December 2009

A Hour Per Minute

Why does it take so long to write something? Because it does! For my most recent guest post and other great tips for freelance writers, visit Freelance-Zone.

Heaven

It was a spur-of-the-moment thing: “Put on your winter coat and get a warm blanket,” I told my daughter. “We’re going out to look at Christmas lights.”

When I was a kid, one of the highlights of the holiday season was driving around town looking at everyone’s Christmas decorations. Our family—seven kids and two adults—would pile into the station wagon and off we’d go.

Normally, my father and a car full of kids was a volatile mixture. But it was different at Christmas. When you put us in our pajamas, wrapped us in our blankets, and took us out for a late-night ride to look at Christmas decorations, it was actually peaceful in that station wagon.

What Matters Now

Hello Friends! My friend, Dino Lagattolla, told me about Seth Godin’s free ebook, What Matters Now. It’s a quick and entertaining read, and it includes many ideas that will cause you to think or act differently, and maybe even change your life. Visit Seth Godin’s Blog or download What Matters Now.
In the spirit of What Matters Now, here’s my own little riff on bowling and when it matters (from the essay “Unwrapping Our Gifts” in Wise Men and Other Stories):
We are funny creatures. We usually know what’s important, but those things seem so weighty and imposing that we are easily distracted. We go bowling when we know in our hearts and souls that we should be spending time with our children. Or we don’t go bowling when we know in our hearts and souls that we need time to relax and be with friends. I think it was Aristophanes who first said that many of life’s mysteries would be solved if there were only some magic formula to accurately determine whether it is the right time or the wrong time in one’s life to go bowling.

New Books at Dream of Things!

Hello Friends!
Dream of Things is now featuring inspiring and motivational gift books from McMillan Media!
Authored by Ken Blanchard, Michael McMillan, former Blue Angel Scott Beare and others, the new books include:
Paper Airplane about an elementary school experiment with paper airplanes — and one kid who dared to fly outside the box
The Power of Teamwork about teamwork as practiced by the Blue Angels flight team
Johnny the Bagger, an inspiring story of customer service that comes from the heart
The Race, a beautiful gift book based on a poem about the importance of never giving up

Advice for Freelance Writers

Freelance-Zone is a great resource for freelance writers and editors. My contribution this week is a blog about “Putting a Price on Your Work.”