Articles written by Virginia Allain

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About me - Virginia Allain

My library career spanned 30 years, starting out in Children's Services, then Reference Librarian, and ending with eleven years as a Library Director. Now I'm enjoying writing and photography and combining both of those in creating books on Blurb.com.

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Hobbies & Games > Hobbies & Games (Other) Reading as a hobby: Escape in a good book: 1 of 75
Maybe you feel left out when others talk enthusiastically about some best seller or rave about a newly discovered author. Here are some ways to become a reader. Some people say, "I don't have time to read." Obviously it is more than just lack of time, if you can sit in front of the television clicking mindlessly through the c... More..
Food & Drink > Recipes (Other) Recipes: Inexpensive meals: 2 of 60
For an inexpensive and filling meal, you can't beat soup. Here are ways to extend and supplement simple cans of soup to feed a hungry family. For soup with a broth base, stretch it out by adding more broth. Keep both beef and chicken bullion cubes on hand for this. Dissolve the cube in hot water using the flavor that best mat... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) Commentary: The need to read: 1 of 9
If you love to read, do you know when reading becomes more than just a pastime or hobby? Do you feel a strong need to read? Has your reading crossed the line into addiction? Here are steps to assess this and also to help you cope with your reading addiction. Answer these questions to see if you are addicted to reading. Have y... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Family Values How we can teach our children values: 3 of 24
My dad worked many years at grueling jobs making a living and supporting a family of six children. It wasn't an easy life, but he persevered. The six of us grew up to be solid citizens who didn't use drugs, and applied ourselves successfully to our chosen endeavors. His job meant he usually wasn't there for a softball game, 4... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Summer Camps & Fun Tips for family summer fun: 4 of 30
Kids get bored in the summer, but organized camps are expensive. What's a parent to do? You don't have to be supermom, but an involved parent makes all the difference in getting those junior couch potatoes moving. Here are ways to have fun with children this summer. I recommend reading The Family Manager's Guide To Summer Sur... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literary Themes & Ideas Writers who influenced your life: 4 of 29
It never occurred to me that what we had was something special. My parents read a lot and so did all five of my siblings. Reading was just part of life. Mom started us early visiting the library where we each selected the three books allowed. That wasn't enough to last for the two weeks between visits. Fortunately after readi... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Boredom: 30 of 200
Boredomis a sluggish snake,it slithers, slowly, slyly, silently, stealthily,coiling itself around my mind,squeezing out my creativity and energyand leaving nothing. More..
Celebrations & Holidays > New Year's The best way to stick to your New Years resolutions: 11 of 73
We start the new year off resolving to get rid of bad habits. Unfortunately after a few days or weeks, we're back to our old behavior. Here's a way to make changes day-by-day that eventually result in improving your life. The method may inspire you to make small changes that accumulate and make life better. It is called H.O.P... More..
Home & Garden > Real Estate (Other) How to keep your neighborhood safe and welcoming: 2 of 13
Ideally we would all live in a neighborhood with wonderful people that we enjoyed and with whom we could share good times. This can happen, but it requires some effort to develop. Don't sit around waiting for someone else to take the initiative. You can start developing your neighborhood into one that's friendly and sharing a... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Childhood toys: 2 of 13
I was a dreamy child, self-absorbed and shy. Although I was one of six children I liked playing alone. Often I spent hours playing with my paper dolls, immersing myself in their fantasy lives. I had complete families with furniture and accessories, carefully clipped from the outdated Sears catalog. The scale of these paper fa... More..