: About Me

 Hello, thanks for visiting!

I'm a 50-something woman (already!) (my doesn't time fly-Gramma was right!) and I live just outside of Chicago. I'm happily married for the past twenty years and have two adult children. I have a disabled sibling who lives with my husband and me. I also have two adorable grandchildren!

We share our home with our two dogs-a Bassett and a American Staffordshire Terrier (aka Pit Bull). Ssh. He's a sweetheart. I'm not just saying so. We were given him when he was already five years old. He's been a loyal and wonderful addition to our home. Our Bassett-well, we had gotten her shortly after I injured my back. I took her for obedience training, not knowing that the first command would be "Sit!". This verbal command was followed by a tug up on her leash and a push down on her low, Bassett puppy hind end. I couldn't reach that low comfortablly, so she's an obedience training dropout. Now, ten years old, she comes when she feels like it, as she does all commands-when she feels like it. She's a sweet, lovable dog, motivated only by food. My son named her as a puppy, telling me her name meant "beautiful". It took about eight years for him to tell me he named her after a man in Bob Marley's band. He's the one that gave me grandchildren. Oh, I love Bob Marley, but...

My passion has temporarily gone from writing to a focus on health issues. Suddenly, my morning phone calls to my sisters were filled with discussions of our aches, pains, and the diagnoses responsible for the symptoms we reported to one another. After my last birthday, I realized that I best take action to reverse what I could and meanwhile prevent any other age-related issues that might be on my horizon. Realage.com has been an invaluable resource for me. I lost fifteen pounds so far and feel much better. I eat better and exercise more. No, I do not like to exercise but I do like the results. I find exercise is something like washing dishes. I don't like to think about it but when I'm doing it, I love it. I tried, in the name of health, to like fish. I grew up the lone totally vegetarian of nine people (if I didn't look like my Father, the family would have thought I was adopted.) Still, at the advice from a sister that Tilapia is the least fish-tasting fish, I tried it. I don't know what makes it the least fish-tasting fish. I didn't use tartar sauce for fear it would enhance rather than cover the taste of the Tilapia. I still don't like fish but am happy to have found the Algal DHA supplement for protein. I thought I'd brave the fish after I'd successfully acquired a tolerance, then like, for yogurt. Since the fish, I've gone on to successfully like the previously abhorred blueberries. Ha! How can she not like blueberries, you may ask. I grew up not liking anything red, and the whole family of berries. I longed to add the blueberries to my diet. A quickly rinsed handful into a bowl, covered with flakes of instant oatmeal, hot water, and voila!, I didn't taste them. I'm sure an answer to prayer. Since, they've come to feel like grapes and not far from the taste of same either. Ah, the sweet taste of success.

On to Helium! How wonderful. I am so appreciative of the peer review process. There's so much I haven't tapped into yet here. One such is the availabilty of the mentoring program. Its also wonderful to either write to a title or create one. I've not branched out to other styles of writing such as journalism, but I don't know where in my future that writing will take me. Do any of us? I appreciate how in the arts of any kind, there is the healthy competition, but also wonderful camaradarie of like-minded artists. That's one of the many best perks to being a community member on Helium.com. Helium is still like a museum or amusement park to me. You arrive, take in all the opportunities and may not know where to start. But that first step will lead you to one place, to linger at or move on, until you get the feel and perhaps draw up your plan on where you'll go, and then go, after that.

As for my own writing...sometimes I'm amazed, sometimes a bit disappointed, at where my peer review has settled my article or poetry for placement. However, I do know and feel it is entirely where it belongs, borrowing and stretching perhaps the adage "liberty is blind". I do appreciate and have used the 'leapfrog' option. So there are ample ways to improve. I am one who must wait until my writing gets 'cold', as I call it. I submit, then wait until I know what I want to do before I leapfrog. Besides writing, I am in the midst of time restrictions on two other projects. After an illness took me away from Helium for awhile, the other projects are keeping me away for a little bit yet. I will let you know about those projects, either on this "About Me" section, or in an article.

What I feel is my thanks and my obligation to the Helium community is taking the time to rate. I sit with my dictionary, my grammar handbook and have the internet resources to tackle articles that interest me, albeit perhaps about which I know little. I will look at the article references for verification about that which I didn't know but wish to learn. So although I may have my proverbial pencil ready, I do appreciate content from which I've learned. Poetry too, is often fascinating. So few little words, so much meaning!

One note regarding my poetry and short stories. My characters speak true to their character. Yes, I do chose what they will say, but it is nothing that they might not say off the page, as it were.

I hope you've come away from reading my "About Me" page feeling like you know me a bit. I'm happy you have visited! Drop me a line if you wish; it would be nice to meet you here, and read your "About Me" page as well.

God Bless.

My passion is ...

Health. There's so much information out there to prevent disease, conquer obesity and diabetes, etc. Chomp on those veggies and get moving! I take it to heart.

I know too much about ...

Well, there's always a hurdle of some sort in my life-a steady stream of varied difficulties-before I can carrry on any kind of usual day/week/month, etc

My parents always told me ...

To be true to myself.

My childhood ambition ...

To right the wrongs of society!

My favorite memory ...

For the beauty...melting crayons on a furnace cabinet-aged 4

Why I write ...

It satisfies a part of me.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

I'm watching children's videos (most are Peanuts).

My first job ...

Take-out chicken after school.As a vegetarian didn't know a breast from a thigh.

My best moment ...

Getting a handwritten rejection note from a Highlights for Children mag editor.

My inspiration ...

Spirituality, humor, irony, quirkiness, wit, kindness, common sense, generosity and wisdom.

Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: The party begins

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CH 6 Paris opened her eyes. It was Saturday but something was different. The sun streamed longer across the floor. Uncle Larry had taught her how to use a sundial inside and outside. It must have been near 10 a.m. She went to her window. Most of the stable hands were gone on weekends. It was her birthday, but where was Mama? Every birthday Mama snuck upstairs long before eight and cuddled next to her and sang a happy birthday song. Paris would rouse slowly to this song of celebration. Vanessa would stroke her sleek, chestnut hair, and move her bangs off her forehead. Mama's breath would be...

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• Creative Writing Bronze
• Helium Charter Member