Articles written by Loretta Murphy-Birster - Page 3

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About me - Loretta Murphy-Birster

Loretta Murphy-Birster has been a writer since the age of 8 when she wrote a full length story about a black stallion named Lightening long hand on a yellow legal pad. After a 30 year nursing career (achieving both a bachelor's and a master's degree) and

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Food & Drink > Cooking Meats The perfect roast: 12 of 40
The Perfect Roast Low and slow. If there is one thing I pride myself on when it comes to cooking it is making the perfect roast. Whether beef, pork, chicken, turkey or meatloaf - and it's all "roast" to me - remember those two little words. Low and slow. Never rush a roast. Too fast and the meat will be tough. Never overcook... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Composing the perfect poem: 9 of 27
COMPOSING THE PERFECT POEM Poetry has been in my blood since I was a little girl. Rhymes enchant me. Like dominos falling into each other in wave like synchrony, my brain alphabetically riffles through words that rhyme with other words with the ease of a computer. Yes, poetry is in my blood. When something gets in your blood... More..
Arts & Humanities > Marketing & Selling Writing Is Publish America a legitimate publisher?: 4 of 12
Publish America is indeed a legitimate publisher. As an author whose first novel has been published through PA (as well as one who regularly writes for Helium), I stand by my publisher. Prior to my decision, I researched my options. In the end, after weighing the pros and cons, I took the risk on PA. In the year since public... More..
Style & Beauty > Fashion Trends & Styles Assessing the styles that are coming back from the '80s: 1 of 3
Assessing the styles that are coming back from the '80s Big hair. Skinny leggings. Oversized tops. Boots. Low slung belts. We must be talking about the 80's, right? You're half right, if you answered yes. The other half of the answer is we're talking about now. Having passed through the 60's and 70's of fashion in the last f... More..
Style & Beauty > Fashion Trends & Styles Talking fashion: Is white the "in" color for summer?: 1 of 3
Talking Fashion: Is white the 'in' color for summer? Fashion is a fickle friend, whether summer or winter. She is not to be believed and often deceives, saying one thing and doing another. In or out, there is an undeniable truth about the color white in the summer. It is functional, it is pleasing to the eye, and it is a fas... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Storytellers: 8 of 22
THE SEANACHAI The seanachai's eyes catch The light of the hearth fire His pupils widen The depth of their pools Reflecting legends and heros Fact and Fairytale Charlatans and fools Captured audience Spellbound in his hold He spins spiderwebs into yarn And weaves moonbeams into gold He shall live forever In each story told Pa... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Teen Challenges Should you vaccinate your teen daughter for HPV/cervical cancer with Gardasil?: 10 of 26
Should you vaccinate your teenage daughter with Gardasil to help prvent HPV/cervical cancer? Absolutely. I did and I recommend - as a mother, a 30 year veteran community health clinical nurse specialist, and a school nurse - that you do too. Do arguments against the vaccine exist? Certainly. I have parents - not many - but a... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Mythology & Folklore What is a leprechaun?: 16 of 38
WHAT IS A LEPRECHAUN? What indeed! As if 'tis a question that might be answered as easily as what did ye have for yer supper or what was the weather like yesterday! The question, my unusually inquisitive lad and lassie, 'tis not what is a leprechaun but more precisely, would ye know a leprechaun from a leapfrog if he or she ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Theater & Drama Getting involved in community theater: 9 of 21
GETTING INVOLVED WITH COMMUNITY THEATRE "The smell of the greasepaint...the roar of the crowd..." No one can say for sure what separates the show people from the audience. Sometimes, those folks we think would be great on stage aren't and the ones who look like they'd be scared to take a number in the ticketline are the bigg... More..
Hobbies & Games > Hobbies & Games (Other) An introduction to Renaissance Faires: 3 of 7
"Good Day, m'Lord and m'Lady. How fare thee?" It is very likely upon your arrival at your first Renaissance Faire, you may hear those very words. In dialect, of course. Dialect? Absolutely. At the Faire, it is not only what you say, but how you say it, that marks you as either a rookie, pro, or patron. I have been a Faire lo... More..