Inspiration
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Feeling Inadequate
Feeling Inadequate Yesterday, I tried something new. I went to Vino Picasso to drink wine and paint with some friends. When I arrived I saw a blank canvas on an easel and said, “where are the numbers?” My friends laughed but I was serious. Did they really expect me to paint from scratch? I was worried and rightly so because the only thing I’ve ever been able to draw is a cube. It’s my one and only doodle. They wanted me to paint a Halloween scene. I felt the stress and quickly understood why wine is usually involved. The teacher kept telling us to stand back and look at our painting from…
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Surround Yourself With Joy
Surround Yourself With Joy I have an extra bedroom that I call my writing room. It’s where I spend hours every morning writing posts for this blog, working on the sequel to MYSTIC, reading, answering emails and checking out Facebook and Pinterest. There’s a bookshelf filled with children’s books, pictures of my family, and furniture that belonged to my grandparents. Because I spend so much time in this room I’m particular about what surrounds me. When I look out the window I see our canal and the sunlight bouncing off the water. When I look at the roll-top desk I think of my grandmother and when I look at the walls I see…
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What is your body language saying?
What is your body language saying? This past week my husband had to travel to Philadelphia to speak in front of crowd. Now, he’s used to public speaking, it’s part of his job, but this time was different. This time he was a speaker alongside a competitor in the same business and the company that was hosting the conference billed it as a “match” between Eric and the other man. This made Eric a bit uncomfortable because even though my husband is extremely competitive he’s also a very nice guy who likes everyone–even his competitors. We were texting as Eric waited for his presentation to begin. I wished him luck and he told me he was chewing gum…
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Respect in the Classroom
Respect “Dad needs to show an incredible amount of respect and humor and friendship toward his mate so the kids understand their parents are sexy, they’re fun, they do things together, they’re best friends. Kids learn by example. If I respect Mom, they’re going to respect Mom.” Tim Allen “When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.” Dalai Lama I remember when I was in school the feeling we all got when we knew our teacher was out and we had a sub. Usually word would spread in the hallways before class. Having a substitute teacher meant a relaxed free period. Oh, I remember! Now, I am…
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New Beginnings
New Beginnings There is something about this time of year in Florida that excites me. I think it’s the burgeoning cool weather, football, caramel apples, school, and the smell of my pumpkin spice candles wafting through the house. It feels as though it’s time for a new beginning. The house is quiet and my new novel calls to me every day. Starting over is scary so I cling to the familiar breeze through the window, sweet scent of pumpkin, and after school conversations with Kai, in order to stay grounded and remember the days when MYSTIC was just an idea–a beginning manuscript. I write, I worry, I rewrite, and on my most difficult days I’m reminded of…
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I Want to Turn Back the Clock
I Want to Turn Back the Clock It’s been a crazy week in the Rausin house. Arielle and I returned from Illinois seven days ago and I’ve been trying to spend every minute I can with her because tomorrow she leaves for the Cayman Islands! A wonderful group by the name of Stay-Focused is going to teach her how to scuba dive. That girl of mine loves adventure! The week started out with me having a bit of a hissy fit (it’s allowed sometimes) because Arielle was leaving us to be with her friends and my heart couldn’t take it. Then I realized I needed to chill and appreciate the…
