New past time

 In recent months, I began smoking cigars.

Yes, women smoke cigars.

After having Covid-19 and not having any sense of taste or smell for 6 months, (my smell still has not come back) a friend of mine introduced me to the 'art' of cigar smoking.

I have always enjoyed the smell of a nice cigar but since I didn't smoke, I never tried it.

Well, it is not like smoking cigarettes'. 

Cigars are not inhaled; they are only puffed on. Yes, there is a difference. Puffing a cigar is like sucking through a straw without swallowing. 

You fill your mouth with the smoke and then you simply blow it out. 

It is about the enjoyment and the relaxation. 

Smoking a cigar has also helped with my writing.

In my next novel; Matthew smokes cigars. He has a humidor in his home and with my new found love of cigars; I am patterning his favorite cigar to smoke after someone that I have met who is a Cigar Sommelier. 

Yes, there are sommelier's for cigars just like there is for wine. 

I will go into this more next week. I hope you take this journey with me and who knows; maybe I will convince some of you women and or men to give it a try.

Until next week, keep writing and keep reading. 

BLOGGING IS NOT HARD....

Some people say that blogging is hard. 

I find it pretty easy. That's because I ALWAYS have something to say.

See, I find it very easy to blog; especially if I am upset about something. However, I find it pretty easy to blog about things I observe and things that I learn while being an author.

You don't have to 'give tips" every time you blog. You can simply write about what happened during your day; while writing or not writing. 

Write about what has upset you. It's the cheapest therapy I know. 

Better yet, write about the struggles of your writing life because a lot of us want to know how you overcame that particular problem.

Last week, I met up with fellow book diva Dee Lawrence and we had an amazing breakfast at Eggspectations. I had the breakfast burrito and after seeing mine, so did she. 

We were able to chat and catch up on all that has been happening with us in our private lives and our writing lives.

After a couple of mimosas' we just sat and people watched for a bit before calling it a morning. 

We met early and before we knew it; four hours had blown by and we really didn't want to leave but life called and told us we needed to stop relaxing and get back at it.

So we said our goodbyes and inked ourselves in for another breakfast meeting to just catch up.

See, I didn't think I would tell you all that but it's part of the reason I like blogging. 

I can say just about anything I want and it relieves me of some stress. 

+LadySunshine95 says she doesn't know what to blog about but I tell her; just sit at the computer and you will be AMAZED at what pours out of your mind.

Many people think you have to blog once a day or once a week. But that is not the case. You can blog as often as you need to. I find that blogging once a week helps my mental status. Just don't go to long without a blog or people will forget all about you. 

Do you find it hard to blog and if so; what are you doing to make it better? 

Let me know or better yet; write a blog about it and send me the link; I'd be glad to read all about it. 

Until next time, keep reading and I'll keep on writing. 

VACATION BEHAVIOR

Well, I"m back and lets just say that I had the most wonderful time while away.

First, I didn't get up until at least 3AM every morning. Which is a great thing! I normally don't sleep so to get at least two hours of sleep during vacation is a good thing.

Secondly, I laid on the beach and got myself an amazing tan. Yes, people. Black people do tan and mine is flawless.

Third, I got a LOT of writing done! Like a lot. How much? you may ask. Let's just say that this romance novel should be finished in two months.

Fourth, and I'll just leave this. My phone was stolen. But I am not going to go into that because it will cause me to lose my "vacation high".

I went to San Juan and stayed at the +Marriott resort and the accomodations were amazing! The pool, the staff, the food, the bar...all exceptional (Except for the little part where I was robbed and security didn't think to fill out a report until I had to ask them )

Other than that, I can't wait until my next vacation which is in less than two months! Yes, you have to begin to enjoy life because time waits for no one.

Did you take a mid winter vacation? and if so; where did you go?

NEW YEAR, NEW ATTITUDE

Every year people make resolutions and every year, around February, most of the resolutions have been broken.

This year I challenge you NOT to fall into the trap of making a resolution. Instead I challenge you to have a new attitude.

A lot of women fall into the trap of, "I'm going to start my diet" and come December, they look in the mirror and they have not lost one pound but and have gained at least five. Then they moan, groan and complain that they didn't have the right food, or they couldn't make time to work out, or they didn't have support but what they won't do, is blame themselves. 

See most women want to lose weight but they don't have the motivation to do it. They want someone to blame when they don't lose a pound instead of taking the blame themselves. Instead of saying, I chose to eat that entire bag of chips, or I chose to eat out for lunch everyday or I chose to eat that ice cream even though I said I wouldn't. They look for a scapegoat when all they need to do is look in the mirror.

Men are not exempt from this. "I'm going to work out everyday" "I'm going to stop smoking" "I'm going to work harder and get that promotion". But come December, they say, "well I couldn't stop smoking because my job is stressful because they gave that promotion to someone who just started working there a year ago." 

See the pattern? Those people didn't have a new attitude, what they had were new excuses. But come next January 1, 2015; those same people will again make the same 'resolutions'. 

I challenge those people to say, in 2014, I am going to have a new attitude about my eating. I want to be healthy, I want to live longer and I won't make excuses for my behavior. I want them to say, I'm going to try and limit my cigarettes and I am going to try and work out more and I will work harder and apply for that new position.

See, if you do that and post it everywhere. Put it on your computer at work, in the desk drawer that you would have junk food in; or in the drawer you keep those cigarettes. Put it in your bathroom, on your refrigerator; anywhere you will see it everyday because until you change your attitude, you won't lose a pound, you will still smoke and your weight bench will continue to be a clothes rack.

So, what is your new attitude this year? 

Well for me, I am going to try and learn to be patient and learn how to speak up for myself. If I don't like something, I will not let people change my mind about it.

So, tell me; what is your new attitude this year?

New Year's Memories

Today Jade tells us about her families getaway in the middle of winter. Spending some adventure, fun-filled days in Jamaica is the way to bring in the New Year's and have some great memories. Hopefully everything is back to normal [note: the picture that she included is not cooperating, but as soon as it does; you will see just how much fun she and her family had. And yes; I was a little jealous of the bright sunshine and white beaches]  
    Just four days after Christmas, my husband, son and I waded through ravaged wrapping paper, empty boxes and left our adorned Christmas tree behind. We were on our way to Sunset Resort in Montego Bay Jamaica. There was a lot to celebrate. It was Quinn’s eighth birthday and we were ready to bring in the New Year in a country we had not yet discovered. The snow and sleet were easy to leave behind for 7 full days of all inclusive fun, white sand and crystal clear water. Before you go getting jealous, leaving frigid winter for sparkling hot summer was one of the worst decisions ever. Not because we had an awful time. It was more fun than any of us could have imagined. Even after my husband stomped on a sea urchin with his bare foot and the next day sliced the same foot open after the difficult task of walking while on rum, each day was better than the one before it. The problem set in once we exited the plane. The bite of winter clenched us before we had the opportunity to dig out our winter coats.

            The long drive back to Leesburg from BWI took forever. The three of us were silent.  Bob Marley and Beres Hammond took turns serenading us all the way home.  Flashbacks of climbing water falls, kayaking and searching for starfish took over. Pulling into the driveway was comforting but it made everything real. We ushered our luggage into the garage. Anytime I travel I refuse to bring the bags inside immediately. We didn’t need any stowaways. We dragged our cold tanned bodies up the first flight of stairs. The smell of pine had dissipated. Our once full tree now resembled the one Charlie Brown made famous. Pine needles covered the presents we left behind. 

            The week we returned was a rough one. We all had catching up to do. Quinn took it a step further and caught bronchitis. He ended up missing three more days of school and his teacher sent home a mountain of make up work. My husband’s sea urchin incident was easy to laugh off and ignore in paradise. We even joked that the needles the resort nurse could not remove were souvenirs. Back in VA we started thinking about that terrifying show “Monsters Inside Me” and decided the doctor would be the safest option. I was left to nurse the limping husband and the not so comfortable eight year old. By weeks end we were all cranky and cursing Jamaica. If it weren’t such a beautiful place and if it wasn’t such an amazing trip, Virginia in January wouldn’t be so miserable.

            It’s been a couple weeks now and things are pretty much back to normal. The pictures make us smile and conjure up pleasant flashbacks. At random times we remind each other of the adventures we experienced together as a family. The memories we have are our own. They motivate us to return at the end of this year.

Are you doing enough?

What do I mean by that?

I mean; are you doing enough? I think it is self explanatory. Are you doing enough to market yourself; to be an author; to be published.

First let me say this, as I step up to the mic, that I had become a slacker. So to answer my own question. I used to do enough and then life got in the way and I started finding excuses.

However after seeing a friend past me in the marketing game; oh you didn't know. I'm super competitive. Anyway, after seeing him past me in his efforts to get his book seen by hundreds or thousands, I said to myself, "game on!"

Ever since then, I've been all over the place. I've been to markets, schools and conferences. I've paid my way to do these things and yes it gets to be costly but I want to been seen by hundreds and thousands too. (OK, sorry I was whining just a little bit) Anyway, I set a budget in my mind and then I make it happen. Plain and simple.

So, I ordered my business cards, banners, postcards and magnets. I ordered books, starting blogging and bought some new clothes; (a perfect reason to shop) and set about doing what I could to get my name and face and books in front of people.

So; I'll ask again, are YOU doing enough? If not; what's the excuse?

I'm sorry, I can't hear you. Do you need your own mic? If so; I'm passing to you now...