Politics and Social Media

There are many things I don't understand in this world. Why people pay $100 for a hair cut.  Why someone would buy something just because it's on sale even though they don't need it.  Why people believe everything they read in a supermarket tabloid.  Those same people who say the National Inquirer is nothing but fiction believe everything they read on Facebook.

I have been on Facebook for a number of years.  I first started my account of Facebook to keep in touch with my family who is spread from one side of the country to another.  I love watching their individual family's grow.  Then I loved keeping in touch with my friends that I haven't seen in years. Catching up with what's been going on in their lives.

Recently, I've noticed that politics and social injustice has taken over.  In fact friends old and new have been caught up on the political rhetoric that news agencies have blasted their airways with. Funny thing is no matter what news agency it is only tells one side of the story and it isn't even necessarily true.

Human nature is an interesting thing.  We find something we agree with and we tell everyone we know about it.  Or we find something we disagree with and shout about it from the roof tops.  Thing is with social media our rooftops just got a lot bigger.  Some people are social activists who then take it one step further and hit the streets with it.  We have clashes in the streets, people rioting and looting, and protesting leaving everything in a worse state than when they came.  Then all of this hits social media and friendships are lost, understanding has gone out the window and everyone yelling at everyone else right from the privacy of their own home.

It is easy to get caught up in an argument with someone but we forget forty other people can read it. Then they chime in and now its gone viral and there is no taking anything back.  Once it hits the airwaves it out there.  We teach our children to be careful what the post, but we need to take some of our own advice.  You can disagree and be kind.  It's called diplomacy.

Until next week.

What Inspirers You

There are many writers I adore.  Many books I will buy just because of the person who wrote it.  I call these my auto-buy authors. How ever the first authors I fell in love with are actually dead now.  The first is Dame Agatha Christie, and the second is JRR Tolkien.  They have totally different writing styles and different genre's.  But the way they tell a story is remarkable.  One of the things I like most about a story is that you can't put it down.  Luckily for me most of the books I read lately can be read in one night.  It may take me three or four hours but I never want to put it down.

The characters I love have such depth.  If they are written correctly they come off the page alive and the story seems like real life.  JK Rowling, like JRR Tolkien has the ability to create a whole world something that is out of the ordinary.  Her back stories alone filled boxes and boxes, which is why her characters are three dimensional.  Doing research is always a must as a writer.  Becoming so involved with the characters is what brings them to life.  I remember reading somewhere that Harry Potter was so real to JK Rowling that she actually thought she saw him on a train.  

To have the ability to create such an environment has always been my goal.  To invite readers to become part of the story.  I do research, and pick people's brains.  I swear if Homeland Security ever looked into my internet searches, I'd be put on a watch list.  I have researched fire jumping, bomb making, drug addiction, firearms, and spontaneous combustion.  I have only written one book that was set in a place I have first hand knowledge of.  I've even researched the best surfing spots along the southern California coastline.  Which I have come to understand is a very closely guarded secret.  But even with all of my research I have to say my writing has a long way to go before people say, "I just can't put it down."

I hope when people read my books they are transported to another place.  That what I have written will bring a little bit of joy into their lives, that they can forget about the world for even a little bit. Then I'll consider myself a successful writer.

If you've never read one of my books head to amazon.com and looked up Sharon Lnndis and you will find what makes me happy.  So check it out and let me know what you think.  Book four update: I'm still working on it.  It's going to be so much fun writing it.  

Until next week       

Child Protection

When our children are small, we as parents want to protect them from everything.  As they grow their experiences, physical, emotional and mental also grow.  Your children need this growth.  But as parents we want to continue to protect them from everything we perceive as harmful in anyway. Some of these things are from their own decisions, some are because of the actions of others, some are because life just happens.  The only way for our children to grow is to learn to deal with all of life's crap is to go through this stuff.  The only thing we can do is try to guide them through the mine field.

The older they get the tougher the experience.  Even as a parent of adult children your instinct is to protect them from hurt, anxiety, and grief.  It is heartbreaking to stand by and just hold their hand, knowing how hard life can be.

In my younger years I too had to go through the difficulties of life.  And even though I've been through some tough stuff, I can offer advice and counsel but it still won't ease the pain of heartbreak. I know my children will be better stronger adults with the ability to help others after having to deal with crap.  But being a bystander is just plain painful.

I hope we can all find some peace through the trials of life.

Until next week.

We Interrupt This Program......

Yesterday we had a storm blow in dump rain and snow and leave.  Well one of the side effects is that we lost our internet connection.  Aaauuuggghhh whatever shall we do?  Man I don't know.  I couldn't write my blog, I couldn't check my social networks, my son could game all afternoon or stream his all time favorite show Dr. Who on Amazon.  Life was over as we know it.

I did have time to do some yard work between storms, worked on a cross stitch I have been trying to finish, I even worked on a puzzle and baked chocolate chip cookies.  We did have television, but no Netflix, so we weren't totally with out entertainment, but it got me thinking.  What was life like for me before the internet.  Let's face it I could have done all of the things I did today even without the internet and probably would have anyway.  But my son, he is totally into his gaming.  He does do other things, he is very helpful around the house, he helps me cook dinner, he even helped with yard work yesterday. Which he would have done anyway.   But having to give up Dr. Who was traumatizing.  I also was trying to find plants for my landscaping that need replacing. In order to do that I would actually have to get up and go outside to the local Home Depot.  Who wants to do that in the rain?

What did I learn from this experience?  Life without the internet is livable, and it was nice to not have to interrupt my sons viewing to talk to him.  There is just the three of us now.  My husband wasn't feeling well so his life wasn't interrupted other than he couldn't really look things up on his phone for work without using all of his data.  My son does spend a lot of his free time on the computer, mostly watching Youtube and does some online gaming with friends.  But yesterday he spent some time reading with is not too unusual for him, but Dr. Who, that was a hardship.  As for me I probably spend too much time on social networks anyway.  I could give some of that time up for something more productive.

I hope this week if you cut back on social networking this is one of the things you read.

Until next time

Project Management

So far this year I have been enjoying projects.  Since January, I have started my forth book, I have painted my sons bedroom, I have dejunked and moved my "craft room", and turned it into a guest room.  I have decorated the guestroom in such a way my son lovingly calls it the "Spring Room".  All the way along I have been working on my book and a cross stitch.  I look forward to finishing my "Grotto" this spring and get a huge start on my garden in the next few weeks.  It seems like I am always working on something.

I finally got a day off the other day and I decided I needed to get some work done around my house. This work is necessary and needed.  My dishes had stacked up in the sink, and my floors were full of dog hair.  Dusting always needs to be done.  So much work, I made my list of things to do and got right to work.  About mid day I stopped and asked myself, "Why is it on my day off I'm doing laundry, dishes, and basic housework, but I feel like I'm not accomplishing anything?"

I have held a job since I was sixteen.  Even when my children were small and needed a me at home, I worked doing data entry on my home computer.  Because of my husband's chosen profession it has been required I bring in an income.  I have always worked, even though all I have wanted to do my entire married life is be a stay at home mom.  A kept woman if you will.

Now I don't mean to ruffle any feminist feathers, I know we as women are as various and unique as the stars in the sky.  There are as many different ways of being successful women as there are women.
I'm not trying to speak for anyone but myself.  Thinking back on my thoughts of Tuesday this week, I realized that any service for my home and family no matter how mundane is an accomplishment.
There are so many projects in life to do.  Some more intense and difficult than others but all are important.

I hope you will feel that sweet sense of accomplishment no matter what you do this week.

Until next time.