I remember being on a vacation once with my children and my mother. We stopped at a small bed and breakfast for the night, and when we headed to our car in the morning, we found a flat tire. What to do, when you’re in the middle of nowhere, and the only male around is the 70 something year old innkeeper? You do what any daring girl would do – you get on your knees in the driveway, pull our the spare, and start in on the lug nuts…and that’s just what I did.
Let’s face it, there are certain things that every girl should know how to do for herself. The Daring Book For Girls is geared to a teen / pre-tween audience, so automotive maintenance isn’t covered, but science projects, friendship bracelets, and great women in history ARE covered. When the book arrived at my house, I promptly handed it off to my soon to be 12 year old so that she could read it and share her thoughts with me:
The book had a lot of fun stuff to do that you don’t need help with. I learned about making tents, camping, games, and playing sports. I liked that it was mainly for girls and things that I didn’t know a lot about. I found a lot of things I would like to try.
Of course, I looked through the book myself, and I was impressed. It’s like a handbook to being the coolest mom or big sister ever. You can learn how to properly wash a car (and it doesn’t involve paying someone else to do it) or how to sing campfire songs, or how to do karate moves. The book can even improve my standing with my son, since it has easy steps on how to create a paper airplane. Doing the activities together will give you something to share. If your daughter opts to work alone – let her – you might be amazed at what she comes up with!
I’m all for anything that gets my kids off the computer and away from the television, and this book seems like just the ticket. It’s a bit of a return to another era, when kids didn’t have online games and DVD players to distract them, and there’s nothing wrong with that! The Daring Book For Girls will inspire your girls to learn more, to do more, and to BE more.
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I recently came across a site called DivineCaroline, which is dedicated to women and features channels with topics that relate to women. You’ll find relationship advice, travel news, style tips, and more, and it all has a woman’s touch, so to speak. DivineCaroline.com’s Body and Soul channel, in particular, resonated with me. I happened to read their personal stories on eating disorders and support and I was surprised to find out that the content was all submitted by members. So often, I read magazines where a professional writer interviews someone about something like an eating disorder, but while reading these stories I found out that I really preferred reading about it in the words of someone who had been there, done that. It’s a bit like reading blogs, but the content all centers around specific content, so it reads more like a magazine series. Some of the stories were hard to read, especially the one I came across by a 16 year old bulimic, but the stories ARE amazing and informative, personal, and real.
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A few years ago, I belonged to a fan fiction site where people contributed their own work in the style of Janet Evanovich, who writes the Stephanie Plum series. Tt was incredible fun, working on my own pieces, and reading what others had come up with. I grew out of the series, and hadn’t found anything like that group since. I’ve checked out a few groups for writers and most were, well, pretentious. A few considered writing a blog to be akin to writing romance novels, so people like me were persona non grata. You know, because writing about my LIFE isn’t real writing. :eyeroll:
This writers circle at http://www.mywriterscircle.com/ isn’t anything like that. It’s in a message board format, where you can contribute and read as much or as little as you’d like. And it is active? Whoo boy, is it ever! How about Forum 94429 posts, in 9187 topics, contributed by 4904 members? The board features separate sections designed to help writers perfect their craft. Topics include:
- Grammar – is it “Me and Jim” or “Jim and I”?
- A place where you can post an excerpt of your work for review
- Writing games and challenges to inspire you
- Writer want ads
- And even a place for off topic, non writing related chatter
I’ve always wanted to write a book – maybe these are the people who can get me pointed in the right direction!
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I just got interviewed for a local newspaper, and no, I’m not making this up as a cover story for a surprise party. I was contacted because of my dealings (and deep love) for PayPerPost. The reporter said the article would probably be out next week, so my Orlando-area peeps need to keep an eye out!
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I just finished reading Secret Daughter by June Cross. June was born to a white mother, and a black father. Her mother raised her until it became obvious that June couldn’t “pass” as white, and they handed her off to a black family to raise. Later in life, when around friends of her mothers, June would have to call her mother “Norma” or “Aunt Norma” in order to keep the facade up, and that was as late as the 70’s. June Cross went on to work in television news, and it was during her time at Frontline that she invited her viewers to learn her story. The story was amazing, alebit a little shocking that a mother would give up her child to protect her own career, or her husbands career (that was one of the excuses used in the book, as June’s stepfather was an actor).
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Nothing makes me want to read a book faster than when it is banned. C’mon – it’s like putting candy in front of a 5 year old and telling her to not eat it. Since I’m out of high school (I only ACT like I’m still there), most of my reading material isn’t banned. This book is pretty darn near close though: Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict, by Obadiah Shoher.
I’ve been told that Yahoo and Google banned the author’s site from their advertising programs for unacceptable content. Amazon deleted reviews on the site, and the publisher terminated the contract.
Now, I wonder if my po-dunk country library will have it, or if I’ll have to buy it?
Edited to add: The website has a version of the book you can download. Not my preferred format, but free. I read a lot of the blog and I’m not really “up” on my politics but I did agree with this key point, and I quote, “Bush is definitely an idiot.”. Preach it! The book explains a lot I didn’t know about Israel, Lebanon, the P.L.O. and the like. It’s an eye opener – not exactly bed time reading since you’ve really got to disect each paragraph and digest each chapter, but it’s educational. Do I agree with everything the author says? No. At one point he writes that the Jewish people were the worlds first terrorists. Why? Because Moses unleashed plagues (aka biological warfare) and killed the firstborn sons. Last time I checked, that was God….but whatever. The book is definitely out there at times, but not worth a ban.
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I just finished reading Marley & Me by John Grogan. You should consider reading this book if:
—You have ever owned, or currently own a dog
—You are thinking about getting a dog
—You like dogs
So basically, everyone should read it. Being that the book is about a Lab, and I have one, there were MANY times when I had to stop to read a section outloud to my husband because it reminded us SO much of our lab.
Not so good with the obedience school? Yep, that’s our dog too. Scared of thunder and other loud noises? Check. Scarfs food off the counter, out of high chairs, and the garbage? Chews up baby diapers? Has anxiety to the point where the dog injures himself? All of the above!
You can read an excerpt from the book there too, but take my word for it – it’s good. And you will cry, so have the box of tissues close by.
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I just found out that another one of my recent [url=http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/dotmoms/]Tampa Bay Dot Moms[/url] entries was put into the print version of the TBT paper. Gotta stop at the newspaper box and snag a few on my way home from work today!
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We saw [url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/792679141.html?MAC=43556e620a10f6a16debff70170d19a1&did=792679141&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Feb+13%2C+2005&author=GINA+VIVINETTO&printformat=&desc=Wild+boys%27+return+Series%3A+CONCERT+REVIEW%3B+2B]Duran Duran show at the Times Forum[/url] this weekend.
What a concert! I’m ranking it as my #3 all time favorite show behind Bruce Springsteen and U2. They played for almost 2 hours and it was amazing. I just can’t even put it into words. I never imagined I’d be able to see the band, in it’s main lineup, in concert. Ever. We were on our feet the whole time, singing and dancing and clapping. Just an excellent, excellent show. And just the right set – a perfect mix of some new stuff and all my old favorites. It went something like this:
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My latest entry is up at Tampa Bay Dot Moms. For all you stalker types, you can read all of my past entries as well.
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