My life story is like the quilts my Mam-Maw used to make-each piece (person, place, or thing) stamped with its unique pattern and texture of history and social climate. Some pieces were gifted, some were found easily, some were found and placed with painstaking and repeated effort. No matter how odd the shape of the pieces, they all fit, and without one, the whole would have been so different and incomplete. Each person, place, and thing in my life is sewn together with threads of love for the Lord, sweet nostalgia for a cherished past, small-town Southern living, and an appreciation for all the beauty that is in this world, be it manmade or gifts from nature. This "quilt of experience" is the foundation for my writing, but it is only the beginning.

In the Social Sciences channel, I will write articles based in my degrees in Psychology and Sociology, learned at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches Texas, and earned at the University of Texas. My passion for wildlife conservation and my love for cats will be on display in the Pets and Animals channel. It was song that brought me to the Internet, and in time, I will write about my love of music in the Entertainment channel, using my CD collection that numbers in the thousands as my knowledge base. A love of reading may prompt me to write in topics as varied as my musical tastes. Wherever my Helium journey takes me, my love of painting with words will be evident, and my eventual goal is to paint with the brush of poetic language in the creative writing channel.

It's my belief that there is something to be gained from each experience, even those that are painful can have hidden blessings. If this autobiography rambles, it is because each experience is a story to me, a piece of my life's quilt that I can write about, in much the same way as the old women of my youth told tales about their one-of-a-kind handiwork-the gathering of pieces, the sewing together, the mistakes that led to masterpieces which were more exquisite than the planned original, and finally, the places and circumstances of the finished quilt, even as they began work on a new one.

My passion is ...

dreaming. In 2008, idealism and romanticism are often treated as childish flights of fancy. I love to imagine the impossible, the beautiful, and then write it down. I am not naive. I know that not all dreams come true, but I also know that if you refuse to dream, there's no chance for a dream to be realized. If you deny the possibility of magic, you've given it no chance, and whether it's real, you'll never know.

I know too much about ...

music. Although I don't sing, and I'm not musically inclined, I love what I call "the universal language." My specialty is the 60s. I know which artists sang which songs, and when the songs were released, no matter how obscure. I love to mix playlists, and I will spend hours searching for just the right blend of songs for a very specific mood or frame of mind.

My childhood ambition ...

to save every single animal in the world from ever being hurt, hungry, cold, frightened, or sad. That's how I said it when I was eight, and there's no reason to change the wording now. My love for all creaturekind is in those words. "Even snakes and skunks and mice," I told all who would listen, "they're animal people too." It may not be feasible for me to go to all animals in need, but if I can use words to inspire the hearts of many, maybe I can accomplish the dream of one after all.

My favorite memory ...

July 4th at Uncle Jimmy's lake house, any time during the 1980s. Heaven must surely be like those endless days filled with family bonding in fun and patriotism, heat and the smell of smoked brisket, sun sparkling on blue water and the roar of jet skis, Mike (my older cousin who defined "cool" for me with his new car and Culture Club tapes), and finally, homemade ice cream and a brilliant display of a country's love for its protectors in colored light. Thanks, Jimmy, you gave us Heaven on Earth

Why I write ...

I write, because it is how I love. I show love through words, to one person or all mankind. Writing is a reflex to me, akin to breathing. If I don't write, I feel suffocated, or inwardly dead. I want to leave the world a more beautiful place than it was when I entered it. I will write, whether I ever earn a penny from it, or whether anyone ever reads my words. I will write til I breathe my last, because it is a gift God has given me.

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

I listen to classic soul, exotica, any music from the 1960s, classic rock, urban adult contemporary, nature soundscapes, 80s pop, Kelly Clarkson, baseball games (on the radio), and movie and Tv. soundtracks. My favorite singer is Melinda Doolittle, a performer with the most incredible voice in recent history. I read everything I can, with an emphasis on Stephen King and romance novels. I watch Animal Planet, Boomerang (classic cartoons), and classic game shows.

My inspiration ...

Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter", lived his passion for wildlife, and he made the world a better place because of his willingness to share that love with those of us who weren't fortunate enough to encounter exotic animals in their environment. His sincerity, enthusiasm, and childlike innocence were beautiful to behold in a grown man. Steve's magic was his gift to connect with all living things on their level. I only hope to mirror that connectivity in my writing.

Health & Fitness > Diet Tips Commonsense weight loss tips

12 of 71

You can lose all the weight you want, and keep it off. How many times have we heard that, followed by a pricey medical breakthrough, a magic solution, or a quick fix to a lifetime problem? This isn't one of those offers, but the challenge of successfully shedding unwanted pounds for good may not be as difficult as you think. Few people can sustain a lifetime of strict diets and harsh exercise regimens. Try the following suggestions you can incorporate into your current lifestyle, rather than a "diet" that has a beginning and end. Don't be discouraged from reading on because the first c...

More..

Writing: