Wordless Wednesday - Teeth Gone Wild - A comedic point of view

 

YouTube Video: How strong are your teeth?

Wordless Wednesday - A Laugh a Day Keeps Stress at Bay - Comedy

 

YouTube Video Credit: Dry Bar Comedy - I'm Not Sure if You're Ready for This - Carl Strong Full Special

Wisdom Wednesday - The Writing Life - An interview with Angela Verges

Are you interested in writing a children's book? If your answer is yes, then go for it! I encourage you to become involved in your local Society of Children's Book Writer's & Illustrators (SCBWI) organization. The group is supportive offers writing conferences that will leave you inspired and motivated to chase your writing or illustrating dreams.

My picture book Abby and Zach Pray through the Alphabet was published several months ago. I am honored to have been interviewed by SCBWI-MI as their Author Spotlight. Click here to read the interview.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Monday Musings - What to Expect When You’re Expecting to Be Funny – A Guide for the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop

 

Where do you go where sleep is optional, overeating is expected, and laughter is guaranteed? If you answered the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop (EBWW)], you would be correct. It’s an adrenaline rush that doesn’t leave you disappointed.

It was many moons ago when I read the book series  What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Followed by What to Expect the toddler years, then the Teen Years. Now that my sons are adults, I can bequeath those books to their significant others. Before I digress too much I thought it would be fun to create a What to Expect set of guidelines for new attendees of the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop.

If you asked each attendee about their experience, the result would be a potpourri of answers, but each person would include the words fun and laughter. You would also hear  - friendships, amazing, talented people, kindness.

The information included in this post is intended for anyone interested in attending EBWW. Let me begin with a few expectations so that you are not overwhelmed when you arrive for the workshop.

1.      Don’t plan to get a lot of sleep (you can do that when you get home).

2.      You may experience FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). To avoid a sever outbreak of this, plan that you will go with the flow and engage in the many opportunities available.

3.      Do a few stretching exercises with your face, lips, and jaw, in preparation for lots of laughter.

4.      Arrive at the workshop ready to make friends.

5. Don’t be offended by huggers. There are a lot of us out there, we mean well. One time I accidentally hugged my son’s little league coach. I didn’t realize he was leaning in to shake my hand; I grabbed him around the shoulders. But that’s a story for a different time.

Here’s how the workshop works…you must first get in. It’s not a secret society, just a group of fun people who want to laugh and learn together. I’ll share three simple steps to help you prepare for the expected workshop.

Step 1

Sign up for the newsletter so that you are aware of the happenings in Erma Nation.*

*A fun term of endearment that the workshop attendees use.

The workshop meets every two years; registration for the next workshop opens November 2027.

 

Step 2

Set a reminder about the workshop registration date.

Mark your calendar, set an alarm, write it in blood, whatever you need to do (within the law) to reserve your spot. Rumor has it that the workshop filled within 33 hours.

 

Step 3

Plan ahead.

You have two years, decide now if you want to attend the workshop. Set up a savings plan, you’ll want to buy books written by all the presenters. There is an onsite bookstore, you will be drawn to t-shirts, mugs, water bottles, journals – oh my.

If you plan ahead, you save yourself the stress of deciding which item to buy – get them both. No buyer’s remorse here. Be sure to take a suitcase large enough to carry your new treasures home.

Step 4

Don’t force the funny.

Relax, go with the flow. Don’t think that people expect you to be funny. Enjoy the camaraderie and laugh-out-loud moments.

One final thought…What should you expect when you’re expecting to be funny at the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop? The answer is short and simple – Inspiration.

Wordless Wednesday - Manopause - What does it look like?

 

Wordless Wednesday - Women in Comedy - Nikki Carr

 

YouTube Video Credit: Dry Bar

I Wish These Were Jokes - Nikki Carr

Wordless Wednesday - Still Celebrating Women's History Month - Comedian Anjelah Johnson

 

YouTube Video Credit: When You're Not the Young One Anymore - Anjelah Johnson-Reyes

Posted by Laugh Society - Ladies First

Fun Friday - Mistaken Identity? Humor at a coffee shop

 

Mistaken Identity? Where you from?

Wordless Wednesday - Women's History Month - Comedy with Leanne Morgan

Celebrate Women's History Month with me. Each week this month I'll feature a female comedian. Do you have a favorite? Stop by each week, perhaps you'll discover a new favorite. Since I'm starting this feature at the end of the month, I'll extend the support of female comedians into mid-April

YouTube Video Credit: Leanne Morgan Comedy

Monday Musings – The Crossover – A Perspective on Aging

  

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word crossover? Because I have sons who have played basketball, my first inclination is a basketball reference.

I see my son dribbling the ball down the right side of the court, dashing in front of an opposing player. Crossing to the other side of the court, he stops and shoots the ball from the three-point line…swish. Nothing but net.

Well, this story is not about basketball, but it was nostalgic reminiscing about being a basketball mom. This story is in fact about aging – things you don’t see coming. Your body can change when you least expect it.

I’ve heard people debate about what age a person starts to feel old. I haven’t conducted a survey, but considering a couple of recent encounters, I say that age is sixty. Here’s my story…

On a much-needed vacation, I indulged in a lot of sightseeing and taking photos. I struck a pose inside a botanical garden, then another in front of an outdoor fountain, and others while sitting on a park bench. The sun was shining and I was feeling relaxed, sassy, and stylish, until…

While enjoying dinner on a restaurant patio with my mom, I scrolled through my phone and showed her the photos we’d taken throughout the day. She zoomed in on a photo I thought was cute and shared the same sentiment. It was one of me  basking in the sunshine while sitting on a bench.

Mom pointed to the photo and said, “I like this one, but what is that on your stomach?”

It was my turn to inspect the photo. I removed my glasses (designed for nearsightedness),  squinted, and stared at the picture. I saw what mom was looking at and said, “do you mean my boobs?!”

Sagging boobs… is this one of the signs of old age that you don’t see coming? Could this be resolved with a good Victoria Secret push-up bra? If that fails, the next option may be a hoist.

I thanked mom for her observation and vowed to tuck away the blouse that told the world that I was aging without grace. Or did I just accomplish that with this blog post?

Yep, I have crossed over into the land of aging, but it’s okay. Like fine wine, I’m going to make each year better with time, and so should you.

Live each day with an attitude of gratitude, no matter what, find something to be grateful for.

 

 

 

Fun Friday - An Aging Metabolism

 

YouTube Video: What happens when you feel you have an aging metabolism?

If you like humor and comedy, come out to a show and laugh out load. 

Fun Friday - Humor Happy Hour - The Vacation

 

Has anything interesting happened on one of your vacations?

Humor Happy Hour - The Vacation

Motivational Monday – Joy

 

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18

Each year I decide on a word of the year as a mindset for guiding my daily walk. My word for this year is joy. I was deciding between a couple of words, then a colleague gave a coffee mug for Christmas, with one single word on it – Joy. Aaah, joy would be my word.

One sunshiny but cold winter day, I sat at one of my favorite writing spots working on a few projects. Sipping Hazelnut coffee and eating chicken with wild rice soup, along with a Fugi Apple salad, I was feeling energized. I outlined my blog post about finding joy even while going through frustrating situations.

The outline included tips on ways to experience joy. A few hours later, satisfied with what I’d accomplished during my writing session, I bundled up and headed home. I turned on the  car radio; I know a radio may sound antiquated to some people, but I still use mine in this age of XM radio.

YouTube Video Credit: Commodores - Brick House Audio

I don't own the rights to this song.

The DJ was playing a throwback from the 1970’s – Brick House by the Commodores. I blasted the volume and had my own car concert going. I was moving my shoulders and bouncing my head to the beat of the music. My energy remained high…until I attempted to pull into my driveway.

The snow removal folks (whomever they were) had cleaned my street and pushed all the snow in front of my driveway. I thought I could drive over it. My tires began spinning, I put the car in reverse, got a little traction, drove forward again, the car moved a little further into the driveway, then stopped. The tires were spinning again with no forward movement. My joy was fading fast.

I got out of the car, grabbed a shovel from the garage, and began chopping at the snow around my tires. I bent my legs like one does when completing a squat as part of an exercise routine. Scooping chunks of snow, the size of small boulders, I tossed them to the other side of the driveway. Finally, I was ready to get behind the wheel of the car again.

Once behind the wheel of the car, I shifted into reverse and the car began to move over a stretch of solid packed snow. Then I heard a loud ripping sound and stopped immediately. I got out of the car and saw that my front bumper was ripped out of place and my car sat halfway in the street.

A neighbor drove slowly past then backed up and asked if I needed help. Looking dejected, I said, “No, I just messed up my car. I’ll call my son.” To say my spirit was deflated is an understatement. I went into the house, flopped down into an armchair near my front window and hoped no one would hit my car. And if they did, oh well, there was nothing else I could do at that moment.

Joy –  was evasive at that moment. Hours earlier I was bubbly and upbeat, writing about how to have joy. Now thrown into a situation where I needed to follow my own advice. It was not easy. My best advice at that moment was to first breathe and be still. I had to remind myself not to sweat the things I can’t control. Still not easy.

As I sat and waited for my son, I pulled out the notes I had planned for this blog post. Here are five ways to find joy amid difficulties:

1.      Notice one thing that didn’t go wrong today.

2.      Choose joy even though everything isn’t figured out.

3.      Text someone for no other reason than to say, “thinking of you.”

4.      Take a walk and wave at random people like you know them.

5.      Rest without earning it – no need to justify why you want to rest, just do it.

What do you do to find joy when it tries to evade you?

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday - Childhood Games - What was your favorite?

 

YouTube Video: A Childhood Game

Wordless Wednesday - A "Helpful" Friend When You're Trying to Lose Weight

 

Video Credit: Dry Bar Comedy

Every "Helpful" Friend When You Try to Lose Weight - Al Park Stand-Up

Monday Musings - When compliments Take a Sharp Left Turn

 

                                         The perfect companion to a comfortable stylish dress. 

I am a dress kind of girl. I like wearing dresses because they feel less restrictive than pants; especially when my weight is up. One Sunday morning I spent countless minutes trying on dresses for church, until I found one that made my bulges appear smaller. Success. I pulled  my a-lined knee length, cotton dress over my head, pulled on a pair of black tights with hues of gold sparkles, then completed the look with black patent leather 3-inch chunky heeled shoes.

I bundled up and rushed off to church. Once inside the church I shed my bulky coat, exchanged pleasantries with a few people in the room, then chatted with a friend nearby. I sauntered over to the coffee table and back. Another friend walked over, interrupted us, to pay me a compliment…I think.

You may be familiar with the moment. Someone opens their mouth, clearly aiming for a compliment, and somehow the words make a sharp left turn into Wait… what did you just say? territory. You smile.  You may even say “thank you,” while your brain quietly pulls the comment apart like a detective with too much caffeine. It wasn’t rude—on purpose. It wasn’t intentional—hopefully. But it definitely wasn’t what your self-esteem ordered, and now you’re stuck replaying it on a loop you never asked for.

My friend giving the compliment leaned in and said, “you look good. Most people who gain weight, it doesn’t look good on them. It looks good on you; you carry it well.”

I chuckled and said, “thanks,” with a quizzical look on my face. However, I did tell my friend, “You can have my extra pounds, I’d rather not have them.”

I don’t think my friend realized her comment could have come across as offensive. But because I know her personality, I knew she did not mean to offend. And because of who I am, I was not offended…and I will turn the situation into comedy.

Sometimes a comment can take a wrong turn. When this happens, you can get upset about it…or not. In this situation, I chose to uncover the humor.

Have you ever experienced a compliment gone wrong? Were you the giver or receiver of the compliment?

 

 

Worth a Read Wednesday - Clucky's Week

 

Some stories remind us that even the simplest plans can turn into unexpected adventures. Clucky’s Week is one of those stories. This charming picture book follows a determined hen who just wants to lay her eggs in peace—but each day brings a new interruption as someone from the farmer’s family discovers her carefully chosen spot.

I had the pleasure of meeting Laura some years ago at a writers group meet up and again at a book fair. Her persistence as a writer is evident with the completion of Clucky's Week.

Clucky's Week by Laura Stewart and Pam Casey

Laura has also written a children's book that intertwines fiction and historical facts - Building the Bridge School A Story about Michigan's First Public School.

Building the Bridge School by Laura Stewart and Wendy Kennedy

Both of Laura's book are available on Amazon. Check out both of her books and consider making a purchase for a little one in your life.

Wordless Wednesday - Humor Happy Hour - The Peanuts

 

Humor Happy Hour - The Peanuts