Basic Black Blog

Why they get no respect!

2011-12-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

We usually discover them when we’re moving or cleaning closets. Magic boxes filled with cards and letters from family and friends.

Each card and letter a treasure with its personal message to no one but us. Ours alone to save and savor over the years.

But, see, here’s the thing.

How many envelopes have we thrown away over the course of our lifetime that contained something equally as special as the cards or letters they enclosed?

Now before you shake your head or turn up your nose convinced those envelopes were of no significance, think about this.

Someone other than you handwrote your name.

Hey, we all recognize our own signature. And frankly, take it for granted every day.

But think how you felt as a young girl pulling from the mailbox your first piece of mail hand addressed to you. Your name scrawled on the envelope big as life. Not your parents’ names. Your very own name.

Or how it felt the first time you saw that a boy wrote your name on a Valentine envelope. You held it in your hand knowing his fingers, hand and wrist had dipped and looped just to create your name as only he could.

For a moment no one and nothing else had mattered to him. Only you as he spelled out every letter of your name. Again, as only he could.

The connection is beyond the message on the card or letter. The sender has a motive for writing “Dear Sue” or signing with their name.

An envelope is so much more. It’s like the person who wrote your name on it forever put your name in lights. Like on a huge billboard or neon sign on Broadway!

What do we do? We rip it open and toss it aside while we go straight for what it had selflessly delivered.

Envelopes. Time to give them the respect they so richly deserve. Together, we can lick this thing!

~ Diana
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

"why does this woman work?"

2011-09-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

In 1975, the flicker of 50 birthday candles in the not too distant future, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis dusted off her resume’ and went to work.

Did she have to? No. And, yes.

No, because she had money enough to live extremely well.

Yes, because money can’t buy “me” love.

The former First Lady supposedly told a friend that she’d always lived through men. And she couldn’t do that anymore.

The suggestion of another friend coupled with her lifetime love of books soon led her to a career as editor; a damn fine editor.

Such a fine editor that she revised, corrected and updated some of her own personal thoughts and beliefs as well. Four months after John F. Kennedy was assassinated at her side, she’d shared that her opinions depended on those of a husband. One might assume she carried that conviction through her marriage to Aristotle Onassis.

But in an issue of Ms. Magazine in 1979, the cover posing a question “Why Does This Woman Work?”, Onassis wrote, “What has been sad for many women of my generation is that they weren’t supposed to work if they had families… the definition of happiness: ‘complete use of one’s faculties along the lines leading to excellence in a life affording them scope.’ It applies to women as well as to men.”

After tragedy and triumphs, as many aspire when we reach midlife, Jackie O. found happiness within. Though one might argue even she would have been at a loss for words to describe how much her two children filled her with pride and joy. She often said they were her most important responsibility in life.

Bottom line, when her kids were grown and a man’s values no longer determined her own, Kennedy-Onassis discovered something that allowed her to feel vibrant and alive.

Work. Work that didn’t feel like work.

Work she loved. Love that worked.

~ Diana Black
(content & grahic copyright diana black 2011)

Vibrant Nation!

Thelma & Louise: Who Knows Why

2011-09-09T07:18:00.000-07:00

Did you see it coming? The end. Literally. You know, of Thelma & Louise?

I didn’t. I still remember leaving the theatre a zombie.

Two decades later, I lapse into that same shock and disbelief just thinking about the movie and those two characters.

If the film has impacted your then or now self, check out a recent article about its message and the lack of substantial women flicks these days. I won’t rehash the writer’s conclusions. They are well drawn and worth the read.

But before you click away, I’m curious. Do you identify with either character? Is it Thelma? Louise? A composite? Or is it more like no way in hell does either realistically portray you or women in general then, now or ever!

Note: In case any of you tend to confuse the characters (okay, I’m really doing this for me!), a little refresher, Susan Sarandon played Louise; Genna Davis was Thelma. (You know, the one who got lucky with Brad Pitt. Ah, NOW you, I mean, I remember!)

Well, having established who is who, back to that identity question. Personally, I’ve always thought of myself as the Sarandon character BUT with the name Thelma. (That right there says a lot about me and my split-personality.)

Yes, the one who does NOT get Kickapoo high school’s alumni. Because she had something better. A teal 1966 Thunderbird.

And, man, could that thing fly. Literally.

But I'm still not sure why...

~ Diana Black (art copyright 2011 diana black – all rights reserved. no reproduction or use without written permission) Vibrant Nation!

why u r beautiful

2011-08-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Seriously. Can you honestly say you are beautiful?

Is it because your definition of beauty has changed over the years?

Has your need to be beautiful lessened or increased?

Is this you? You’ve suddenly blossomed into the vibrant woman you always wanted to be.

Or are you still struggling with the image in the mirror on those rare occasions you find courage to face it?

But, really, how much does “beauty” actually have to do with our lives? Is it just one of those overused words and ideals? Or is it the basis of all life? Of every woman?

“Beauty once seemed to me to be an accident of nature. …But now that I can see my life on my face, I realize we earn the way we end up looking. Time, it seems, gives us all a chance to really be beautiful.” – Ann Curry

So, is it safe to say that beauty has nothing to do with physical perfection? That therein lies confusion?

Perfection is often seen in terms of flawlessness and directly linked to beauty. Sure, that’s one way to look at it. But perfection as demonstrated by excellence is … perfection!

Can it be beauty is simply being the best we can be…physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually?

So, let me ask again. Are you beautiful? And I don’t mean when you’re dressed to the nines. I mean right now. Where you are this very minute. In front of your computer screen. In your nightgown. Hair uncombed. Nails chipped.

Do your lips have a slight upturn? Are your shoulders relaxed? Are you content to be reading about beauty and seeing yourself for the amazing woman you are? Does your heart flutter just a bit…falling in love with yourself all over again or for the first time?

Not because you’re flawless. (There’s always room for improvement!) Because u r beautiful.

~ Diana Black

On Vibrant Nation!

Why Women Boomers don't "beat around the bush!"

2011-08-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Please carefully read this short email thread (there’s a test!):

The tree person was here this morning to look at the pine trees and give a quote.

Do you like them so far?

Yes, I have estimates and they seem very nice.

So, who do you think composed these emails?
A. two males
B. two females
C. one of each
D. none of the above

Bravo! Yes, the messages were written by two females!

Seriously, guys just don’t ask the hard questions when it comes to determining qualifications for removing 5,000-foot pine trees tucked between two houses in a densely populated area. It’s not about whether the company is insured, bonded or licensed for longer than two hours.

Good grief, no. Why, Boomer Women understand there’s no time to “beat around the bush” on matters of such importance. The following query is where the timber hits the ground.

Did the business rep:

· Ring the doorbell and respectfully retreat to the edge of the porch?

      ·       Say “please,” “thank you” and “yes, ma’am”?
      ·       Wear their hat with the brim in front and shirt neatly
              tucked in, and appear to be someone who
              invites their mother for Sunday dinner?

I haven’t confirmed this with my next door neighbor, but I’m confident she’ll choose a peach of a tree service.

One where everyone concerned adheres to the best practices and strictest standards—professionally and personally—known to all of humankind.

And where they report to the custodian of those principles weekly.

Sunday at dinner.

~ Diana

Follow Diana's blogs at Vibrant Nation!

Why it's toodles to tofu!

2011-08-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Launching "fiftease!" to keep the fifties fun!

Got a suggestion for a future cartoon?

Please leave a comment, and if I use your idea,

I'll give you credit for the inspiration!

Keep smiling, and pass the french fries!

Diana Black

Vibrant Nation Blog Circle Member!

No Sissies Allowed!

2011-07-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Sisters, 50 ain’t for sissies! Why?

Oily facial pores turn into lava beds beneath six layers of moisturizing products.
Willowy waists expand into redwood trunks after one bag of movie popcorn.
Steel-trap minds unhinge at the drop of a…uh, what is it? Oh well, something or other.

Just sayin’ it takes courage to face and admit to being that ever-changing woman in the mirror.

Someone, somewhere, sometime made this profound statement: “We admire a woman for the courage to show herself to the world as she is, and in the end it's the courage we find attractive.” Imagine we’d all like to thank this “unknown author,” wherever and whoever she is.

And also like to ask her if she always had the courage to show herself as she is. Or did it come easier after she reached middle-age.

Because in the big scheme of things, what’s a little dry skin? Or adding belt holes? Or…there was a third thing, but I forget.

So here’s to our fearless sisterhood, slathering as fast as we can.

Yet plucky enough to be good with however it plays out.

(Plucky. That reminds me, where are my tweezers? Or should I just break down and get the hedge trimmers?)

~ Diana Black

www.DianaBlack.net

Vibrant Nation Blog Circle Member!

Why It's Hats Off To The Mature Woman!

2011-07-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

I don’t remember running into BBC Woman’s Hour psychologist Susan Quilliam when I stepped onto the Florida beach in my animal print swim top and black skirted bottom. But then, it was hard to see anything from under my wide-brimmed straw hat.

Apparently though, she saw me. Or a reasonable facsimile. I’m basing this on her recent quote in the Daily Mail: “While mature women may effortlessly balance work and family life for 50 weeks of the year, when it comes to holidays even the most self-aware women may find their confidence slipping.”

Come to think of it, maybe she was that bikini-clad number who glared at me as she executed a grand jeté across my flamingo beach towel, finishing with an arabesque as she caught a Frisbee with her buttocks. Or perhaps the young woman sunbathing on her tummy, topless, her “lungs” apparently filled to overflowing with salt-sea air.

Anyway, Ms. Quilliam further implied that boosting the mature woman’s self-confidence on vacation is paramount. And as any mature woman knows there’s but one way to attain a goal as critical as that. It requires a plethora of…clothes, accessories and shoes.

The fact is, those items are so paramount, studies have been conducted. Online retailer isme.com discovered that over half of 50-something women pack, per trip, up to 10 individual outfits. Nearly 100% of those women then stuff their suitcase with 5 pairs of shoes. Add to that 5 handbags (the average most women claim to take on vacation), and you have the making of a stylish, senior sightseer.

Now this next part is just crazy if you ask me. Sixty-five percent of these women, at the end of their holiday, wore half of what they’d packed. What diligence it takes to return home with as little dirty laundry as that. And yet others described that as excessive packing!

Seriously, how’s a woman in her prime to feel good about herself labeled as an “overpacker”? Why, it’s enough to justify her “accidently” mistaking someone’s swim top for a bookmark or stretching her legs at the most inopportune time.

It is, after all, so hard to see anything from under those darn big hats.

~ Diana Black

BlogCircleMember Vibrant Nation!

Why Woman's Work Is Never Done!

2011-06-27T14:11:00.001-07:00

So, I log on to a free clip art site. Hmm, I’m thinking, maybe I’ll start by just typing the word “women” in the search box.

Wow! Lots of great pictures! Women reading. Women talking. Women exercising.

But it’ll take a month of Sundays to view all the photographs, and who really has that kind of time. Definitely need to narrow the search a bit. Did I mention I’m creating a photo collage of women of, you know, a vibrant age? No? Well, I am. Or was.

Anyway, to tell the truth, when I looked at the first few pages under the broad (gotta love homonyms!) search, it was hard to determine if some women had yet reached the big 5-0.

The next thought was what if I use a picture of a woman who isn’t at least 50? Of course the clip art is free and the woman photographed obviously provided the picture for use within public domain rights. So, no, I wasn’t worried about getting sued or anything. And anyone seeing the collage might question the age of certain women, but still that wasn’t my main concern.

Face it, how many of us want our 49-year-old or younger countenance portrayed a day older than we really are? Seriously, not good.

Kind of like when someone asks you when the baby’s due, and you’re not pregnant.

Nothing would do but for me to search again. This time I precede “women” with a dreaded word. Slowly I type s-e-n-i-o-r. It results in four pages of pictures.

Oh, I could have stopped there, but no. Still don’t know if the next search makes me feel better or worse, but I typed “older women,” and only one picture surfaced.

I’m choosing to believe it is not because people do not wish to see pictures of older women. I submit it is because a woman runs the clip art site and refuses to use that label. (She was probably on vacation the day that one picture was added.)

Bottom line, I thought the search was over. The product finished. Because just look at it, it’s indeed a vibrant nation of women, don’t you think? Yes, definitely vibrant.

But, how do I say it… Now you’re reading this post. And I’m thinking, the reflection on your computer screen, yet another vibrant woman has appeared and should be included!

Oh, woman’s work is never done!

(No clips or art were harmed in the making of this collage :>)

--Diana Black

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Why It's Matt & Me 4-ever!

2011-06-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

He’s tall, dark and …100% rubber.

Yes, I’m talking about my yoga mat, Matt.

It was love at first plank. And trust me, I’ve been through one or three “Matts” in my day, so I know what I’m talking about.

Naturally, at first I was leery, fearing yet another mat would dump me. After all, the number of failed moon salutations over the years was astronomical. And downward-facing dogs? They were never a “pawsitive” experience with those other mats. So, no, not this girl’s best friend.

Then along came Matt.

I’d heard Matt could handle a really hot woman. It’s true. Perspiration is no sweat. Matt lays there almost begging “Bring it on!” Another positive, going longer than 20 minutes is no problem for Matt, which is good as the classes I attend are generally over an hour.

But, you ask, you’re over 50, don’t you worry Matt will leave you for a younger “yogini”? Sometimes. So, here you have it. When we’re not together, I tie Matt up. I use my yoga strap so it looks innocent enough, like you know, I’m just trying to be neat and keep my yoga gear in order.

So far Matt hasn’t complained. That’s right, Matt has no opinion…and could care less about the TV remote.

-- Diana Black

Now a Blog Circle Member! Read it at Vibrant Nation!

In Why's Defense

2011-06-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

* Why did we meet that Kroger shopper?

* Why did we hear that NPR interview?

* Why did we win Bob Dylan concert tickets?

Why, why, why?

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Theirs not to reason why…” (The Charge of the Light Brigade) might suggest there are times it is irresponsible to question why. Example: in defense of country.

But a closer look at events that inspired Tennyson’s poem—half a league’s attack during the Crimean War—begs the question: Why should we not believe the men silently reasoned why?

Or, maybe the more important point to explore is this: Is there a "right" why and a "wrong" why? Or a right time and a wrong time?

Once you’re actually riding into the valley of Death, you may already want to have the “whys” pretty much sorted out and resolved. Just sayin’.

Before that charge, though, that’s the time to reason why. So that when the big day comes, we know who we are, how we got there, and what really matters.

Problem is, today we seem to have it all turned around. First, we ask what matters; then we ask how we go about getting what. But the thing is, forget how we get what, we never asked “why” what matters. (Is there a “who’s on first routine” emerging?!)

Again, just sayin’, might we ask ourselves why meeting that shopper seems special; why that interview sparks our interest; why tickets to a Dylan concert makes our heart sing.

Why?

That’s the leftfielder’s name.

- Diana Black

That wallpaper! WHY?!?

2011-05-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

You know how it is. You’re excited to move in a new place, still you notice LITTLE things that bug you A LOT, and you swear in a couple weeks, okay, maybe a month, you’ll have them whipped into shape.

WHY, you ask yourself, would ANYONE live with, for example, that wallpaper? Outdated? Ha, that doesn’t begin to describe it. You dare say downright repulsive is more like it.

Now, hypothetically, let’s imagine the above scene taking place in, oh, 2006. In the fall.

Summer 2007: well, the AC needs work, and new deck furniture would be nice so you can enjoy your beautiful backyard.

2008: election year and you need to vote.

2009: who can remember.

2010: the house exterior could use a fresh coat of paint, and lord knows, you have to keep up with the Joneses.

Spring 2011: YOU CAN STAND IT NOMORE! You are out of control. You sponge bathe at the kitchen sink because you can’t bring yourself to enter either bathroom. The service station down the street refuses you the restroom key even when you argue there’s no sign limiting number of uses by one individual, or family.

So the transformation of both rooms is sanctioned. It’s the best of times; it's the worst of times.

You and your sister spend amazing time together and have funny new stories in your repertoire. The rooms look amazing, and really, the worst of it? You have a little less money in your bank account, and there’s only that one associate at Home Depot who issued a restraining order.

Why?

That’s blog for another day…

~ diana

Why Use That Word?

2011-04-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

Why @[insert name]?

2011-03-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

I admit. I used it, too. It happened when I wrote on a Facebook Friend’s status. I wanted to address another person’s comment out of a string.

I’d seen others use, for example, “@John” or “@Jane,” and thought, well, I guess that’s the wave of the future.

So, not wishing to offend the Status Syntax Gods or appear Facebook illiterate, I smugly inserted @ and felt very hip.

It was like I dared others to read my comment directed only to whoever’s name followed @.

I mean, even I know enough that when I leave a comment, and later get notification that someone else has added their thoughts, if it begins with @, and my name does not follow, “Back off, Bub!”

It’s like in the “olden days,” steaming open someone’s personal mail and reading it. (It’s just much easier on Facebook because you don’t have to apply glue to reseal the envelop. No one is the wiser.)

Then I thought, what happened to that cute little curly thing we learned to use in elementary school? What’s it called? Oh, yeah, the comma.

So like if I wanted to let Jane know I was mainly addressing her comment, again in the “olden days,” I would have typed “Jane,”. How cute is that?

But, @you, you’re probably right. That little squiggle’s way too subtle. With overwhelming amounts of information bombarding us 24/7, @ is the most efficient way to get our attention. Clearly it filters through all the “stuff, ” so others need not waste time reading a comment directed solely AT JANE!

Of course, there’s always a downside to everything. @ has caused another victim of unemployment.

Hope the salutation comma finds other work soon…or, better yet, is rehired.

--Diana

Why Not Jump?

2011-02-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

I love yoga. Love LOVE LOVE it! (did I mention I'm kinda crazy about it?)

Partially because every time I go to the mat, I discover something new... about the practice and myself. This week, it was forearm stand.

No, the picture isn't me...for lots of reasons! One being if it were, there would be a yoga friend, Sheri, holding my right leg so that I would not fall. (Thank you, Sheri, for giving me the courage!)

So here I am, nearing a birthday that I'm sure the numbers got reversed somehow (yeah, that's about right...36...that's how old I feel...most days!) and tackling something like nearly standing on my head. (actually that's one of ultimate yoga goals.)

Now, I'm finally getting to the point of all this. Lately I've been letting myself jump from one creative project to another. Allowing myself to jump from this activity to that activity. From one book to another (before reading "The End.")

WHY? It makes me feel alive. It keeps me MOVING! (Used to be I was afraid that if I did not stay on one thing until it was completed, I would never finish it. And that would show lack of committment and ownership.) But what I've learned instead is this: If there is something my heart aches to do (okay, let's assume it's within the "cause no harm" category!) in any given moment, and I deny it...that moment is dead.

May every moment we are priviledged to live, be alive.

Jump to it!

--Diana

Why a Pulitzer May Not Be The Real Prize

2011-01-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

Listening to NPR recently, I heard a conversation with Studs Terkel. Agreed, you’d have heard news of the interview before now if it had been live. It was actually held a short time before his death in 2008.

For the better part of the discussion, Terkel’s signature voice maintained its gruffness and enthusiasm. Thinking back, it must have been the change in tone that caught my attention—I was after all listening and trying to be a conscientious driver! Though I can’t recall if his manner of speech shifted in response to a particular question, it seemed to result from a natural progression of his thoughts.

It also appeared he was hearing his thoughts for the first time along with everyone else.

Studs Terkel—author, actor, historian, broadcaster and Pulitzer Prize winner—questioned (forgive me for paraphrasing) if he’d been a success at the things that really mattered, had he done the right things and always been a good person.

The interviewer, apparently overcome with a self-imposed need to ease Terkel’s internal dilemma, quickly interrupted with reassurances that he was human.

The ninety-six year-old remained in that soft-spoken place, saying he’d used that excuse all this life.

Terkel sharing his inner-most thoughts at the end of his life, yet another reminder: If, on our deathbed, we have regrets, none will be that we’d spent more time on the job.

Why, I ask you, is it so hard for some of us to remember that?

Oh, right. We’re human. --Diana

www.DianaBlack.net

Why Art?

2011-01-01T08:04:00.000-08:00

In the most troubling times, times of financial stress or illness, art may seem most unnecessary to our survival. Yet it is often the most essential to our wellbeing.

Muriel Barbery writes in The Elegance of the Hedgehog Chapter 11: "What does Art do for us? It gives shape to our emotions, makes them visible and, in so doing, places a seal of eternity on them..."

Can it be that it also places a seal of eternity on us? That if we feel an emotional connection to a work of art, and art is destined for eternity, then we are, by association, and in a sense, immortal.

Perhaps that is what we need most to be reminded of in those times of peril or uncertainty. That we share emotions with all other human beings ...the artist, other viewers of art past present and future, our friends, family and even enemies.

Art touches our soul, our very core. That part of us in no need of money or healing.

That part sealed for eternity.

--Diana
Pictured: Luncheon of the Boating Party by Renoir 1881

WHY Travel Was A Breeze!

2010-11-29T07:34:00.000-08:00

Driving north on I185 the Sunday after Thanksgiving can be, well, hell. Not yesterday! Why? An Angel was watching over travelers! -- diana

Why I'd Pay $225,000...

2010-11-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

If I had it, that is...
Virgin Galactic!

Why Women Are Fed Up

2010-10-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

Now is the time for all good women to come to the aid of their...country!

We owe it to ourselves, our children and the suffragettes who fought (literally) for each woman's right to vote. Still, today, some progressive women are fed up and tend to turn inward their anger over the current state of the nation.

Women, however, must propel forward and take action at the polls this Tuesday, says Gloria Feldt in October 30th's The Daily Beast. To read her article "Why Women Are Fed Up, Click here!

Why Aren't More Pumpkins Saved?

2010-10-13T05:20:00.001-07:00

It's so simple!

Your children too old for picture books? Why?

2010-10-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

Leah Porter on "Seeing Without Reading"

Lewis Black...Why We Don't Need Physics in Schools!

2010-10-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

VIDEO:

Lewis Black

Why The Green Tights?

2010-09-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

We don't live in medieval times.

(Just act like it far too often.)

We don't have to "steal" from the rich to give to the poor.

(Helping others is a good thing, but robbery? Not so much.)

We don't need to wear green tights.

(Unless of course we look really good in 'em!)

So, then, what do we do to help the financial mess this country finds itself? (Recession may be "technically" over, but those folks in foreclosure and unemployment lines aren't believing it.)

Ben Stein spoke on this issue recently on CBS Sunday Morning. (I used to not agree with his opinions much, then began to see his point. But on this subject, he totally lost me.) Apparently, he lost Linda McGibney, too.

Why We Call It Failure

2010-09-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

A recent article in Newsweek (9.20.10) by Julia Baird explores the possibility that Willy Loman was not a loser. Loman, you’ll remember, is Pulitzer-winning Arthur Miller’s character in “Death of a Salesman.”

As the saying goes, look up “failure” in the dictionary, and you’ll see Willy Loman’s picture. Baird, however, asks us to think about this poster child for “loser” a bit differently. “...Willy kept a job for 38 years, he owned his house—he had just made the last mortgage payment – and had a wife and two children.” She adds, “Today he’d be a survivor.”

J.K. Rowling, another famous author of another relatively well-known character, addressed Harvard grads in 2008 and described failure as a “stripping away of the inessential.”

Let’s think about this, here in 2010, with a staggering unemployment rate. Do we ever judge unemployed people too harshly? Do we see them, and they themselves, as “failures”? If so, why? Life, if nothing else, is about good times and hard times. We all have them in some form or another. Easy times are swell, but let's remember, it’s in the tough times we discover what is really important in life.

Without “failure,” how would we ever know the true meaning of success? As Baird writes, “Today [Willy’s] grandchildren might be proud.”

--Diana

Photo: Miller (left) and Dustin Hoffman as "Willy" in 1985

Why I Want To Help...

2010-05-25T01:12:00.000-07:00

There are some people who simply grab your heart and won’t let go. Like Dot Patterson, one of the original WOOF pack. “Pedigree” (an appropriate WOOFer name to reflect her blue-blood heritage!) lives life to its fullest no matter what it hands her.

We first met in our 30’s during the “songwriting” phase of our lives. Every other month or so, our friend Mary, Dot and I would put pedal to the metal traveling from Louisville, KY, to Nashville, TN, pumped that Music City’s country song publishers and top ten artists would roll out the red "song-contract" carpet for us. Alas, after crushing (but honest!) critiques and disappointing appointments, we’d steer our car north on I65 and high tail it out of “Dodge.”

Looking back, those were such great times. No, we never achieved our goals of a Number One Hit Song or a Grammy, but we actually accomplished something far more valuable: a lifelong friendship.

So in 1996 when Dot was diagnosed with MS, it was a blow to us all. How can this vibrant, beautiful woman—a woman who sings like Carline Carter and belly dances and has an amazing talent and eye for gardening, fashion, decorating and art—be hit with such news?

Well, as it turns out, just like every time we returned from those sad song sojourns, Dot was the first to bounce back and move forward.

Today, Dot’s doing so well, her doctor says she’s his “poster child.” Since starting Copaxone therapy, she hasn’t relapsed. Still she must use a cane or walker to get about which means she can’t carry or walk with her grandbabies. Sometimes it takes both hands to move one leg, and yes, that can be a bit frustrating. Never one to lose her sense of humor, she laughs that maybe she should use her good leg to kick her bad one out of the way!

One way Dot stays emotionally healthy is her involvement with MS volunteering and fundraising. She says, “I find it truly empowering and the benefits have spilled over into all aspects of my life. You quit feeling like a victim and join the human race again.”

Her husband, Phil, is right there supporting her both at home and with volunteering. For each of the last 13 years he’s participated in the two-day 150-mile bike ride fundraiser in the beautiful landscape of Kentucky horse farms. This year's event is June 5 & 6, and both Dot and Phil are actively participating.

I'm personally committed to helping "Team Dot" raise funds for the MS Society in an effort to educate people on the disease and find a cure. 87% of the money raised goes back into communities as well as MS and related autoimmune diseases research.

If you’d like to join Team Dot, there are a couple of ways you can do that. On Facebook, on the left-hand column of my profile page is a secure place to donate ("Support Me"). It is linked to the MS Society and "Team Dot" will receive credit! You can also donate through my profile page provided here by the MS Society.

Thanks in advance for reading about this amazing woman! And also for your donation of any amount.

Support Bike MS 2010: On Course for Team Dot & A Cure for MS!

-- Diana

Why It's The Next Big Thing

2010-04-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

I came up with a design maybe 20 years ago (yeah, when I was 8!), doodling during a Nashville workshop while a Grammy-winning songwriter passed along valuable information to those of us itching for what he had. Maybe if I'd listened more closely I too would dust one of those awards on my bookshelf. But alas...

Anyhoo, what I do have, finally, is a necklace and earrings of my design I've named "Encore." Well, with the help of my daughter. We both racked our brains and it just happened to pop into mine.

So the last few weeks have been devoted to learning how to make those little hoops on the end of straight jewelry findings. (You take these flat nosed pliers and bend the pin at a 45 degree angle and then with another tool twirl it around like you were going to start a motorcycle. Gee, why would THAT be a problem?!?!) Oh, sure, I've done other stuff since April 8th. Like spend my life savings at Michael's and open a biz account and get my GA state tax number. This is gonna be the next big thing! This new line of jewelry my daughter and I are creating.

Notables Jewelry. Catchy name, huh? Wait till you see the first three designs. Above of course is "Encore." Then there's "Tres Sharp" and "Harmony."

But what makes all this really "notable" is that it was a lifelong dream to work on a creative/business project with my daughter. And now we're...living the dream.

Yeah, definitely. The next big thing.

Diana

It's Totally Understandable Why ...

2010-04-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

Find out who truly is your role model, - mine was
Mother Teresa.

DON'T SCROLL DOWN YET!!

FIRST, do the simple math below.

THEN, scroll down to find your hero.

It is truly remarkable just how accurate this is!
1) Pick your favorite number between 1 and 8
2) Multiply your choice by 3
3) Add 3
4) Multiply again by 3
5) You'll get a 2 digit number.....maybe 42, for example
6) Add the digits together. Example 4 and 2 = 6

Now Scroll down and

with that number,

see who your

ROLE MODEL

is from the list below:

1. Albert Einstein

2. Oprah Winfrey
3. Mother Teresa
4. Ronald Reagan
5. Bill Gates
6. Gandhi
7. Eleanor Roosevelt
8. Babe Ruth
9. Diana Black
10. Winston Churchill
11. Barbara Walters
12. Dalai Lama

what?

DisneY with mY gurls!

2010-03-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

Granddaughter Caitlin, daughter Jennifer & her halfsister Jessica

These three gurls make my heart sing!

They keep me young!

They help me not take myself too seriously!

So could a better time have been had last week at Disney?

NO!

It was perfect.

Not because it was perfect weather

(cuz it was cold and overcast).

Not because we all got along perfectly

(after all, gotta have a tiff now & then.)

Not because we bought perfect stuff

(mostly clothes to keep us warm & gifts for those back home.)

It was perfect because we were together.

A rare thing these days.

I continue to bask in perfect bliss!

Why I Love My Hometown...& Butt Drugs!

2010-03-04T06:12:00.000-08:00

Below: The Making of Butts Drugs Commercial! (And to think, I went to Junior Prom with Tom Butt!)

Bob Dylan...The Times TheY Are A Changin'

2010-02-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

Why Re-read "The Catcher in the Rye"

2010-02-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

We all recently bid a sad, final farewell to one of our great writers. Here's my small tribute to Mr. Salinger:

I devoured J.D. Salinger’s first-person narrative “The Catcher in the Rye” when I was about my granddaughter’s age. My daughter read it when she too was around 15 or 16. A great age to be introduced to that icon of teenage rebellion, Holden Caulfield, while also experiencing a master writer’s creative style.

My granddaughter's reading of the 1951 novel inspired her mother to give it re-read. My daughter told me how she not only gained a new appreciation for the book, but it also created an opportunity to discuss its topics with her teenager.

So nothing would do but that I trek to the library and check out one of the worn copies lining the shelf, the one with the least amount of tape holding it together.

What a treat! How wonderfully the book has aged. It is truly timeless. The characters, the dialogue, the issues as relevant today as they were when the book was first published.

And the joy didn’t stop there. Re-reading that book at this point in life has manifested benefits in other ways:
• I appreciate that my granddaughter, my daughter and I shared the experience.
• I know I am still basically that same girl who first read those pages.
• I am grateful to authors who write books worth reading again and again.
• I am reminded that as we mature, we gain new insight and perspective.

Perhaps some books should be re-read every decade. Interestingly enough, I read that a number of people feel guilty reading a book a second time. A waste time. They believe one should always be reading something new. Exploring the unknown!

I would argue I explored the unknown. I’d never read “The Catcher in the Rye” with +2.50 readers. I’d never read the classic after becoming a mother or being divorced or losing both of my parents.

And a waste of time? Did I mention the discussion with my “girls”?

So, if anyone thinks re-reading a book is frittering away precious hours, well, perhaps they should give me back my hunting hat.

--Diana

www.DianaBlack.net

www.WoofersClub.blogspot.com

Why You Can't Take Me Anywhere!

2010-01-18T08:11:00.000-08:00

So, I’m at my book club meeting. Discussion begins in the living room after we’ve all enjoyed a sampling of wonderful food. A couple of us head to the dessert table near the sofa. I linger trying to make the best decision considering I’ve already splurged with two pieces of bread.

I quietly eye the choices. Hmmm, what’s this over here in the corner? I love those little candies, Boston Baked Beans. Maybe I’ll just scoop up a few. Wonder why there isn’t a spoon to dish them out? Oh, well, I’ll be very careful to not contaminate the ones I don’t take.

ACK! POO! SPIT! UGH!!!! What the hell is this?!?!? I say, hand to mouth, trying to run discreetly to the kitchen for the garbage can. And then my taste buds sound the alarm. Oh, my god, it’s… potpourri!!!!!!!!!!

I’ll understand if the members need to discuss whether or not I’m still allowed in the club!

--Diana
www.DianaBlack.net

Women Only Over Fifty available through Amazon and Echelon Press!

Buy the new WOOF companion

Accentuate The Pawsitive!

Take WHY? for an answer?

2010-01-14T09:20:00.000-08:00

So tell me, do you get upset when someone answers your question with a question?

What do I mean? you ask.

See, right there! So was that second question asked because clarification is warranted? Or rather to ignore the first question?

The first question asked for a simple yes or no response. Or at least a declarative sentence!

Well, I guess if you've read this far, it's no secret how I feel about questions answered with questions.

But then, I just asked myself, do I do that?

The answer came at lightning speed.

Why, would it upset me if I did?

-- Diana "WhY me?" Black

www.DianaBlack.net

Why Follow This Blog Tour?

2010-01-03T11:57:00.000-08:00

Cuz you might could get some FREE stuff!

As two WOOFers (Women Only Over Fifty), Mary Cunningham and I are on a blog tour for the next couple of weeks. We're celebrating the release of "Accentuate The Pawsitive," a guide to realigning your body, mind and soul.

"Mind spinning? Mood Swinging? Middle sagging? Get used to it! When you reach 50, shift happens. But, you're not alone. WOOFers to the rescue!"

Follow us on tour, make a comment on the various blog stops to enter a contest for a free download of "Accentuate The Pawsitive!"
DEC 24 - Dames of Dialogue Interview - Woofers who Accentuate the Pawsitive

DEC 30 - Dames of Dialogue Interview - WOOFer, Mary answers the Dames Dozen

JAN 4 - Doing It With Grace Blog - Chocolate - 'Nuff Said!

JAN 5 - A Woman's Life In Stages - Downward Facing Dog

JAN 6 - Mysteries & Chitchat - Fashion Fits or Flops

JAN 8 - The Stiletto Gang - Boning Up On Books

JAN 11 - Blog: A Working Writer - Animal Rescue: Mission For Mutts

JAN 12 - Virtual Wordsmith - Myths About Menopaws

Jan 13 - Blog Talk Radio - Mary Eileen Williams, Feisty Side of Fifty

Join us! and find out how to get your copy of "Accentuate The Pawsitive!"

Like to laugh? You'll discover more funny women stories,

limericks and poems when you...
BUY WOOF!

Echelon Press

The DaY After Christmas!

2009-12-26T13:42:00.000-08:00

The Day After Christmas
(Black/Sager/del Verle)

On the 26th I’ll surprise them all
This year I won’t go to the mall
Instead I’ll build a man of snow
Hug and kiss under mistletoe
Then I’ll call old friends
That I haven’t seen
Since I can’t remember when
And I won’t worry about a thing
I’ll just keep on caroling
And make the day after Christmas
The best day of the year
And the day after that even better
No matter what season it may be
Christmas cheer will follow me
Day after day after day after day after Christmas
I'll make cookies for the whole neighborhood
Because I want to, not cause I should
See angel's wings in silver-gray
In every tree that's along my way
And I’ll be just like good old Santa Claus
Listen close when children talk
I’ll give and give till my heart is full
And rejoice in miracles
And make the day after Christmas
The best day of the year
And the day after that even better
No matter what season it may be
Christmas cheer will follow me
Day after day after day after day after Christmas

-- Diana Black

Happy HolidaY!

2009-12-17T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hope you enjoy this holiday song written by Joyce Trammell and yours truly several years ago. Tim Buppert singing... All the best to your and yours this holiday season!

Why I Love Julia Child

2009-12-15T01:52:00.000-08:00

We cracked up when Aykroyd declared, "Save the liver!"

We beamed when Streep cheered, "Bon appétit!"

But to understand why this Julia Child fan wrote a poem,

check out

www.WoofersClub.blogspot.com

Why I'm Squirrely!

2009-12-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken at our home in Tennessee a few years back before moving to Georgia. I always thought this squirrel was teasing Charlie, maybe saying, "I got yer nuts right here!"

Now I'm thinking he heard about the move and was getting the address for our Georgia residence.

And maybe it took him three years to catch up with us. Heck, who knows how fast a squirrel travels across state lines. Anyhoo, either he or some of his kin have been living above us. In our attic, feasting on electrical wires. Without getting zapped. I haven't figured out if that last piece is a good thing or a bad thing.

So beware, my friends, of squirrels tiptoeing on your rafters...Cuz it'll drive ya squirrely!

Why Everything's So Important.

2009-11-18T16:21:00.000-08:00

"There are no little events in life, those we think of no consequence may be full of fate, and it is at our own risk if we neglect the acquaintances and opportunities that seem to be casually offered, and of small importance." ~Amelia E. Barr, author

www.dianablack.net

Smyle A Whyle.

2009-10-27T05:46:00.000-07:00

"Promise you'll come back and pick me up?"

"You're using white dinner plates!!"

"It's the lipstick, isn't it? You hate this shade of lipstick."

Why October 11, 1884 Was A Good Day.

2009-10-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

It was the day Eleanor Roosevelt was born.

This year on October 11th, John Davis in his blog for the Poughkeepsie Journal wished our former First Lady Happy 125th Birthday!

For those of us who grew up admiring this amazing woman, or those of us who have over time learned more about her efforts to better the lives of humans the world over, I hope you will read his wonderful blog post.

Her accomplishments are more fully examined in his blog. Here are just a few to consider as we honor Eleanor Roosevelt's tireless efforts right up to her death in 1962:

Responsible in great part for the enactment of the 1938 Fair Labors Standards Act
Organized White House women-only weekly press conferences to ensure women journalists equal opportunities
Promoted day care during WWII
Helped establish minimum wage, overtime pay and limits on the work week

Thank you, Mr. Davis, for bringing to our attention another woman we have to thank for making our country a better place to live.

Diana

Why a Cheap Cabernet?

2009-10-06T03:24:00.000-07:00

Life + Lemons = Lemonade. Yeah, that was one option.

But together vivacious Cathie Beck and her free-spirited sidekick Denise Katz put a whole new twist on making the most of life.

For the entirety of their four-year friendship—from Chez Universalle Natural-Beauty Training to the illegal trip to Cuba to the redneck bars and Horace Bros. Prosthetics and Ambulatories—these two laughed, cried and even, at times, had the courage to despise one another, all the while trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.

Readers who have a taste for lemonade or fruit of the vine will savor every drop of this affecting memoir, Cheap Cabernet: A Friendship. It’s huge. It’s magnificent. It’s priceless.

Read more at www.CathieBeck.com & on October 6th only, with any purchase, the author is offering lots of free bonus gifts! Including a free download from WOOF!
--Diana

To read more about wonderful women and their relationships...
BUY WOOF!

Why Some Ya Win and Some Ya...

2009-09-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

It happens. Like it or not, sometimes we just don't win. We can even be number one in our field and still not win every time.

Take Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. Most consider them the top in their game...tops of all-time.

Still earlier this year Woods didn't even make the cut for the British Open. And just last Monday Federer lost the US Open after claiming the World Grand Slam in tennis a few months before.

It was hard for me to watch Federer walk off the court a "loser." But then I remembered something.

I remembered why we can't or shouldn't even want to ALWAYS win. Without loss as comparison, we would forget how sweet it is, the taste of victory.

So maybe at the end of the day, it is about whether we win or lose...Just not for the reasons we thought.

--Diana

http://www.dianablack.net/

Why Swings Should All Be Red

2009-08-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

You'll see it on the left, driving out of Apalachicola, Florida, going west. You'll also see a "Do Not Swing" sign nearby. That's okay. Don't blame the owners one bit. One thing would lead to another, and then another...Soon it would not be a place for respite.

But nowhere is there a sign posted "No Pictures." So snap. This is now one of my pleasures.

I imagine swinging, pushing with my feet, getting sand between my toes, the salty, humid air frizzing my hair. Perhaps a gentle creak of the swing chain, back and forth, back and forth.

The heart rate lowers just thinking about it. Back and forth. Back and forth.

That's why I think swings should be red. To signify the benefits of the heart. And when our hearts are in rhythm, the rest of us just naturally follows.

Be good to your heart today. And please, feel free to use my swing.

Diana
DianaBlack.net
Woofers Club

Why You Can't Herd Kitties!

2009-08-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Because there is no rhyme or reason

when it comes to kitties.

I try to control my life from the amount of detergent

in the washer to the number of words in the

first sentence of my latest book.

And kitties, well, life is always on their terms...

and about having fun!

Hope you enjoy these pics of the

Black Purrl and Captain Jack Sparrow.

(These wonderful furry friends were rescued

by amazing people and cared for on a

volunteer basis by a veterinarian.

People are good.)

Why To School, To School?

2009-08-10T04:59:00.000-07:00

Because at long last, there's a comprehensive school bus safety program!

I'm so proud to be partners with Bev Bruemmer & Amber Pickle, and to have co-developed a program aimed at educating young students about school bus safety.

Spencer Crawford of the Times-Georgian wrote a wonderful article about the program, To School, To School in the Big Yellow Bus. To read the feature online, please click here.

For more info on our multi-media program, please visit www.TPWResources.com

Why I Tied the Knot...

2009-08-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

22 Years and counting!

Oh, yeah, the reason I tied the knot?

Because I found a guy as weird as me!

And at the end of the day,

there's no one I'd rather

kiss goodnight.

--Diana

Why Not Shower the People You Know...

2009-07-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

with

H'art

Personally, I've never seen anything like it,

but then I don't get out much...

Out of the shower, that is, apparently.

This is art I created from...
Well, let's just say,

I washed my hair and

there was all this wet tile,

one thing led to another...

Comments?

Is it a big turn off?

If so, is it because of the "medium" used?

If you didn't know how the art was created,

how do you think you would feel?

Why does anything made out of

hair

freak most of us out so much,

we want pull at our hair?

--Diana ('',)

Why You Smilin'?

2009-07-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

What makes you smile?

Food?

Friends?

Fun?

What about doing something nice for someone?

Heard Garrison Keillor say that what makes our

country great is not its angry people.

It's the kind people.

Guess that could be said of any nation.

So, at the end of the day, what makes you happy?

Maybe THIS is why not me...

2009-07-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Dana Walden (keyboard) wrote this very, very cool song and had a hit with it way back when. As wonderful as that time was for him, I’m SURE his most vivid memory was watching me trip through one doorway, clear across the room, through another door, in one step, my guitar case shooting in front of me causing such momentum, I’m surprised I’m not STILL falling through the studio! Guess you had to be there…Anyhoo, it was a priviledge to get to co-write with him during that exciting period in his career. Enjoy the tune.

Why Knot?

2009-06-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

June's quickly drawing to a close. The month everyone rhymes with moon. And the month when a lot of couples tie the knot.

My parents did. June 9, 1940.

A close friend married just a couple weeks ago. June 14th.

So why do we do it? Tie the knot that is. Living together is no longer, in most people's minds, a "sin."

So why make that life-long committment to another person? Why fight for the right to do so regardless of gender?

Oh, the picture? You'll have to guess if it's my friend or Charles & Mary Elizabeth Richert!

-- Diana

Why You're Off The Hook...

2009-06-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, I get these daily email affirmations...every day...like every 24 hours...and there was this one that really blew me away.

It said...

"My happiness depends on me, so you're off the hook."

Now aren't you glad you stopped by the blog today? Puts things in a whole new perspective, doesn't it?

I can no longer blame anyone else for my mood, behavior, actions...anything!

It's totally up to me how I react to anything...

And guess what? I'm choosing to reactive very positively to this news! Not because of you...Though I still do appreciate everything you do that is good and kind...

My happiness doesn't depend on you doing something good and kind.

Just wanted you to know.

Why Love Is An Addiction:

2009-06-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to friends, Joyce and Rebekah, for sharing this story. And for being role models who made Julianna’s decision an easy one:

Julianna would come home from her new job working the register at Wendy's amazed at how rude some customers could be. The easy-going high school junior let it roll off her shoulders though. Then, after three weeks, she came home with a different story.

A young couple about 20 years old, if that, stood inside the restaurant door talking with a woman. Julianna watched while the woman offered the young man a five-dollar bill. “I'm sorry,” he said, “I can't accept that from you, but thank you anyway.”

The order he placed at Julianna’s register came to about $5. Julianna watched him fish out $2.98 in change. She said, “I'm sorry, but that isn't enough money to purchase your order.”

“Okay,” he asked, “could you take off the drinks?” He went on to explain, “My wife and I aren't working right now and we don't have a home. We don't use drugs, but we have to sell them to pay for food.” He asked if Wendy’s was hiring, but Julianna told him not right now. Maybe in a couple of weeks. He took the order to a table where his wife was sitting and started divvying up the food.

First break she got, Julianna purchased two senior citizen size drinks with her money and employee discount. She took the drinks to the young couple and said, “Love is an addiction. We aren't hiring right now, but come back in a couple of weeks.” The young man looked up at the teen, thanked her, and then started to cry.

“As a mother and a human being,” Julianna’s mother adds to the story, “I have been shown true compassion between one human being and another. Some kids and even adults would have walked right past the couple, said bad things to them, but one 16-year-old girl showed her true colors.

…I thanked God tonight for showing her the need and giving her the grace and ability to fill the need. When others would have turned their head and walked away, my daughter ran straight to heart of the matter…

The woman who tried to give the man five dollars saw all this take place, got in line, purchased a $40 gift card and gave it to the couple. Julianna said the man thanked her and started to cry again. I know she will be rewarded many times over as well.”

Note: In addition to working part-time at Wendy’s, speaking fluent German, playing the flute, volunteering at the local hospital and her church, being President of her school’s FBLA chapter, Julianna just got her driver’s permit!

Why the World Needs Roger Federer & Naomi Tutu.

2009-06-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Sure. It's awesome that Roger Federer has finally captured all four Grand Slam of tennis championships and now ties Pete Sampras' slam record. (There may be structural damage to my den from this morning's match!)

And what a heritage Naomi Tutu has. Daughter of Desmond Tutu, South African cleric and activist who rose to worldwide recognition during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Naomi herself a fierce advocate for human rights.

But others have won championships and been born to notable heritage and spoken on behalf of others' rights. What sets these two individuals apart?

They don't give up. They don't do anything without the best of intentions. They give back, again and again...again. They come from a place of integrity. And that, my friends, the world can never get too much of.

You can do an internet search and get all sorts of info on Federer's win today. But here's a link that might mean more to you...His foundation.

And Naomi's name appears everywhere on the internet, too, but while Roger was making history in Paris, she was taping this interview for NPR's Weekend Edition with Liane Hansen.

I admire all they have accomplished. But what truly moves my heart? Their hearts.

--Diana Black Southafricansojourn.blogspot.com/

Turn Off The Lights! Here's why...

2009-05-31T19:58:00.000-07:00

St. George Island, FL, Memorial Day 2009

Sometime in the night, while I slept only a few feet away, a momma sea turtle did what momma sea turtles have been doing for eons.

She dragged her mammoth body from the water and instinctively made her way toward the largest sand dune. The depth of her tracks indicates how huge she was, and how much effort it must have taken to find the perfect place to dig her nest.

Her first efforts at digging were almost fatal for her and her 100 eggs. A section of the fencing used to keep dunes from erosion had collapsed, and it was clear she'd nearly gotten caught in some looped wire.

But she persevered!

Volunteers who scout the beach each morning during turtle season discovered the nest and marked it with yellow tape. In about 60 days, baby sea turtles will emerge in the night and hopefully move toward the water. (They are attracted to light so everyone along the beach is strongly encouraged to extinguish all lights facing the beach and to removed all items along the water front so that the turtles do not get trapped...like the mother turtle nearly did.)

Wish I could be there when the babies hatch! But I'd probably be snoozing then, too, and miss it all!

Click here for more info on sea turtles.

Here's Why...

2009-05-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not worried about future generations...Well, okay, I am...

BUT not so much after today.

These first and second graders at Dorsett Shoals Elementary in Douglasville, GA, renewed my faith that children ARE our future.

First graders understood the concept and wanted to know about book publishing! Who knew?!?

And they asked detailed questions about how I illustrated Wendel Wordsworth: No Words for Wendel. So I told them. At times I was sure I'd lose 'em, that their big eyes would glaze over. But, hey, I had a hard time staying ahead of the curve with these kids.

So, let's give a big shout-out to parents and teachers who invest time and a whole lot of energy on children entrusted to their care and well-being.

Okay, my granddaughter is still, let's face it, the most exceptional child ever created. But I guess there are actually kids out there who run a very close second!

Why Would You Want a Vibrating Mascara?

2009-05-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

I took the title for this blog directly from the Oprah Daily Quote subject line.

Hey, it had the word "Why" in it, so I HAD to!

That, and it's a great teaser.

Well, actually it's NOT a teaser...It's the real deal.
According to Jenny Bailly,the "pulsating motion of these wands is supposed to eliminate clumps and coat each lash all the way around for more fullness."

Pictured here are Estée Lauder TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara ($30, right) and Lancôme Oscillation ($34, left). No, I don't get a "freebie" for this plug...

Just the satisfaction of using the title...
And finding out why YOU would want a vibrating mascara?!?!

Roxana Saberi is free!

2009-05-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

At this point, who cares why!

Welcome home...

More

See Why!

2009-05-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

And you wonder WHY I'm the way I am!

In honor of Mother's Day, meet three of my amazing "Mothers."

Since they are no longer here for me to share the day,

I wanted to share them with you...

Top: My maternal grandmother,

Lulu Pearl Lord, (far right) clowning with friends.

(At least she wasn't smoking a corncob pipe like HER mother!)

Bottom left: My mother, Mary Elizabeth Richert,

"opening" a Christmas present!

Bottom right: My mother-in-law Louisa "Fern" Boley.

This was the most tame picture I could find!

Thank you, ladies. You changed my life, and I'll always love you...

Diana

Why Michael J. Fox?

2009-05-05T04:45:00.000-07:00

What a great guy...Michael J. Fox. Funny. Smart. Easy on the eyes. Dedicated husband and father.

So why did this thing, Parkinson's disease, happen to HIM of all people?

I don't know. (Yep, a theme's emerging here at Basic Black Blog ... I don't know much.)

I do know this. This thing has taken much from him and his family, this thing that in his own words has turned Fox into a "human whirligig."

This thing does that to people...Often it also turns more than their bodies into whirligigs. It grabs every conceivable aspect of their lives and spins it out of control.

Sometimes people afflicted with life-changing illness become bitter and closed-off from the world. But sometimes people still find humor and seek ways to make a difference...

Clearly we see the direction this actor has chosen. Why Michael J. Fox?

--Diana

ABC special "Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist,” aires 9:00 p.m. Thursday

Why I'm Woozy!

2009-05-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what poets do in their spare time? Did you ever picture THIS?!?!?

No, me either...and I'm getting a little woozy just looking at the photo...

But a lot inspired...

Linda Rogers, Victoria (BC) Poet Laureate, is a force of creativity and a tireless fighter for truth and justice on behalf of children the world over. Please take a moment to read her personal interview on the WOOFersClub blog...Then check out her website.

You'll discover WHY this neighbor to our north is ... on Top of the World!

--Diana

That's Just My Egg Timer...Why?

2009-05-01T04:22:00.000-07:00

In addition to this blog and the WOOFers Club, Wendel Wordsworth...Oh, the list goes on, I also co-host an "authors helping authors" blog, Bookland Heights: Moving to New Heights in the Land of Books.

Our guest author for the next several days is Sunny Frazier...and though I've yet to read her books, her blog comments convince me to snatch up all her titles!

For example this question was posed to her: "When do you find time to write with all the promo you are doing? (he he--I'm hoping for a secret.)" ...

Sunny's comment:

Marilyn,
I'm really into pacing myself and not setting unreachable goals. My secret? Kitchen timers. I have them all over the house. I work at the computer on a story, email, promotion, for 45 minutes. Ding! I get 15 minutes to eat, write bills, clean a room, read a book, watch TV, power nap or play with the cats. This goes on all day. It's my productive way of being OCD. The day flies by, I get a lot done, and I don't feel I've neglected other parts of my life. I go to bed every night tired but fulfilled.
Kids, don't try this at home.

I love this solution to especially getting sucked up into computer work, social networking...you know spending waaaaaaaaay too much time...oh, I don't know, blogging maybe?!?!

Hope you'll read more of her comments (well, and her books, too!). Why? Sunny's a fascinating person and a damn good writer...

Why Won't Hugh Jackman Answer My Calls?

2009-04-29T04:49:00.001-07:00

"To get down to the quick of it, respect motivates me, not success," says Hugh Jackman in an interview with Kevin Sessums PARADE

Well, we all know he's earned a lot of respect from fans and peers...and any woman with even a hint of vision left!

He's also known to be a nice guy...So Sessums inquires what makes Jackman play dark characters like Wolverine?

"My favorite play in drama school was 'The Bacchae,'" Jackman says, surprising me. Why would he choose this most gruesome of Greek tragedies as his favorite? "It's about a king who literally gets eaten alive by all the women in the play in a kind of orgy -- it's related to the word 'bacchanal' -- and I loved that idea of animalistic chaos and following our own desires," Jackman says. "I think Wolverine represents that in its most allegorical sense. He's a man who battles between the animal and the human, between the chaos in him and the self-control he must have. We all deal with this to some extent. At which point should we let go and do what we want to do? And when should we submit to rules? Coming to terms with our true natures and who we really are has always been a fascination to humans. I know it fascinates me."

To read more interview...click here...and prepare to drool!

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine," opens May 1. Sorry, couldn't find photo credit.

Why would a mother drive off?

2009-04-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

We all know the story. The mother in White Plains, NY, sick to death of hearing her 10- and 12-year-old daughters fight, stops the car. Orders them out.

Drives off.

As much as all three may wish it so, there's no "do over." No rewind button or delete key when something like this makes national news. Time to accept and move on...but this time together.

Here's what I hope for them: taht the mother finds safer ways to relieve stress; that the young sisters appreciate each other a whole lot more; and that their entire family experiences a deeper and more meaningful relationship.

We all get pushed to the max. And every situation is different...even if all the components appear to be the same, nothing is ever exactly alike.

So trying to figure out what the mother should or should not have done is a non-issue for me.

Looking inside myself and asking hard questions, that's my job right now...

But still, when you think about it, at the end of the day, aren't we all just a heartbeat away from having to ask ourselves ...Why did I do that?

--Diana

Why Can't Wait for April 28th

2009-04-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Dylan's New Release...

Why, WOOFie Sue, why...

2009-04-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

So many bubbles...so little whys.

2009-04-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Copyright diana black

No WHY in Earth Day...

2009-04-22T05:16:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm Wendel Wordsworth...

I'm going green today...(actually I'm green EVERY day, but well, today's special!).

It's Earth Day...and I'm stopping my some of my favorite blogs to pay a special tribute to our favorite planet.

In fact, I got a "speaking engagement" at Cynthia's Attic blog! Check it out by clicking right here...

See ya' 'round the recycle bin!

Your friend,

Wendel

Why 15?

2009-04-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

15 women ran

Fortune 500

companies in

2008.

Does that shock you?

Did you think there were more or less?

Would you feel better if more women were running Fortune 500 companies?

Would the USA and/or the world be in better financial shape if more than 15 women held top corporate positions?

When is it you predict women will outnumber men running major companies?

WHY do you think it will or won't be in our lifetimes?

While you're thinking...check out Wendel Wordsworth here!

Why You'll Want My Autograph.

2009-04-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

There were attempts at sabotage. Incoming phone calls on the second line. Kamikaze birds crashing into window panes. TV clicked on with volume just short of a sonic boom. But like other verbal moments in history—the Gettysburg Address; Kennedy’s inaugural speech; Armstrong’s message from the surface of the moon—profound words would not be silenced.

The interview would go on…

And on…and on!

Seriously, Mary Cunningham and I had a blast being interviewed by Mary Eileen Williams from Feisty Side of Fifty fame. She has a regular Blog Talk Radio show for women over fifty, so the book we co-authored with Melinda Richarz Bailey, WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty, fit the bill.

WOOFer Eileen has built a major site for Boomer women at Feisty Side of Fifty. And in addition to interviewing us, she's had Suzanne Braun Levine, the first editor of Ms. Magazine, on her show and (don't tell anyone) a little birdie (probably the one who nearly shattered the window!) says best-selling author (and WOOFer) Mary Higgins Clark will soon be a guest!

Oh, let's hope Ms. Clark isn't too intimidated by Mary's and my spont & cleverity! (private joke)

-- Diana (aka d.d. dawg)

Feisty Side of Fifty!
Buy WOOF

Why...You look so tired!

2009-04-15T04:46:00.000-07:00

ACK! Will you tell me WHY anyone would say that to someone?!?!

Julia Roberts commented in an article that that is, in her opinion, the second worse thing anyone can say to a woman. (The first being, of course, the question, "Oh, when is your baby due?" Someone asked her that while she was standing there holding the child on her hip!)

I agree the tired comment is way out of line. Ask if I've gained a few pounds. (Which of course I'll deny and make the excuse it's the clothes I'm wearing that makes me look fat...Yeah, whatever.)

Ask me when was the last time I colored my hair. (I'll say, Funny you should mention it because I have an appointment in an hour -- Then I can run for the phone to schedule one with my hairdresser!)

But don't ask me why I look so tired. That stops most women in their tracks. Because that implies we have not hidden the fact we are so damn tired we can't see straight!

And that's our own fault... Because we're not taking better care of our own precious selves.

So, at the end of the day, WHY aren't we? Taking better care of ourselves, I mean?

WHY-hoo!

2009-04-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

Why Looky There!

2009-04-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

The new books are here! The new books are here!

API Print Productions came to the rescue at the 11th house (okay, I'm excited...I mean HOUR!). And I could not be happier with the finished product.

Wendel Wordsworth is near and dear to my heart for many reasons. A few ...

This project is proof that:

1. A childhood reluctant reader can become an adult lover of words!

2. Doing what you love when you were eight is probably what you should be doing as a 60-year-old.

3. If you think you have no other options, then you have no other options.

Thanks to... Greg, Bev, Mary, Wendy (aka Wendel 1), Carol, JOYce, CCWC writers club, Jennifer & Caitlin... and everyone else who encouraged me as I labored giving "birth" to this lovable little worm and his sidekick, Big Buzz.

Holding these books in my hands, I wonder WHY I ever let doubts creep in...

At the end of the day, why is it so hard to trust the process?

--Diana

http://www.wendelwordsworth.com/

What a gurl's gotta do...and why.

2009-04-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

It was over. The roots ripped from their canal. Or is that canals? Anyhoo, it was time...A gurl's gotta do what a gurl's gotta do.

Everyone knows Estee Lauder runs out of their gifts with purchase in the first few days of a campaign. Well, okay, if they don't run out, often all they have left are colors no one else in their right minds would wear...

Besides that, it was April 2nd. I only had until April 19th before the offer ended. A meer 17 days!

Fortunately, a result of the root canal less than an hour before, there was only a hint of drool at the corner of my mouth (confirmed during a stop at a Lancome mirror) and my right cheek just slightly drooped ( when I placed my elbow on the counter and matter-of-factly cradled my chin in my hand, who knew!). The salesclerk, however, might have thought I'd been nipping at the red wine a few hours early when I requested their biggest bottle of Pa-fec-nis.

Guess I don't have to tell you WHY last night was the best I've slept since setting the dentist appointment and getting EL's "Gift Me" notification.

It was over. I had the cool shades.

d;>)b

Author! Author! Reader! Reader! Check out Bookland Heights!

Open wide and say "WHY?!?!"

2009-04-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Oh, you're going to be sooooo envious when I tell you what I'm doing tomorrow.

It involves a canal...and running water...and a man...Romantic, huh?

Well, not when it's a ROOT CANAL and the water will be squirting in my mouth (and spraying up my nose!) from a long tube and the man is my dentist!

Yikes! How'd I get myself into this mess?!?!

Yeah, I know it could be a whole lot worse, and I'm glad it's nothing REALLY serious.

But still, WHY are there just some things we do not want to experience?!

Like root canals...

Why So Many Books and So Little Time?

2009-03-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know...Seriously, don't have a clue.

BUT, I do know there's a place to take you to new heights in the Land of Books...

The "Author" Train is leaving the station on its way to Bookland Heights.

On our travels, we'll discover new authors, books, marketing opportunties...all things book.

Want to be one of the stops along the way? Check out Bookland Heights!

Email for info!

--Diana

Why'd I Write That Song?

2009-03-28T05:28:00.000-07:00

Many years back, Amy Grant said upon the death of her dear friend, "Minnie Pearl," that she would miss her more than words could say. But that she also didn't have "to see the ocean to know it's blue."

Touching words on so many levels.

I was living and writing in Nashville at the time and immediately set out to write a song with that title. "I Don't Need To See The Ocean" has turned out to be one of my favorite songs, though it has yet to be recorded.

Why mention this, besides the beauty in Grant's words and the fond memories of an amazing woman of humor and humility, Sarah Cannon?

The ocean is a place I return to over and over and over...and hope to for the rest of my life. My shoulders lower and spirits soar at the sound of waves hitting the shore. And I guess just like Amy Grant, I had to admit that I can live without something I love so much, because I know its beauty and feel a connection no matter what.

Has there been something or someone in your life that you felt so strongly about, that you couldn't ever imagine being without, that presented an unexpected gift at its loss?

NOW I know why...

2009-03-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've never been a fan of The Honeymooners, and even less thrilled with Ralph Kramden's threat, "To the moon, Alice!"

Now I know why. I experienced firsthand the pain of moon travel during yoga class. I crumbled before we were halfway to the moon, halfway through a FULL, NON-STOP series of lunar poses!!

I can't remember if the "cow" position (above) was actually in that series, but it pretty much looks like me crawling to my car after class. (Okay, maybe add a couple pounds here and there...)

Now the thing is this, when we began the series, the instructor reminded class that solar exercises are the masculine side of yoga, lunar the feminine. Having completed 5 sets of sun salutations the day before, I thought, Hey, lunar will be a piece of cake!

I could write more about WHY I thought that. WHY I erroneously assumed lunar (aka feminine) would be less intense than solar (masculine). My instructor confirmed for me that I'm not alone. A lot of people have the same reaction...

I'd rather hear YOUR thoughts on this subject...WHY is feminine ever equated with easy?

Why Would A Woman Ever Wear These?

2009-03-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

I dunno.

Well, what I've heard is that very, very high heels make a woman look extra ...appealing to the opposite sex. And that very, very high heels shift the stance just so, and certain parts of a woman's anatomy are, shall we say, accentuated.

Very, very high heels are also very, very uncomfortable.

No news there, but every so often I feel the need to again explain that I haven't given up on trying to look sexy, my feet just won't "do the walking" anymore.

But there are other ways...some involving melted chocolate.

Warm, dark chocolate.

At the end of the day, with the stilettos tucked away in a shoebox, and remembering to keep this PG, what makes you feel good about your body...and WHY?

Why'd You Throw That Away?

2009-03-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

There's a timely article in the March 16th Newsweek titled "The Frugal Family Guide." The author, Steve Tuttle, tells about the time he visited his parents' cabin and spotted a dead mouse in a rusty trap. Assuming he was doing his mom and dad a favor, he threw away the mouse...and the
dilapidated old trap.

WRONG! When his deed was disclosed, his parents just shook their heads and lamented they'd had that trap since they got married (about a half-century before.)

Tuttle goes on to say his parents are not cheap. They just don't throw out anything that's still getting the job done. Like that mouse trap (which obviously was still doing the trick!)

So, I'm looking at those things I automatically toss out without considering if they're really outdated or of no further purpose.

Most who know me would say I err on the side of caution and keep things waaaay past their prime. Like the last cell phone I turned in that was creeping toward antique status.

At the end of the day, WHY do we hold on to things too long or not long enough?

Why Would You Shop Anywhere Else?

2009-03-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Have I got a deal for you! Okay, technically, I don't have the deal, my publisher does...But either way, read this...

"If you spend $10.00 on a paperback from Echelon Press, I'll send you a FREE PDF download of your choice. Any PDF book from Echelon. That is two books for the price of one. What a deal! This offer is good on orders placed before midnight March 20, 2009. I'm telling you, order ANY paperback from Echelon Press and choose any PDF download for FREE."

Naturally, I'm little partial to MY book-WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty! But, hey, truth is, there are other great books on Echelon's shelves, and I would encourage you to check 'em out. Their line of children's books is one of the best. That's under their Quake division.

Oh, no need to thank me for the heads up...Thank Echelon Press for understanding how important it is for buyers to stimulate the economy and retailers to do all they can to help people spend smart.

Why Not Tuesday the 26th?

2009-03-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Friday the 13th. What's up with that? In this modern age of technology and yummy varieties of dark chocolate, why do we hang onto such an ancient superstition?

I think we like to scare ourselves. I do. I think we like drama and mystery and being able to say, Hey, it was Friday the 13th and I was scaling the side of a building and fell 500 stories! Oh, bad, bad Friday the 13th.

In my case, I got engaged on Friday the 13th. It was February 13th, as a matter of fact (1987). Oh, no, it apparently couldn't wait till the next day. Valentine's Day -- a day of romance and love and huggy-kissy stuff.

I was asked and accepted on Friday the 13th. And you know what? It kind of set the tone for a pretty amazing relationship. Some bad stuff, but mostly good. Mostly wonderful.

And WHY do you supposed that is? Maybe because Friday is named for Frigga, the free-spirited goddess of love and fertility...and 13 follows the number 12 which generally denotes completeness. So maybe 13 transends completeness?

At the end of the day, even Friday the 13th, aren't most days all about what we make of them?

Why E-Book Week?

2009-03-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

Please check out the Echelon Press blog for the reasons WHY you should read an e-book this week -- along with some darn fine e-books to read!

Just click here!

Why Can't I Have A Barbie?

2009-03-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

Me. Fifty years ago. Telling myself the doll in my hands, the one Santa brought INSTEAD of Barbie, was, in fact, Barbie.

Yeah, I'm just making that up...But, oh, how I longed to have that doll with the Miss America figure and eye shadow the color of a Southern Indiana summer sky.

But day after day Mother said, "No..." followed by some other stuff. I don't know her reasoning. My ears always shut down after hearing that two-letter word... (Sigh)

Not my mouth though. "But, why?"

"Because..."

Again, I never listened beyond the rejection.

That's really too bad, because Mother probably had some very good reasons.

But maybe the real reasons weren't even the ones she attempted to share with me. After all, what does a little kid understand about RBI (realistic body image)?

Regardless, I wish Barbie a happy 50th today...She's grown and matured over the years, just like the little girls who've adored her.

Even the ones who never actually had a Barbie, and will never know WHY...

For a beautiful story about Barbie and friendship, go to WoofersClub.Blogspot.com

One of Many Reasons Why...

2009-03-05T07:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I won't go into the OTHER reasons I adore this woman, my friend Carol. (The majority would have you questioning our sanity. (rightfully so!) Others are too close to my heart.)

But this one reason, this ONE reason is worth sharing with the world!

Carol's son and his wife just returned from Africa where they finally had the joy of meeting Aberash, their now youngest of three daughters.

And all indications are (proof's in the pictures!) Aberash is very happy and comfortable in her new home.

A retired elementary educator, Carol is a perfect mentor--on so many levels-- for this delightful, young girl. She volunteers several times a week both at a school and a local hospital, and still pays weekly visits to a colleague who suffered a stroke many years back. She's one of funniest women you could ever hope to meet, and Aberash will learn first-hand from "Gram" that she can succeed at anything she sets her mind to.

So, there you have it...Aberash will come up with her own list of reasons WHY. This is just one of mine...

Why Annie Leibovitz I'm Not...

2009-03-03T05:06:00.000-08:00

I try. Really I do...

Alas this is the best group shot I managed to salvage of the Echelon Press booth at the South Carolina Book Fest. (Sorry, Marc, you were probably making a sale just to my right.)

Anyhoo, pictured here are (l to r): Sam Morton, Marc Vun Kannon's daughter Julia, Regan Black, , Karen Syed, Regan's daughter Jordan, Marlis Day (in red), Jaquelyn Sylvan, Austin Camacho, and Mary Cunningham.

Though blueprints were hastily drawn up resembling an ark, spirits of those attending or hawking their books were not dampened. Authors are nothing if not resilient!

So...please check out these witty, talented writers...and see WHY their books are read the world over.

Why You Won't Be Hearing From Me...

2009-02-26T08:58:00.000-08:00

No, not forever...Just till Monday.

Heading out tomorrow for the South Carolina Book Fest to stake my claim in the Echelon booth.

Mary Cunningham and I will be talking up WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty.

I'll also be introducing Wendel Wordsworth: No Words for Wendel.

These types of venues are fantastic opportunities to connect with readers... Well, people in general. People are themselves pretty fantastic when you get right down to it, aren't they?

That's one reason WHY I'm looking forward to this trip...That and the piece of Dove Dark Chocolate I award myself for every book sold!

Why, You Shouldn't Have!

2009-02-25T09:23:00.001-08:00

Flowers are a given for some people. Fresh-cut blossoms are as much a fixture in their home as the kitchen sink.

For others of us, they are a luxury, an indulgence.

I fall in the that latter category. (Though I keep saying I'm going to start buying fresh flowers every week.)

But if I did, would a gift bouquet like this one from my daughter and her family still seem as special?

Oh, I can't imagine anything detracting from the beauty and the love that went into sending this elegant arrangement.

And of course, my second thought (after the initial "Oh, how lovely!") was, "Why, you shouldn't have..."

My third thought? Oh, but I'm so glad you did...

At the end of the day, when someone does something special for a woman like me, WHY is it a given she'll respond with..."Why, you shouldn't have?"

happY birthdaY, marY!

2009-02-24T04:09:00.000-08:00

For one day...And for one day only, she's two years older than me. But I hardly EVER mention it.

Today's that daY.

Lucky for us, we're doing a TV taping today, discussing our co-authored book WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty. Gee, isn't THAT great timing?!??!

That's Mary (in red), yours truly, Mary's son, John, and granddaughter, Brittany.

Anyhoo, HappY BirthdaY to my bestest bud...

Now, why don't I just drop this silly thing about you being TWO years older than me today.... :>)

Why Me?

2009-02-21T19:45:00.000-08:00

Kris Kristofferson recently surfaced on Sundance channel's Spectacle hosted by Elvis Costello.

For me, he still represents a person who embraces ALL that life has to offer. The good, the bad, the ugly.

Above he's pictured with Rita Coolidge, second of his three wives. The year was 1972 when "Help Me Make It Through The Night" won him a Grammy and a third single "Why Me?" boosted his then most recent album's sluggish sales.

The song begs the question: "Why me, Lord? What have I ever done to deserve even one of the pleasures I've known?"

Regardless of our beliefs or faith, the song's message seems to hit a chord with many.

Watching Kristofferson now, in his 70s, he's likely come to terms with the pain he's endured and caused in others. Humble, happy and with that twinkle still in his eyes, only a man who has lived such a life could have written another classic lyric: "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

Thanks, Kris, for your gift of language and for posing an age-old question for the end of any day...

Why me?

Why We're the Way We Are...

2009-02-20T05:23:00.000-08:00

(Drum roll please.) Uh-hum...Attention, please! Attention everyone...

Finally, the age-old question has been answered. Why each of us is the way we are. And the answer is... (Enough with the drum already!)

I'm only going to write this once, so pay close attention.

Ready?

How about now?

Now?

I don't know. (Hey, I didn't say it would be a good or correct answer!)

The point to having you read this? Taking your valuable time? It's hard for me to say those three words "I don't know." I think I have to have the answer you need and/or want to hear.

And even more difficult to say? That one-word complete sentence, "No."

Okay, so I don't know why I'm the way I am. Why we are the way we are. But I do know this, I'm working on those parts of who I am that I'm not so crazy about and learning to embrace the aspects of me that, well, make me quirky enough to write a post like this.

At the end of the day, does it matter why, or how we're the way we are?

So this is why...

2009-02-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

I ran across this in a file of emails I saved, emails that were circulating a few years back, and thought it worthy of posting... Okay, the test is:

Name the ten wealthiest people in the world.
Name the last ten Heisman trophy winners.
Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
Name the last ten Academy Award winners for best picture.
Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

So, how'd you do? I didn't do well either. With the exception of you
trivia hounds, few of us remember the headliners of yesterday too well.

And the above are no second-rate achievements. These are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.

Here's another quiz. Let's see how we do on this one:

Name three people you enjoy spending time with.
Name ten people who have taught you something worthwhile.
Name five friends who have helped you in a difficult time.
List a few teachers who have aided your journey through school.
Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier? It was for me, too.

The lesson stated in the email was this: The people who make a difference in our lives are usually not the ones with the credentials, but the ones with concern.

So perhaps this is why, at the end of the day, those people nearest and dearest to us touch us the most...

I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Give me one good reason WHY!

2009-02-16T06:35:00.000-08:00

The above picture is my daughter, Jennifer, at around 2 or 3 years of age. Gee, wonder why we nicknamed her Spunky?!

This is Jenn now...An amazing woman, daughter, wife & mother.

Just like today, it too was a Monday morning when I first saw her, at 11:13, dark, thick hair and big, brown eyes from the get-go.

Happy Birthday, dearest daughter...

And nope, can't give you one good reason why I love you so much...

Because the list is endless...

Mom

Why don't we all get "The Call"...or do we?

2009-02-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

Mother Teresa answered her call.

Her actions continue to make a difference every day, and throughout the world.

And though I've yet to read it, and Mother Teresa never wanted anything written that glorified her life, apparently a wonderful account that respects her wishes can be found in Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge.

But back to the original question, do we all get some sort of a "life's calling," and what's the loss if we don't pick up the phone?

At the end of the day, why is it so hard for some of us to admit we might, too, have some mission that even requires a call?

Why Don't We All Wear RED today!

2009-02-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

Don't know why some of us have healthy hearts...and some of us don't.

But I do know Friday, February 6th is the day to wear red showing support for disease-free hearts.

So here I am...

And I know why...

Why is it so HOT in here?

2009-02-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

BECAUSE WOOF IS GETTING
ROASTED!

Well, good thing is, if you help drag us through the fire, you may just win a free WOOF book!!

Check it out, if you DARE!

Why not start the day with a good laugh at our expense!?

The WHY Chromosome

2009-02-03T05:05:00.001-08:00

Past research shows that males have the Y chromosome. Female mammals have two X chromosomes.

New findings indicate (in other words, I woke up thinking about it) that female DNA may also possess a WHY chromosome.

The banding pattern is similar to the Y chromosome with noted variations. Please refer to the diagram.

So, what do you think? At the end of the day, do women ask too many questions?

Why not?

2009-01-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

It's her mantra. My dear friend, biz partner & co-author, Bev Bruemmer, aka Bubbles.

Scene:

Yours truly: Do you think we should create a book about a Moose teaching school bus safety?

Bev: Why not?

YT: Do you think we can just pick up the phone and call a major corporation for sponsorship?

Bev: Why not?

YT: Do you think...

Bev: Why the heck not?!?

You know, she's right. With her why not attitude, in just two years, she's authored two children's books, partnered on a comprehensive school bus safety program, created a joyful journal...and those are only the things I've been involved with!

This after 33 years in public education.

So, at the end of the day, what is it you're questioning, hesitant to do, create, be, request or donate? What about asking that question just one more time, and this time, answer with another question: Why not?

Why are feet so fetching?

2009-01-26T17:55:00.001-08:00

I mean it. I have this thing for feet.

Back of the ankles and toes especially.

Trying my hand at yoga again, I’m reminded that feet are so neglected. (Ya think? High heels!) Except for the occasional pedicure, we rarely play with our toes, just letting them wiggle and our feet flex.

Good news? Once we start pampering them a little, they start to forgive us. AND guess what? They love being up in the air. Higher than our heads. (Think babies grabbing their toes and sticking them in their mouths!)

Okay, maybe we don’t want to go THAT far, but tell me…why are you still sitting there with your feet under your desk? Get off that chair, onto the floor, feet in the air…now wiggle those toes!

At the end of the day, what other parts of our bodies are we taking for granted?