Anyone who knows me personally understands that I am NOT a morning person. I never have been, and I suspect this won’t be changing anytime soon. I have suffered with chronic fibromyalgia for nearly thirty-five years and along with the sun, mornings bring pain, stiffness, and brain fog. I never schedule a conference call or client meeting before eleven o’clock because I feel just plain stupid. But you know what? I am still grateful because each a.m. provides an opportunity to do something good with my day. And let’s face it, as I am now much closer to 60 than 50, it’s awesome just to wake up this side of […]
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TODAY’S QUOTE: Trust, Live, Enjoy
Every time I think it’s time to put away my keyboard and switch out my writer’s hat for my old corporate one, an amazing new project comes along that reminds me of my purpose. I know I am on this earth to share people’s inspiring stories through the written word. What is God’s plan for you? Are you living it? Are you enjoying it? Please use the talents you’ve been given to make the world a better place.
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TODAY’S QUOTE: Everybody is Somebody
One of the life lessons I learned from my father was to treat everyone like they matter, whether they are a janitor or the president of a company. Last night I watched the movie Same Kind of Different as Me and I cried like a baby. Respecting others, no matter their station, is just… right!
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Ruth Riley Inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
Last week I was thrilled to read that Ruth Riley Hunter is part of the 2019 class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Not only is she a phenomenal athlete, she is a global humanitarian, and a VERY nice person. Oh, and for you Miami Heat fans, Ruth is now a TV studio and radio analyst! At first blush, Ruth is nothing short of intimidating. A hair under 6’ 5”, the veteran center is a powerful force. (I’m only 4’ 10”… you do the math.) She helped Notre Dame win the NCAA championship, and she has two WNBA championship rings. We certainly can’t forget that she also received a gold […]
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TODAY’S QUOTE: No Regrets
Alexander Graham Bell, the recognized inventor of the telephone, understood that looking back at past failures can hinder one’s future accomplishments. Inventing is all about coming up with new ideas, after all. His forwarding-thinking quote is engraved in the stone wall within the Peace Chapel of the International Peace Garden on the border of Manitoba and North Dakota. “Woulda, coulda, shoulda” thinking will get you nowhere other than in a spiral of regret. We’ve all made mistakes we can learn from, but obsessing about them serves nobody #lookahead
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Happy Birthday America!
On July 4, 1776, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence to rid the thirteen colonies from the tyranny of British rule. American patriots with rudimentary weaponry fought a powerful foe to forge a new nation: The United States of America. In 1783, the United States formally became a free and independent nation. Official records state that 4,435 soldiers died from wounds suffered during the Revolutionary War. I am grateful.
Read more...Plums and Prunes and Cherries
By Amy Hammond Hagberg My Grandpa Art, God rest his soul, was a proud and sturdy Norwegian – a farmer from the plains of North Dakota. He was the kind of grandpa who told silly jokes, gave me a crisp $5 bill every time he saw me, taught me how to play cards and bounced me on his knee for hours on end singing old family favorites. Once I was old enough to know better, I thought it was strange that this stoic Norseman sang a song called “I’m a Swede from North Dakota,” but I guess Art embraced diversity long before it was trendy. Grandpa Art used to sing […]
Read more...Help me…. I don’t know what to blog!
Dear Friends: I need your advice about my blog. I am a pretty multi-faceted writer and I’ve blogged about all kinds of things over the years. Most days there is so much swirling around in my brain I can’t decide on a topic. I need to know what YOU want me to write about. When you have a minute, check out my blog. You’ll see categories posted on the right side. There’s a little bit of everything there: storytelling, writing, vocabulary, trivia, grammar, celebrity interviews, relationship advice, wellness, faith, and all kinds of completely random thoughts. PLEASE help me focus! What do you like? If you check out my blog […]
Read more...Grand Marnier French Toast
Sorry it has taken me so long to post the answer to last Friday’s trivia question. My computer was having some attitude! TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY — FOOD & DRINK QUESTION: What flavor is Grand Marnier liqueur? ANSWER: Orange Here’s a great recipe that utilizes this delicious liqueur. If you don’t have any on hand or prefer not to use alcohol, feel free to substitute orange juice. GRAND MARNIER FRENCH TOAST 4 large eggs 3/4 cup half & half 1/4 Grand Marnier or orange juice concentrate (thawed) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 8 slices French bread, sliced 3/4″ wide 4 tablespoons butter Powdered sugar […]
Read more...GRAMMAR GEM: Putting the Brakes on Broke
The verb “break” is a tough one for some people. Of course, there is the obvious confusion between “brake,” meaning to stop or slow something (as with a car), and “break,” which means to split into pieces or smash. Just to confuse you a little more, there is also the noun version of “break,” which is a bodiless carriage frame used for breaking in horses. But I digress. The biggest problem with this verb comes when we switch to the present perfect tense “broken.” Have you ever heard someone say, “The car is broke” or worse yet, “The car done broke”? When a helping verb like “is” is used in […]
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