' Ears

2006-07-03T14:57:00.000-04:00

This is in the category of “Truisms That Aren’t”. We’ve all heard them:

“You can’t get blood from a turnip.”
“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.”
“You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.”

Well, it turns out you can. It takes innovation and creative thinking and a lot of time and money. But you can do it. Not only can you…but determined people did…back in 1921! And here’s the proof.

Next time you hear a truism, remember that there’s a “but….” at the end. And think of all those inventors and innovators who didn’t believe what they were told.

Planning for a Perilous Future

2006-06-20T18:09:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful concept – creating a seed bank to store samples of all the crops that nourish us on earth. I love it when human beings go beyond their own immediate needs and think of future generations. Beyond their children, their grandchildren, or great-great-great-grandchildren; thinking of the generations of humankind a thousand or more years in the future, and doing something today to provide for a potentially perilous future.

It’s a terrible prospect, that there might come a day when “…plant epidemics, nuclear war, natural disasters or climate change….” will have killed most crops on earth. What would it be like to be sent back to the early days of agriculture when we first learned to grow food? All the knowledge we’ve gained over centuries – and all our advanced technology – will be worthless without the seeds to start again.

Thanks to Norway and other Scandinavian countries, humans will have a second chance to get it right. Life will wait patiently until then in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

An Occasional Rant

2006-06-15T12:58:00.000-04:00

OK, I admit it; I’ve become a news junkie over the past few years. I check CNN online several times a day. I say it’s to give my eyes and mind a break from work, or even to find new ideas. But sometimes it can lead to a blog entry…like this.

Will someone please tell me why a story about the poptart Britney Spears stays on the “Latest News” list all day? Is there nothing that can bump her from prominence? I should care that she is a self-proclaimed “emotional wreck?”

Let me get this straight: she’s spent approximately her entire pre-pubescent and now pseudo-adult life seeking the spotlight, making sure her picture and name were on every tabloid. Now the poor little thing is upset because the paparazzi she has courted so assiduously won’t leave her alone?

The mind boggles. Every day great books are published, good people do good deeds, science makes strides, and even the government occasionally does something good.

I like CNN, really – but oh, please, put her where she belongs. Somewhere between the news of groundbreaking for a new porn shop, and the cleanup of a toxic waste dump.

Rant ended.

An Excellent Act of Congress

2006-06-04T14:08:00.000-04:00

Now, don't get excited. Although the U.S. Congress does occasionally pass some excellent legislation, the one I'm talking about goes back a few years. 87 to be exact. On this day in 1919, the 66th Congress passed a Joint Resolution consisting of only 39 words. And when three-fourths of the states ratified it by August 18, 1920, women could finally vote in the United States.

You probably can't read them on the image to the right, so here are those historic words:

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

It took years of marches, hunger strikes, civil disobedience, women locked in jails, and perhap a few non-conjugal nights, but the men of the U.S. Congress and the states finally did the right thing. Women first voted in national elections in November 1920. There were and continue to be attempts to intimidate, dismiss, and discourage the "women's vote." It didn't work then, and it certainly doesn't work now.

When my grandmother was married, she could not vote. I doubt she ever marched for women's suffrage, but I'm absolutely sure she voted as soon as she could. She recognized how valuable a right it was when the world was just recovering from the "War to End All Wars." How much more important is it that women vote today, when the world clearly hasn't learned that wars end nothing but young lives?

Live!

2006-06-03T18:46:00.000-04:00

I've seen web sites go live before, but never enjoyed it quite so much. That's because this time it's mine!

The new combined WordLens and I Blog For You site went live this afternoon, and now I'm asking everyone to go there, take a look, and let me know what you think. Sure, I'd be delighted to hear that you love it, but even happier to know if there's something you think could be improved.

Cyber-champagne all around!

It’s True…Something We Already Knew

2006-05-25T17:44:00.000-04:00

Chocolate is a food group. Chocolate is a vegetable (thank you, Barbara D’Amato.) Chocolate is right up there with oxygen, water, and sleep, as one of life’s necessities. And now we know that the good feeling you get really is good for your brain.

A bit of chocolate, and memory and reaction time improve. We’ve heard cautious optimism about dark chocolate before, but this time they found good news about milk chocolate improving cognitive performance. Read the CNN story here.

Milk or dark, chocolate is good for you. But you already knew that.

Another Lovely Word

2006-05-19T09:19:00.000-04:00

Here I go again talking about a delightful word. This one caught my eye because…well…it’s my name.

Margaritaceous. At first I thought it described the tipsiness of someone who has had a few too many tropical drinks rimmed with salt. Or perhaps the drink itself, having been left on the bar too long, solidified into something with the consistency of granola.

It’s neither. Margaritaceous describes some people’s teeth, a gleaming jewel, and irridescent hummingbirds.

Margaret. Margarita. Margarethe. However they’ve spelled it, most languages seem to agree that the name is of Greek origin and means “pearl.” A few baby name web sites also list it as a Persian name meaning “child of light,” a lovely alternative.

Margaritaceous appeared in my mailbox this morning courtesy of A.Word.A.Day. If you are a linguaphile, sign up for their free daily email; one day the word might be your name too.

Chocolate is NOT the Same as Potato Chips

2006-05-10T22:51:00.000-04:00

I’m a great believer in scientific investigation and in the publication of peer-reviewed discovery. But this time I have to disagree with a recently published study that claims chocolate’s effect is fleeting, and that eating potato chips can give you the same kind of lift.

To quote Nero Wolfe, “Phooey!”

Most women know that chocolate is a friend in time of need, whether physical or emotional. Good chocolate wraps you in warmth and comfort; its silky sweetness fills your mouth and calms your soul. Dark chocolate has been found to actually be good for you and your heart. Of course I know that doesn’t mean I can eat a dozen bars of Cadbury dark chocolate or a bag full of Dove Dark Chocolate Promises. Well, I can, but I’d better not.

This food of the gods has been recognized for centuries for its calmative and restorative powers. Chocolate can ease the pain of a broken hand or a broken heart – just try doing that with potato chips!

Now please excuse me…the Baker’s Catalog order just arrived, and I need to make sure that bar of Merckens bittersweet is up to standard. Purely for medicinal purposes, of course.

On Overlooking Things

2006-05-05T12:31:00.000-04:00

Fortune Magazine and CNN have recently spent ink and electrons pondering the challenges that knowledge workers face, deluged as we are by interminable electronic input. Who has not experienced the two-way cutting of the technology sword? It makes our lives easier in many ways, but it also claims parts of our lives that used to be off-limits. We are busier than ever, seemingly connected constantly to everyone in the world. So why is it that we seem to get less done?

I’m not immune; the sight of an un-read message in my email in box is like a bell to Pavlov’s dogs – I must read it! Now! The conditioning is so effective that I will check my email every few minutes unless I slap my own hand as it reaches for the mouse.

So I have set myself a task – a difficult task for one so digitaddictive. No email, not even a peek, for the next full hour. During that hour I will focus on only one project from my endless to-do list, and give it my full attention. When it’s done, I get 10 minutes – no more – of email before the next task. After that, it’s an hour and a half before email.

I can do this. Yes, I can. In a few days I’ll be up to three or four hours between emails and I’m sure my task list will be a lot shorter.

The Fortune article included a timely thought: "‘The art of being wise,’ philosopher William James wrote more than a century ago, ‘is the art of knowing what to overlook.’”

May we all be so wise.

Malicious Fun This Weekend

2006-04-17T22:00:00.000-04:00

Around this time every year, some 700 perfectly lovely people gather in Crystal City, Virginia to contemplate murder most familiar. They will celebrate all the usual methods that you’ll see on Law & Order, plus exotic and just plain weird ways to kill another human being. This weekend I’ll be there, taking notes.

I have no current need for homicidal techniques, but I have in the past and will at some not-too-distant time in the future. After all, there is one manuscript that I will get back to rewriting later this year, plus another in first draft. That second one has a particularly smarmy character who desperately wants killing…but that could be said of many elected officials, couldn’t it?

This will be the 18th annual Malice Domestic conference, and you’ll find the big names and soon-to-be names there, plus editors, agents, and hundreds of fans of the traditional mystery. The attendees will vote, and a lucky and talented few will take home the coveted black teapot “Agatha” award for their writing.

So if you’re in Northern Virginia this weekend and overhear earnest conversations about the advantages of strychnine over arsenic, or whether a .22 would fit in an evening bag, look for a blood-red name tag. If it reads “Malice Domestic XVIII”, you will have fallen in with a highly creative group of plotters.

Now, how about a nice cup of tea…with a little something extra?

Thank You, Mr. Butts

2006-04-13T12:15:00.000-04:00

Word lovers everywhere should lift a toast to Alfred M. Butts. Born this day in 1899, he invented the game that guarantees to spark our brains’ synapses. According to the official Scrabble site, Mr. Butts was an out-of-work architect when he turned his talents to designing a word game. In 2002, NPR featured Scrabble in its Present at the Creation series that follows the game from its birth in the depths of the Depression. It took several years and a vacationing Macy’s executive to catapult Scrabble to the top of the word-game heap, but once there it has held the top of that mountain as one of the most popular games in history.

I Had Fun...Really!

2006-03-22T21:51:00.000-05:00

Last Monday I stood before a room full of business owners and talked about my love of words and writing and blogging...and had fun! A few years ago the prospect alone would have sent me huddling in a dark corner with my insides churning. I can still recall the quiver in my knees and quaver in my voice those days when it was my turn to perform in high school Speech Class. So how could I possibly enjoy it now?

The difference is passion. When I care about a subject or a person or a cause, you can't shut me up. Get me talking about flying or cats or certain special people, and you had better find a comfortable chair. Let me start on words, writing, and blogging and you'll want a drink and some snacks while you're at it. Fortunately, the folks on Monday had dinner and dessert to sustain them.

Oh, there were still those moments when I felt that I’d completely lost my train of thought and words would not come, but no one threw anything, so the lapses couldn’t have been very noticeable. I ran on too long and didn’t get to say everything I feel is important about blogging. But, I think I did succeed in getting people to think about this new way of communicating. From the conversations I had afterward, I know some folks who came in asking “What the heck is a blog?” went home thinking “Yeah, that could work for my business.”

And all without a single knee quiver.

Good Night, and Good Luck

2006-03-19T12:09:00.000-05:00

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another." - Edward R. Murrow

The other night we finally saw Good Night, and Good Luck, the Oscar-nominated film directed by George Clooney. For me, a good movie is one that I am still thinking about the next day or the next week, one that I keep "seeing" snippets of in my head. Good Night, and Good Luck is one of those.

We Americans have a bad habit of forgetting the lessons of history. And so, we are required to relive some nasty episodes. One lesson from half a century ago is that a demagogue with a microphone and a national platform can wreak havoc on society and quickly turn us into creatures cowering in the back of our cave, fearful of each other.

In the 1950's, Senator Joseph McCarthy destroyed blameless lives, drove men to suicide, and rode his brief power to the depths of one of the darkest periods of American history. That he was able to create his own little reign of terror in the middle of the 20th century is a lesson we must not forget.

Hollywood turns out a lot of garbage, but occasionally a gem emerges from the sludge. Good Night, and Good Luck is one of those few films that should be required viewing - and discussion - for every high school and college student. Power-hungry McCarthy wannabes are never far from a microphone. We can't stop them from spewing their poison - free speech is one of our precious rights - but we can arm people with knowledge against this insidious form of divisiveness. McCarthyism has appeared under other names, and will undoubtedly bubble to the surface again some day. Each generation needs to remind the next of the danger; this film is one very good way of doing just that.

A First...Almost 100 Years Ago

2006-03-12T22:07:00.000-05:00

An important date in aviation history passed without notice a few days ago. It was on March 8, 1910, that the first woman to be granted a pilot's license, received her "brevet" from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Raymonde de Laroche was one of an enthusiastic group of women pilots who took to the skies almost as soon as there were fixed-wing aircraft to fly. And just a little over a year later, Harriet Quimby became the first American woman to be granted a flying license.

About 50 years after Madame de Laroche's feat, I fell in love with a Caribbean-blue amphibian. I never owned that little beauty, but I did get to fly small planes. And though my only flying these days is by way of Southwest Airlines, the fascination and desire remain, and I cannot resist searching the sky when I hear a small plane overhead.

Those Were the Days

2006-02-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

Much has been written – and undoubtedly there is more to come – about the Baby Boom generation and how it has changed American society. I’ll bet there are many people in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s who already clap their hands over their eyes and ears and yell, “Enough already with the Boomers!”

But to those who lived through the duck-and-cover drills, the bra-burning and anti-war protests, and who still remember how Elvis and the Beatles raised parental hackles, here’s a link for you. The January 2006 issue of Smithsonian Magazine has an article that looks at the life of one of the first of the generation, born in the early seconds of January 1, 1946. She can’t be called typical – I don’t believe there is such a thing – but her life experiences so far will resonate with many in this unruly group. If there is one characteristic that you can say is found in many Boomers, it’s the refusal to “age gracefully” and to live up (or is it down?) to society’s expectations of what a “senior citizen” should be.

Which, now that I think of it, explains this manifesto that’s been popping into email inboxes for some time: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body. I intend to skid in sideways, dark chocolate in one hand, rum punch in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Make your ride worth a good "Woo Hoo!"

And Now the Latest Scientific Discovery…

2006-02-17T16:10:00.000-05:00

We depend on scientific research for new medicines, healthier lives, and a cleaner environment. I was glad to read yesterday that there is new research on the environmental front that may lead to a creative use of waste materials. CNN reported that researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have had success using a repellant made from tiger poo in warding off wild goats.

While you are chuckling, consider that the goats along with other “pest” animals, like kangaroos and feral pigs, cause hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to Australian agriculture. Talk about a ready market! The scientists believe their new poo repellant might work to ward off deer, too. That would be good news to a woman I know who collects her grandson’s used diapers and places them at the edge of her garden; she swears the dirty diapers deter the deer. I know you can buy deer repellants that contain the scent of other predators – coyote and fox, for example – but somehow I prefer the image of a majestic tiger protecting my plants.

And She Doesn't Mince Words

2006-02-06T12:01:00.000-05:00

If you are a writer there are two things you must do every day: writing is one and reading is the other. For the latter, my morning starts with Mount Washington, Tai Shan, and Miss Snark. Those weather geeks on top of the mountain think 100 mph winds and whacking ice with a sledge hammer are great fun. The panda cub is just plain cute. I can get rolling without either of them if I have to, but Miss Snark is a must.

Her Snarkness is a literary agent in New York who answers questions about writing, editing, and publishing with refreshing honesty. She does not suffer fools or nitwits, and yet is patient with newcomer questions, and often laugh-out-loud funny. But be warned - Miss Snark is habit-forming.

She Was Not Well Behaved

2006-02-05T18:53:00.002-05:00

One of the most hated and revered women of the late 20th century died yesterday – Betty Friedan. She had the revolutionary idea that getting married, having children, and keeping a nice, clean home, were not enough. Friedan’s book, The Feminine Mystique, took the position that women should have identities of their own as individuals and not just as Mrs. So-and-So or Bobby’s Mom.

It was the start of a revolution that has benefited all women. Today’s 20- and 30-somethings cannot even wrap their minds around the idea that women might not be allowed to do or be anything they want. In less than 50 years we have finally started to tap the vast reservoir of talent in women.

In the 1960’s there were three jobs for a woman: nurse, teacher, secretary. And, of course, those were only until she snagged a man, got married, and had babies. Today’s women are astronauts, engineers, scientists, university presidents, doctors, lawyers, politicians, and yes, wives and mothers. The difference is choices, and we are so much richer for them.

I have a sign on my bulletin board: “Well behaved women rarely make history.” - Laurel Thatcher Urich. Women of every generation can be grateful that Betty Friedan was not well behaved.

Don't You Love Words?

2006-01-31T12:17:00.000-05:00

I admit it - I’m addicted to words. I collect them like seashells, picking them up and stashing them in my electronic pocket for safekeeping. One day I’ll have time to bring them all out, spread them on my desk, and listen to the lovely cacophony. Some day.

For now, I enjoy them as they appear on my laptop’s screen. Yesterday it was “blurb.” Writers and those in publishing use it all the time. Eavesdrop on author conversations and you’ll hear things like, “You got Laura Lippman to blurb your book? Wow!” Translation: The very talented and elegant author of award-winning mysteries, Laura Lippman, has written a laudatory description for the cover of that lucky author’s book. Blurbs help sell books, and snagging a top name is a coup.

I always assumed blurb was a shortened version of some other word, much as “blog” is short of “web log.” But yesterday I learned it was made up by author Gelett Burgess. He defined it as “self-praise; to make a noise like a publisher.” Burgess wrote many fiction and non-fiction books, but was best known – to his dismay – for the “Purple Cow” poem.

If you’re a word lover you may have heard or read The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor. I was delighted to learn you can get it delivered every day to your desktop, complete with gems like “blurb.”

And then there’s “susurration”….

They Mean Business

2006-01-25T13:33:00.000-05:00

Picture a meeting room holding about 50 entrepreneurs. The noise level is a low roar as conversations overlap onto greetings and handshake introductions, “elevator” speeches and business card exchanges. The businesses represented are as varied as Web design, commercial cleaning, engineering, and mortgage banking. These small business owners graze the hors d’oeuvres, patronize the bar, and network like crazy. They are all ages, nationalities, and races. Oh yes, and they are all women.

You’ve just entered a NAWBO meeting. The National Association of Women Business Owners was formed more than 30 years ago, and today it is the voice of America’s 10.6 million women-owned businesses. That means that nearly half of all privately-held companies are at least 50% owned by a woman or women. They account for almost $2.5 trillion in sales and employ one out of every seven workers in the U.S. I have trouble wrapping my brain around numbers like that, but you get a sense of the power in the room when you see the leading corporations, banks, publishers, and educational institutions that support the local chapters.

But the best thing about NAWBO meetings is the people. The energy is contagious and empowering – I leave each event feeling I can handle anything. I’ve always been grateful for the welcome extended to me years ago when I stepped tentatively into my first NAWBO wine-and-cheese event. The faces have changed, the chapter has evolved, but the acceptance and encouragement are still there every time.

And Now I Blog For You

2006-01-21T22:32:00.000-05:00

A few minutes ago a new site joined the Web: I Blog For You. At the nudging, pushing and downright insistence of my friend Margaret, I’m expanding my writing services to include blogging for others.

I can see the wrinkled brows from here. You’re thinking, “Isn’t the point of a blog to be intensely personal? How can someone write a blog for another person?” The answer is that it takes some time and communication at first, but it can be done, and done well.

Margaret is one of those people whose life resembles a hurricane. She’s calm in the eye of the storm as chaos roils around her. It’s a classic scenario for her Type E personality (more about Type E’s another time) and it includes zero patience for details. She has an idea, she can see it in finished form, and she wants to simply have it appear. And Margaret wanted a blog.

Now my friend would never actually stop long enough to write a blog. But she would – and did – talk through what she wants the blog to be and do for her real estate business. I Blog For You does the rest, and she concentrates on what she does best. What could be better than a win-win?

The Power of One

2006-01-19T17:19:00.000-05:00

Imagine receiving an award from your peers - a really important and prestigious award. Not an Oscar, nor Salesperson of the Year or even a Lifetime Achievement recognition. It’s a simple little plaque with a small silver pin attached. But engraved in delicate gold lettering it says:

The Power of One

The little things you do each day have the power to affect a great many people. You inspire us with your willingness and ability to help others. You take on the day one day at a time. Continually searching for a way to make things better, seizing the opportunity to improve everyday life.

You make a world of difference.

Yep. Goosebumps time and maybe a tear or two. I wasn’t there when my friend Margaret received the Humanitarian of the Year award from her fellow real estate CyberStars in San Antonio recently. But I have known her quiet kindness and unobtrusive generosity, and want to add my applause. She is who I want to be when I grow up.