Delightful collection of excerpts of 2016 Success writings in Found Poetic form. This dissipates a Renewal of the writings on Success Strategies blog pulled from youmy readers… and my top favs. Your thoughts welcomed amdist.. Cheers!
The time of change is in full swing. But in many cases it’s the same old same old. Workaholics work; ‘bored’ business meetings continue; couples fight; children go asunder. But there are those who fall in love; travel and see the world; find that rewarding career; realize that fit body; dreams come through in those delightful home; spirituality soar; first time writers publish and make it big!
Amidst all that and the steady post-holiday covid scare, political upheavals, it was a warm breath of fresh air that we welcomed actress viola Davis as she shared Case 20 inspiring things under the title “A lot Can Happen in a year”. Here I share.
You can meet the reason why you never settled
You can finally hear NO turned to YES
You can fall madly in love with yourself
You can change completely and reintroduce yourself to the world
A random encounter can become something life-changing
You can take a big risk and see it pay off
A streak of ‘luck’ can change your life
You can finally receive the same love and energy you give to others
You can say I deserve better and finally mean it
A song can change your life
You can receive the news you have been waiting for
A solo trip can change your life
You can forgive them and move on
You can forgive yourself and move on
You can make new weird and vibrant friends
“Maybe” can become “definitely”
“I am busy with work” can become “I can make time for you”
You can fall in love with your body, your smile and your quirks
You can decide you’re not lost
You can decide you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be
A divine few gives me hope. Do you see any that sparks your interest? Do share. We would love to hear.
If you’re physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go. ~Anthony Bourdain
What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.
I overheard a discussion between two ladies in the salon as they were listening to the song ‘bless the lord oh my soul… oh my soul, I worship his holy name…‘
It was being sung by a little child … hence the reflection on ‘gifts’. Anyway, it caused me to think about the gifts God provides to us. One lady said all I do is talk, gab a lot. I thought quietly… that in itself is in fact a gift. She can use that to become a speaker even in small group. She can use her gift of ‘gab’ to write a book, sharing her thoughts with others provided she will be positive. Personally I believe there is enough negativity in the world.
If we were having coffee right now I’d tell you how much I still love my delicious black tea. It seems I am never able to quiet my desire for that soothing hot taste. The drive and energy it gives reinvigorates my day. Sometimes I sneak away for fear of those questioning eyes saying…”what’s up with her and her constant commute to the coffee machine”? Forget them I say! I work more assiduously when I’m fully dosed up!
If we were having coffee right now, I’d tell you that I’ve started this …well not really started but revamped my blog. That said, WordPress has this amazing Blogging University which is available for those who are interested in pushing their personal writing careers up a notch. So I decided to enroll and have been doing so for the past six months. The thought came to me after I published my book on
The ball dropped and suddenly we went from the old to the new. it’s new year’s day at universal and islands of adventure. Beehives of Chattering voices everywhere. I sit quietly People watching cultures far, near, and everywhere. Fun. Rides. Food. Smiles. Tired feet clad in running shoes, t-shirts, jeans, tights; it’s family time you can’t miss.
Lots of gleeful noise amidst the screams of the world famous hulk ride. Twists, turns, ups, downs. It’s like you’re just gonna explode. Why would people do that to themselves?! Omgeee!
There’s Spider-Man. Tired legs allowed the young ones to go do their thing. After men in black, fast n furious, I was missing nothing.
But who am I to complain after enjoying my own knee jerking skydive that only few dared to hit
It’s Started With a Bang
Yep it’s New Year’s Day and it started off with a bang with plans for a year filled with lots of fun, excitement, and thrill. All wrapped in fear of the twists and turns among the unknown. But hey, doing it anyway. You won’t know until you try, right?
Armed with goals to finish my long outstanding book series titled RedLight, I’ll getaway for a solo retreat to think, to plan, to write in a faraway land. A time of peace and quiet. It’s become personal January tradition.
Retirement: The Journey and The Destination is a guide to help readers in their twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties learn and appreciate the key considerations that should direct the process of planning for retirement so their preparation will not be fragmented, lopsided and insufficient.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! . The air has changed. The hustle and bustle brings smiles and Plans are up in full swing. If you are thinking of what to do this year, here’s Trending Trenz top 10 list of holiday towns in America. For sure a writer’s dream getaway. I like seven and share them here. You can view the details of the full top 10 Christmas towns.
Leavenworth Washington
Ail, Colorado
Franklin Tennessee
St. Augustine, Florida
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Grapevine Texas
North Pole, Alaska
Any of your favorite missing? Do share. We would love to hear.
Stories, Poetry, Writings and Gleanings inspire prowess
Dr. Shelly Cameron
Mentors Matter: Memories of My Lifelong Mentor Dr. Ulysses Van Spiva
By Ralph Hogges
Looking back over my life brings forth memories of my struggles to achieve educational and career opportunities in the White Supremacy’s Deep South and the special person that God put in my life to protect, teach and guide me. His name was Dr. Ulysses Van Spiva. He was an amazing blessing in my life. I write to share some of those memories of my lifelong mentor with you.
After earning my master’s degree at Tuskegee Institute (University) on May 16, 1972, I was hired as a personnel administrator in the University Personnel Relations Department at Florida International University (FIU) on August 28, 1972. FIU was a new university in the Florida’s State University System, scheduled to officially open on September 14, 1972.
Standing on the elevated steps of the Primera Casa (First Building) on that Grand Opening day ceremony, with city, county and state VIP officials and numerous other leaders, I glanced here and there, searching for some black employees, but finding only a few. They were mostly janitorial and lawn workers.
Insightful And Inspirational Wisdom for Aspiring, Beginning and Emerging Writers
By Indiana Robinson
My name is Dr. Indiana Robinson. I am a Jamaican-American author of 50 books, primarily in the nonfiction genre, and minimally in the fiction genre. Among the nonfiction topics I have published and am publishing are memoirs, biography, history, unsung heroes, visual arts, poetry, academics, music, ancestry, children’s activity, animals, meteorology, geography, spirituality, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), proverbs as social commentary, leadership, sports (cricket), culinary arts, and business. My sole fictional work is a novella comprising three short stories on companionship, trickery, and fable. I publish my books under the pen names of Inyaso, Dr. D., and a few others.
I am also an educator/dissertation chair and earned my doctorate at Nova Southeastern University a decade ago. My books are available from: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Inyaso.
Dr. Ralph Hogges asked me to answer the following questions. I hope my responses will be insightful and inspirational to aspiring, beginning and emerging writers.
Read more in magazinePower of the Blood at Work in You
“Veil Torn in Two” Volume 2
Release Date TBA
www.neatbooks4u.com
By Arnetha Thomas
We already said, “Our growth process is inevitable for maturity.” I’m reminded of the title “No pain, no gain,” secular hit song of 1988 by the late Betty Wright. Her lyrics are prevalent for todays’ problems. She sang about life troubles and to gain something, we must go through something. The late Betty Wright lived and grew-up in Miami, Florida.
Read more in magazineA Woman’s Worth
Excerpt from the Book: Rhythm and Hues – Twenty-Three Stories of
Hardship and Hope
By Corey B. Collins
At times like these, the woman wonders what the point of it all is. Recent news of the unexpected death of yet another close friend, a mere two years her senior, came out of nowhere and rained down on her like a storm for which she was woefully unprepared. Sorrow cements her to the cream-colored recliner in her living room. She looks down. Her lap cradles the framed photo. Moisture wells just beneath the lower lip of her left eyelid. Knowing she must conserve the lion share of her sadness for the marathon day of grief lying in wait at her friend’s funeral, she rations just one tear. It eventually breaches the rim of her eyelid, journeys the length of her cheek and pools at the bottom of her chin. Then, gravity continues to have its way. The picture frame intercepts the liquid before it meets the ground. She wipes the droplet from the glass housing the most recent image of her dog Ozzie. Her furry friend had been gifted by her older brother fourteen years ago as a comfort in the wake of the untimely passing of her longtime human companion and soul mate of thirty-six years. Lung cancer had been the thief that stole her husband. A familiar ring abruptly invades the woman’s airspace, rescuing her from her melancholy malaise. She answers her smart phone.
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Let Healing Rise
By Rosemarie Cole
You are divided red and blue
My heart ache for you
If - My people pray
There will be ray
Of light and hope
Fill your crevices with love
Then blessing will come from
above
If – My people seek
I will speak
Of life and peace
I set you on a hill
For the earth – void to fill
If – My people turn
You will not be burn
By sparks of fire
Last Time
By S. Ettosi Brooks
The last time I saw Jamaica I’d said goodbye to my heart.
I lost it somewhere between Hope Gardens and Constant Spring.
So we meet, So we part.
I remember staring at the bus as it retreated from me carrying my love, hopes and dreams.
The moon, impassive to human foolishness, sent a soft shimmering sound floating by.
I looked through tear veiled eyes at her hard, bright fulness.
A baby in her mother’s arms stared at me. You know, the way children do as if it was God looking at you through their eyes?
Now, the child full blossoming with the careless beauty of youth, sashays past me. I knew it was her at once, but she did not know me. How could she?
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Learning Is Important To Your Retirement Journey
Excerpt from the Book, Retirement: The Journey and The Destination
By Patricia Reid-Waugh
A positive senior mindset rejects the idea that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” This adage has proven not to be true. Instead, we have embraced the reality of lifelong learning. While that adage may have originated from some people’s preference not to have to learn new things in old age, it says nothing about our ability.
Experience shows that it is never too late to pursue a dream. A positive retirement mindset is being willing to start from scratch where necessary. Early in retirement, I realized that almost everything I wanted to do involved learning some new skill or technique to complement the competencies I had acquired over the years. Was this a problem? Not at all.
I wanted to play the violin and the steel pan. Although I was an accomplished pianist and organist, fully functional in music theory, the violin and steel pan required different skills that I had to learn from scratch. I had to put on the beginner’s mindset and become that little girl learning music once again. At first, the idea was intimidating. But then it was invigorating!
I wanted to have an active presence on the Internet to maintain social engagement, access entertainment, improve my knowledge, and buy and sell products and services, among other things. This meant developing a broader range of digital skills than the basic computer competencies I had acquired to get by in the working world. I had to delve into topics like digital marketing, webpage building, and e-commerce, learning these tools and technologies for the first time. These skills did not even exist when I was in school. But, was I able to learn them at seventy years old? Absolutely.
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Gleanings of Hope, Leadership, Success and Inspiration
The Grave is filled with Dreams that were never realized
Les Brown
The inner feeling that quietly tugs at your heart. Look closely. Listen quietly. You will hear. For years, my mom wanted to write her story. She wrote on notepads, pieces of paper, the typewriter, then reached for the computer. A journey that lasted decades throughout her life. A journey that was never to be fulfilled. My sister too-like a Martyr stricken by the ravishes of cancer, dreamed of telling her story. But, like my mom, she too passed away with it in her heart quietly waiting. She accomplished much yet still had that silent dream that was never fulfilled.
The grave is filled with dreams that were never realized ~Les Brown
Today I write to inspire you, you, and you to go after your dreams, goals, and aspirations. A Certified Professional Coach, I smirk as I reflect on God’s sense of humor. I write on all things business gleaned from my research on success., leadership, and change. Strides before the pandemic I followed the Quest to write on stories of inspiration from over a decade of blogging and journaling. Intrigued by the quiet tug, I followed the lead as the inspirational series unfolded. It began with Green Light: When God Says Go; then My Safe Place and the soon to be published Red Light: When God Says No. Red Light came through a child’s handwritten note on a napkin. It was voiced by my daughter’s 10 year-old son who giggled as he asked me to write it. Intrigued, I looked up with a smile to the Lord and nodded in surrender. The prequel – My Safe Place was just being published. Who am I to disobey? The series unfolded.
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CNN Headline news posed the question to fathers. Tune into my Conversation with Senior IT Expert Daveyton Blake who is a Father, Coach and Community young adult Mentor. Dads of all kinds will be intrigued by the intense truths explored in this interview.
Listen in now and share with a dad this Father’s Day.
Movies inspire. Some make you laugh, angry, sad, sentimental or even throw a Tantrum because we are disappointed as in the ending of the movie Avengers Infinity War. Here are 9 Movies That Inspire
But the movie that touched my heart and changed my life was John Q which dealt with the state of healthcare, its contribution to life and its salivating existence to those in need. I worked in pharmaceutical for many years then went to make a difference managing several of medical centers across South Florida.
That’s my story. I’m serious about helping others. I’m not all talk. Let’s connect if you need help.
What about you? Are there any movies that have inspired you to take a turn to do something different in your life? Do share. We wanna hear.
Workaholic. Yep, that’s me. It’s strange that I am dreaming of a getaway so early in the New Year. But guess what? It’s actually carried forward from prior years. Been dreaming of my favorite getaway space but haven’t had a chance to take it. So here I go dreaming as I was asked to share a road trip that I would like to take.
Conde Naste shared the best Road Trips in the world. Amidst the pandemic and all, I shook my head against international travel. Too many requirements. Then on a whim, I mused… hey why not? As the saying goes:
If you can dream it, you can do it
Walt Disney
7 Dream Road Trips
So I let my mind wonder to the list which includes several but my top faves are:
Highway 101 Oregon
Namibia’s Desert
Hana Highway Hawaii
Norway
Ireland
Iceland
Tuscany Italy
Tuscany, Italy
Why not Tuscany? This is my favorite place that I dream of. Renowned travel expert Samantha Brown challenged us to plan a trip that we are excited about. So as I perused the list, I selected my dream place-Tuscany, Italy. Ireland comes closely second, but Tuscany is my preferred place. I decided to pull the full details below for ease of access for both myself or any who wish to get the information. If Italy isn’t for you, then other destinations can be gleaned from them here
Tuscany’s bucolic, vineyard-dotted landscape makes for the quintessential Italian road trip. Start in Florence and cruise south on the SS22 for 30 minutes until you reach the heart of the Chianti wine region. Take your time winding through Strada and Greve towards Siena, stopping at cantine along the way (we recommend these ones). Depending on how much time you have, spend the night in Panzano before circling back up to Florence the next day, or head further south to Montalcino, Montepulciano, and the spectacular Val d’Orcia—arguably the most beautiful stretch of countryside in Tuscany.
Where to eat:Officina della Bistecca in Panzano-in-Chianti for the best steak in all of Tuscany; Re di Macchia in Montalcino for its classic, hearty Tuscan cuisine like white bean soup and wild boar pasta.
Where to stay: In castles, always. We like the intimate, art-filled Castello di Ama in Gaiole in Chianti and the lavish, hilltop Castello Banfi il Borgo in Montalcino, which has an infinity pool overlooking the vineyards.
Your Turn
What’s your dream travel designation or road trip for this year? Do share. We would love to hear.