I've been rather ridiculously busy lately, between my regular job and the magazine and my webnovel and suchlike.
Last week, though, I'm proud to say that we did in fact launch the first monthly issue of Indie Game Magazine, and we're trying to get it out there into the world. The website is devoted to previews, gaming fundraisers, and special timely announcements; the actual magazine, meanwhile, is filled with things like interviews and lengthy reviews and premium content and exclusive stuff from the developers.
We're really proud of our work.
And we'd like to share it with you.
All the details are here, but to give you an idea - the magazine is a digital publication with realistic page-turning action. (No, seriously. It's adorable.) To celebrate the inaugural issue, we're doing a special promotion for April. You can sign up to read the first issue for free, or you can buy a subscription for the full price, or you can just make a donation to support our efforts. And if you buy a subscription or donate at least ten dollars, you'll receive an exclusive game code donated by one of our indie game sponsors. These codes are for well-known indie games like Dragons and Titans, Star Conflict, Let There Be Life, and the highly-lauded The Banner Saga.
My teammates and I have worked really hard to bring this thing to life and we're anxious to get it into the public eye, so please check it out and tell your friends to do likewise.
Join me Mondays and Thursdays to laugh, to think, and to maybe change the world a little bit.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Monday, March 17, 2014
Wear the green and share the blue
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Today also happens to be my anniversary. I've been married for 13 years now. In honor of the occasion, I decided to let my husband choose the subject of today's blog post, and he wanted me to tell you all about the UNICEF Tap Project.
If you've got a smartphone, you can be a part of the project. The trick is to see how long you can go without touching your phone. If nothing else, you can tap in overnight while you're asleep. Once you've connected your phone to the project, a timer begins counting how long it's been since the phone was moved. For every ten minutes you can keep your hot little hands away from the phone, a day's worth of clean water to a child who lives where clean water is hard to get. The water is paid for by corporate sponsors, such as Giorgio Armani.
Here's what to do. Grab your phone and open the browser, then direct it to http://tap.unicefusa.org. Follow the on-screen directions to stabilize your phone and join the project. That's it - there's no registration, no need to give your name, nothing. And UNICEF is a highly respected charity so you know that the money will be used properly. Kevin's phone has gone untouched for over thirty hours now; at six days' worth of water for every hour on the project, you see how quickly it adds up. All to the benefit of people in need of something many of us take for granted.
Now, this will drain your battery, so it's best to keep your phone plugged in while you do it. Also, it requires an internet connection, so I'd recommend only doing it in places where your phone can connect to a wi-fi signal. Otherwise, your bill might explode at the end of the month.
Of course, you can also donate. If you're a very busy sort of person whose phone is constantly blowing up for one reason or another, you can make a donation to do your part - just $1 gives 40 days' worth of clean water.
I don't know what we're going to do for this oddly-numbered anniversary exactly, but we're already celebrating it by doing two things that mean a lot to us - spending time together and helping other people. So it's a win-win situation no matter what. Hope you enjoy your day too.
Today also happens to be my anniversary. I've been married for 13 years now. In honor of the occasion, I decided to let my husband choose the subject of today's blog post, and he wanted me to tell you all about the UNICEF Tap Project.
If you've got a smartphone, you can be a part of the project. The trick is to see how long you can go without touching your phone. If nothing else, you can tap in overnight while you're asleep. Once you've connected your phone to the project, a timer begins counting how long it's been since the phone was moved. For every ten minutes you can keep your hot little hands away from the phone, a day's worth of clean water to a child who lives where clean water is hard to get. The water is paid for by corporate sponsors, such as Giorgio Armani.
Here's what to do. Grab your phone and open the browser, then direct it to http://tap.unicefusa.org. Follow the on-screen directions to stabilize your phone and join the project. That's it - there's no registration, no need to give your name, nothing. And UNICEF is a highly respected charity so you know that the money will be used properly. Kevin's phone has gone untouched for over thirty hours now; at six days' worth of water for every hour on the project, you see how quickly it adds up. All to the benefit of people in need of something many of us take for granted.
Now, this will drain your battery, so it's best to keep your phone plugged in while you do it. Also, it requires an internet connection, so I'd recommend only doing it in places where your phone can connect to a wi-fi signal. Otherwise, your bill might explode at the end of the month.
Of course, you can also donate. If you're a very busy sort of person whose phone is constantly blowing up for one reason or another, you can make a donation to do your part - just $1 gives 40 days' worth of clean water.
I don't know what we're going to do for this oddly-numbered anniversary exactly, but we're already celebrating it by doing two things that mean a lot to us - spending time together and helping other people. So it's a win-win situation no matter what. Hope you enjoy your day too.
Monday, March 3, 2014
On Writing
Took me longer than I expected to throw off that cold, mostly because it turned out to be a sinus infection.
I don't really have a topic for today, which is part of why this update is being written so late at night. But I was cleaning out some computer files earlier, and I came across something that I wrote over a year ago. One of my internet acquaintances had asked me for writing advice, and my answer was long and thought-out and I think I'm going to share it with you today.
Here is her exact question:
I hate my writing and wish I could see where/how I can improve it. I think it's boring and even hard to understand. I'm really bad when it comes to grammar. I'm aware you're super busy all the time, but I'd be so grateful (and appreciative and NOT taking it for granted) if you could offer a tidbit of advice my way? How do you get people to read your work?
(She's so cute.)
And here's my reply, slightly truncated to remove personal bits that I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate my sharing.
I don't really have a topic for today, which is part of why this update is being written so late at night. But I was cleaning out some computer files earlier, and I came across something that I wrote over a year ago. One of my internet acquaintances had asked me for writing advice, and my answer was long and thought-out and I think I'm going to share it with you today.
Here is her exact question:
I hate my writing and wish I could see where/how I can improve it. I think it's boring and even hard to understand. I'm really bad when it comes to grammar. I'm aware you're super busy all the time, but I'd be so grateful (and appreciative and NOT taking it for granted) if you could offer a tidbit of advice my way? How do you get people to read your work?
(She's so cute.)
And here's my reply, slightly truncated to remove personal bits that I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate my sharing.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Comment Changes
I have a really, really bad cold, so this will be short.
Lately there has been an upswing of comments on this blog. I would be excited, except these comments are all of the spambot variety. I do not appreciate commercials in my comments.
For the time being, if not permanently, anonymous comments have been disabled. Only registered Google users will be able to leave comments. I'm hoping this will solve the problem and I won't have to disable comments entirely, but that will be the next step if it has to be.
I'm going to go crawl back under my blankets now; I'll see you in a few days when I can breathe again.
Lately there has been an upswing of comments on this blog. I would be excited, except these comments are all of the spambot variety. I do not appreciate commercials in my comments.
For the time being, if not permanently, anonymous comments have been disabled. Only registered Google users will be able to leave comments. I'm hoping this will solve the problem and I won't have to disable comments entirely, but that will be the next step if it has to be.
I'm going to go crawl back under my blankets now; I'll see you in a few days when I can breathe again.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Indie Game Magazine
It's pretty well established that I identify myself as a writer. It's who I am, it's what I do.
It's also pretty well established that I love video games. As a storytelling medium, as a hobby, as something to distract myself from problems - I think they're wonderful. I've been a gamer since I was four years old. (No, really. My first game was Pong.)
Not too long ago, someone on my Twitter feed happened to share the news that an outfit known as Indie Game Magazine was looking for new writers. And I thought, maybe combining my love of games with my obsession for writing would be a good idea. Maybe. Worth a shot.
Well, cut to the chase several weeks later and I'm a member of the staff. Seriously, I have my own IGM email address and everything. I've never had a position where I had my own custom email. Mostly I contribute to the mobile site, although sometimes I'm on the main site too. We do game reviews, interview developers, talk about industry news. If it's got something to do with independent video games, we're interested.
Also, everyone is really nice. I feel like I've bet on the winning horse at last.
I do need my readers' help, though. For one thing, if you are or know any indie game developers, please point them in our direction! Also, if you're interested in gaming, please be sure to check out the website and read our articles. We've also got a YouTube channel and we're in need of subscribers - the sooner we get more subscribers, the sooner we can start producing original contents. (I can neither confirm nor deny that I will have my own show.) We even have a store now. And be sure to tell any gaming friends that we are awesome and they need to read our stuff.
So come hang out with these talented people - and me! We're having a lot of fun.
It's also pretty well established that I love video games. As a storytelling medium, as a hobby, as something to distract myself from problems - I think they're wonderful. I've been a gamer since I was four years old. (No, really. My first game was Pong.)
Not too long ago, someone on my Twitter feed happened to share the news that an outfit known as Indie Game Magazine was looking for new writers. And I thought, maybe combining my love of games with my obsession for writing would be a good idea. Maybe. Worth a shot.
Well, cut to the chase several weeks later and I'm a member of the staff. Seriously, I have my own IGM email address and everything. I've never had a position where I had my own custom email. Mostly I contribute to the mobile site, although sometimes I'm on the main site too. We do game reviews, interview developers, talk about industry news. If it's got something to do with independent video games, we're interested.
Also, everyone is really nice. I feel like I've bet on the winning horse at last.
I do need my readers' help, though. For one thing, if you are or know any indie game developers, please point them in our direction! Also, if you're interested in gaming, please be sure to check out the website and read our articles. We've also got a YouTube channel and we're in need of subscribers - the sooner we get more subscribers, the sooner we can start producing original contents. (I can neither confirm nor deny that I will have my own show.) We even have a store now. And be sure to tell any gaming friends that we are awesome and they need to read our stuff.
So come hang out with these talented people - and me! We're having a lot of fun.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Another Story: An extra chapter
This will be short, and incredibly sweet. It's snowing very badly here and that's doing its usual number on my body. But I have some happy news to report.
Not so very long ago, I spoke of the impending demise of Another Story, my beloved local used bookstore, which was in the midst of its going out of business sale. Owner John Furphy owed around $4,000 in back rent and was reluctantly giving up the ghost. Nothing short of a miracle seemed likely to save the store.
As it happens, there was a spare miracle to be had.
Thanks to extensive media coverage and a slew of new customers discovering the store because of said media coverage, enough money came into the store by the deadline to pay off the back rent. Against incredible odds, the store has received a fresh chance to survive.
It's not completely out of the woods yet, of course. There are other debts to be paid, and business has to continue to be good in order for the store to stay open. But there's a chance, now. There's room to hope.
Not so very long ago, I spoke of the impending demise of Another Story, my beloved local used bookstore, which was in the midst of its going out of business sale. Owner John Furphy owed around $4,000 in back rent and was reluctantly giving up the ghost. Nothing short of a miracle seemed likely to save the store.
As it happens, there was a spare miracle to be had.
Thanks to extensive media coverage and a slew of new customers discovering the store because of said media coverage, enough money came into the store by the deadline to pay off the back rent. Against incredible odds, the store has received a fresh chance to survive.
It's not completely out of the woods yet, of course. There are other debts to be paid, and business has to continue to be good in order for the store to stay open. But there's a chance, now. There's room to hope.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
On Justin Bieber's Arrest
It's very late at night while I'm writing this, and I have a headache. But this whole Justin Bieber nonsense has me really angry and I feel the need to explain why.
Justin Bieber, for those of you who haven't heard, was arrested sometime in the past 24 hours for DUI and drag racing in a residential area of Miami, Florida. Good. If you're going to drink and drive, you should be arrested. That's what you deserve.
I am obviously not a "Belieber." I am not part of Justin's fan group. I know very little about him, to be perfectly honest; I know he's a musician and he's from Canada and he has an insanely large fan following. That's the approximate sum total of my Bieber knowledge.
That, and the fact that he did this makes me really angry.
I get angry, on some level, whenever celebrities do things like drink and drive. Because for one thing, they are endangering the lives of "ordinary" people like you and me when they do. And we have enough people who have suffered the loss of loved ones to other people's selfishness.
That's what DUI really is, you know. Selfishness and recklessness. I'm sure no one intends to be either of those things, but let's be honest - they are.
So they're putting us in danger. Okay, but so are other people, non-celebrities, who do stuff like that. I get angry about them too, but the celebrities actually make me angrier.
See, celebrities have fans. Fans who blindly worship them and defend them. Which is exactly what Justin's fan army is doing right now. If you don't believe me, go on Twitter and look for hash tags like "#WeWillAlwaysSupportYouJustin" and "#FreeJustin." I saw a picture of a candlelight vigil being held in Miami by teenage girls praying for his release.
My feeling is that if you know that people are looking up to you and quite possibly emulating the things that you do, then you have a responsibility to do what's right. Because you are setting an example - and that's especially true if, as with Justin Bieber, your fans are young. Particularly impressionable.
Can people make mistakes? Of course. But if you do, then own up to them. Justin Bieber has yet to acknowledge (at least on public record) that he's done anything wrong. Maybe he will; maybe this arrest will be the wake-up call that he seems to so desperately need. I can only hope.
But if my words are hollow to you, then let me encourage you to watch a video by a young man who shares my point of view for profoundly personal reasons. And ask yourself: If I were in his shoes, wouldn't I feel this way too?
Justin Bieber, for those of you who haven't heard, was arrested sometime in the past 24 hours for DUI and drag racing in a residential area of Miami, Florida. Good. If you're going to drink and drive, you should be arrested. That's what you deserve.
I am obviously not a "Belieber." I am not part of Justin's fan group. I know very little about him, to be perfectly honest; I know he's a musician and he's from Canada and he has an insanely large fan following. That's the approximate sum total of my Bieber knowledge.
That, and the fact that he did this makes me really angry.
I get angry, on some level, whenever celebrities do things like drink and drive. Because for one thing, they are endangering the lives of "ordinary" people like you and me when they do. And we have enough people who have suffered the loss of loved ones to other people's selfishness.
That's what DUI really is, you know. Selfishness and recklessness. I'm sure no one intends to be either of those things, but let's be honest - they are.
So they're putting us in danger. Okay, but so are other people, non-celebrities, who do stuff like that. I get angry about them too, but the celebrities actually make me angrier.
See, celebrities have fans. Fans who blindly worship them and defend them. Which is exactly what Justin's fan army is doing right now. If you don't believe me, go on Twitter and look for hash tags like "#WeWillAlwaysSupportYouJustin" and "#FreeJustin." I saw a picture of a candlelight vigil being held in Miami by teenage girls praying for his release.
My feeling is that if you know that people are looking up to you and quite possibly emulating the things that you do, then you have a responsibility to do what's right. Because you are setting an example - and that's especially true if, as with Justin Bieber, your fans are young. Particularly impressionable.
Can people make mistakes? Of course. But if you do, then own up to them. Justin Bieber has yet to acknowledge (at least on public record) that he's done anything wrong. Maybe he will; maybe this arrest will be the wake-up call that he seems to so desperately need. I can only hope.
But if my words are hollow to you, then let me encourage you to watch a video by a young man who shares my point of view for profoundly personal reasons. And ask yourself: If I were in his shoes, wouldn't I feel this way too?
Monday, January 13, 2014
It's another story, and one I don't want to tell.
Back in August, I did a post profiling Another Story, the last bookstore in the city of Allentown, Pennsylvania. The quirky proprietor and I have a friendly relationship, and I try to stop by periodically to see how he's doing and maybe pick up a book or two. I don't have the shelf space for all the books I would like to buy (which would be a lot), so I have to restrain myself.
I'm sort of sorry this is the case, because Another Story's days are numbered. With too many bills to pay and too few customers coming in, it simply can't continue. Allentown will have a bookstore for a few more days and then... no more.
Everything at the store is currently half price. If you live in the vicinity, please stop by to say farewell to the landmark. You can get the exact address and other contact information at the store's Facebook page, found here.
I'm sort of sorry this is the case, because Another Story's days are numbered. With too many bills to pay and too few customers coming in, it simply can't continue. Allentown will have a bookstore for a few more days and then... no more.
Everything at the store is currently half price. If you live in the vicinity, please stop by to say farewell to the landmark. You can get the exact address and other contact information at the store's Facebook page, found here.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Writing Things
For some reason, in the last two weeks, my writing career has started moving. Literally, in one sense.
It was a bit of a blur, the email arriving right before Christmas the way it did. My serial fiction on the web, The Graystone Saga, was accepted for hosting at JukePop Serials.
My immediate reaction was to start shaking.
I didn't really expect it, you see. I'd sent in my application for consideration over a month before, and I wasn't even sure they'd received it. But they had. Christmas came a couple days early.
There was lots to do, and still to be done. Had to pull all the chapters of it off of the blog where I'd been personally hosting it for over a year. The site's still there; I'll use it to host links and fan art and things like that. But the chapters have to be exclusive to JPS for at least six months - fair's fair, after all. The first chapter is up; the second chapter, once I edit it and satisfy myself that it is awesome as it can get, will be added a bit later this week. (To read beyond the first chapter requires registering for a JPS account, but I promise it's free and painless and if you join and give my chapters the up-votes that are needed for me to earn a paycheck I will love you forever.) Eventually, at logical progression points, my intention is to publish print copies of the story as well as the online thing.
I'm also in talks with Indie Game magazine about possibly joining the ranks of their game reviewers - I don't have any more details than that, but the fact that I a) write game reviews and b) game on multiple platforms definitely has their attention. (Shout out to my parents for giving me an iPad for Christmas, thus providing me with one more gaming platform.)
I also have a new Pip the Mouse manuscript to edit, and I still have Anne's biography to do, and my cousin also wants me to write a version of our family history for the book that's being published for the 150th anniversary of the founding of Slatington, Pennsylvania, which was my grandmother's hometown.
Quite literally, there are so many words that will be pouring out of my mind in the coming twelvemonth that I'm a little overwhelmed by them. I'm not sure I even know where to start. It's a good thing, being wanted for the thing I unquestionably do best! It's just a little... daunting.
It was a bit of a blur, the email arriving right before Christmas the way it did. My serial fiction on the web, The Graystone Saga, was accepted for hosting at JukePop Serials.
My immediate reaction was to start shaking.
I didn't really expect it, you see. I'd sent in my application for consideration over a month before, and I wasn't even sure they'd received it. But they had. Christmas came a couple days early.
There was lots to do, and still to be done. Had to pull all the chapters of it off of the blog where I'd been personally hosting it for over a year. The site's still there; I'll use it to host links and fan art and things like that. But the chapters have to be exclusive to JPS for at least six months - fair's fair, after all. The first chapter is up; the second chapter, once I edit it and satisfy myself that it is awesome as it can get, will be added a bit later this week. (To read beyond the first chapter requires registering for a JPS account, but I promise it's free and painless and if you join and give my chapters the up-votes that are needed for me to earn a paycheck I will love you forever.) Eventually, at logical progression points, my intention is to publish print copies of the story as well as the online thing.
I'm also in talks with Indie Game magazine about possibly joining the ranks of their game reviewers - I don't have any more details than that, but the fact that I a) write game reviews and b) game on multiple platforms definitely has their attention. (Shout out to my parents for giving me an iPad for Christmas, thus providing me with one more gaming platform.)
I also have a new Pip the Mouse manuscript to edit, and I still have Anne's biography to do, and my cousin also wants me to write a version of our family history for the book that's being published for the 150th anniversary of the founding of Slatington, Pennsylvania, which was my grandmother's hometown.
Quite literally, there are so many words that will be pouring out of my mind in the coming twelvemonth that I'm a little overwhelmed by them. I'm not sure I even know where to start. It's a good thing, being wanted for the thing I unquestionably do best! It's just a little... daunting.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Christmas Countdown
It's nine days until Christmas and I haven't touched this blog since Thanksgiving.
Between illness, work, house-related things, work, trying to settle into the apartment, and work, I just don't feel like I've had a lot to say. I'm working every day but one between now and Christmas, and I just don't think I'm going to have the time to find something to say.
I hope that regardless of what you celebrate, you're having a perfectly lovely December (and remembering to treat retail employees with kindness and patience!) and get all your shopping done. May you each find a $100 bill on the ground.
I'll be here on December 26th.
Between illness, work, house-related things, work, trying to settle into the apartment, and work, I just don't feel like I've had a lot to say. I'm working every day but one between now and Christmas, and I just don't think I'm going to have the time to find something to say.
I hope that regardless of what you celebrate, you're having a perfectly lovely December (and remembering to treat retail employees with kindness and patience!) and get all your shopping done. May you each find a $100 bill on the ground.
I'll be here on December 26th.
Monday, November 25, 2013
A miracle product that actually is kind of a miracle
If you can read this post, the odds are pretty strong that you have access to clean, drinkable water.
Unfortunately, that's not true of a lot of other people.
Enter LifeStraw. This is a personal water filter which is legitimately poised to change the world. Since 2005, Vestergaard (the company that makes them) has been sending LifeStraws to victims of natural disasters all over the world. Simply put, this is a personal water filter that can turn any kind of water into the kind you can safely drink. Each LifeStraw is good for filtering at least 1,000 liters (264 gallons) of water. It requires no batteries or other power source. It is, in a word, awesome.
Right now there's a special fundraiser in place to aid the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. They've only got a few days left to reach their goal, so I'm hoping some of my readers might be able to help. The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale will match online donations up to $23,000 to send LifeStraws to people who right now are in desperate need of clean drinking water. Just click here, enter your pledge, and help them collect the last few thousand!
But perhaps you'd like a LifeStraw of your own. After all, they're great for hiking, camping, or just to keep on hand with your other emergency supplies. No problem, you can still help! Purchase one from the website Eartheasy. For every LifeStraw you buy for yourself through this website, Rotary Water Projects will send another one to the Philippines.
It's almost Thanksgiving, and while we who can afford it should be thankful that we have potable water available with a turn of the tap, let's also do our part to bring the gift of safe water to those who need it most.
Unfortunately, that's not true of a lot of other people.
Enter LifeStraw. This is a personal water filter which is legitimately poised to change the world. Since 2005, Vestergaard (the company that makes them) has been sending LifeStraws to victims of natural disasters all over the world. Simply put, this is a personal water filter that can turn any kind of water into the kind you can safely drink. Each LifeStraw is good for filtering at least 1,000 liters (264 gallons) of water. It requires no batteries or other power source. It is, in a word, awesome.
Right now there's a special fundraiser in place to aid the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. They've only got a few days left to reach their goal, so I'm hoping some of my readers might be able to help. The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale will match online donations up to $23,000 to send LifeStraws to people who right now are in desperate need of clean drinking water. Just click here, enter your pledge, and help them collect the last few thousand!
But perhaps you'd like a LifeStraw of your own. After all, they're great for hiking, camping, or just to keep on hand with your other emergency supplies. No problem, you can still help! Purchase one from the website Eartheasy. For every LifeStraw you buy for yourself through this website, Rotary Water Projects will send another one to the Philippines.
It's almost Thanksgiving, and while we who can afford it should be thankful that we have potable water available with a turn of the tap, let's also do our part to bring the gift of safe water to those who need it most.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Forget Black Friday, I'm Celebrating #GivingTuesday
I've spent enough time in retail to know that Black Friday is a necessary evil, but it's one which seems to become more and more evil as time goes on. Now we have retailers opening their doors on Thanksgiving, interrupting precious family time. We hear stories about employees and customers alike being trampled and injured by people who are inexplicably desperate to get into the stores. It's insane.
Last year, someone came up with a neat idea for an alternate holiday. After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we now have #GivingTuesday. (Yes, the hashtag is part of the name.)
#GivingTuesday takes place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It's not about shopping, it's about - wait for it - giving. The idea is to create a national day on which people purposefully direct their energies toward supporting non-profit organizations and helping those in need.
There's all sorts of ways you can be involved, from running a food drive to running a bake sale. They offer ideas for families, for students, for non-profits themselves, and lots more. You can also get involved by being a social media ambassador; for example, you create a profile and then attach it to your existing Twitter account, and #GivingTuesday will occasionally post tweets on your account to tell your followers about the program.
(In case you're curious, I found out about this because my lovely place of employment, Ten Thousand Villages at the Lehigh Valley Mall, is going to be participating. On #GivingTuesday, December 3rd, we'll be donating 15% of all sales to our local chapter of Toys for Tots. We'll also be accepting toy donations throughout the day.)
This is a great way to kick off what's known as the season of giving, so check out the website and see how you can make #GivingTuesday part of your annual celebrations.
Last year, someone came up with a neat idea for an alternate holiday. After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we now have #GivingTuesday. (Yes, the hashtag is part of the name.)
#GivingTuesday takes place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It's not about shopping, it's about - wait for it - giving. The idea is to create a national day on which people purposefully direct their energies toward supporting non-profit organizations and helping those in need.
There's all sorts of ways you can be involved, from running a food drive to running a bake sale. They offer ideas for families, for students, for non-profits themselves, and lots more. You can also get involved by being a social media ambassador; for example, you create a profile and then attach it to your existing Twitter account, and #GivingTuesday will occasionally post tweets on your account to tell your followers about the program.
(In case you're curious, I found out about this because my lovely place of employment, Ten Thousand Villages at the Lehigh Valley Mall, is going to be participating. On #GivingTuesday, December 3rd, we'll be donating 15% of all sales to our local chapter of Toys for Tots. We'll also be accepting toy donations throughout the day.)
This is a great way to kick off what's known as the season of giving, so check out the website and see how you can make #GivingTuesday part of your annual celebrations.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Enchanted Princess Parties
Monday's post about The Root Collective has been remarkably popular; hello, new readers! Today I'm going to continue this week's trend of promoting my friends' businesses by telling you about Enchanted Princess Parties. My friend Victoria is as close as it's possible to get to being a real life fairy tale princess without being a member of an actual royal family.
Victoria Lee is one of the most ridiculously beautiful people I have ever met in my life. She's also intelligent and extremely nice - complete trifecta. She's been an active member of the modeling and costuming communities for the past few years, which is a short explanation for how she and I met, and has more than a decade's worth of experience and education in early childhood education.
Enchanted Princess Parties, which she launched just this year, combines all of these skills and attributes into one fantastic job.
"My dear friend Jacky, who owns her own princess birthday party business, encouraged me," she explained.
EPP is fairly simple on the surface. Parents hire Victoria to come to their child's birthday party as their princess of choice. She's currently got a repertoire of just two, although she's hoping to add to this as time goes on; she will show up dressed as either the princess from "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp" in the Arabian Nights or as the maiden from La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast). At the party she offers various forms of entertainment such as face painting, story time, coloring, and playing with bubble wands, among other things. She is an amazing princess; I've seen her in action.
You might be wondering the same thing I was when I first saw these costumes - who makes them? "The Arabian Princess is a belly dancer costume I purchased," Victoria told me, which she then accessorized herself. Beauty's dress came from a costume store, but then she altered it by adding pearls and a petticoat. Both wigs came from a basic wig store. Professional photographers have a lot of fun capturing Victoria in her costumes; the camera just loves her. So do the kids at a princess party!
The only downside to this is that Victoria's area of practice is limited by, well, reality. She operates mainly in the Philadelphia and New Jersey area; she will travel farther, but she adds a travel fee for locations farther than 20 miles from Abington, Pennsylvania, to cover her expenses.
There aren't too many more magical parties you can throw for the little ones in your life than to have a fairy tale princess come and spend the day! For booking information, rates and other information, visit Victoria's website or the Enchanted Princess Facebook page.
Victoria Lee is one of the most ridiculously beautiful people I have ever met in my life. She's also intelligent and extremely nice - complete trifecta. She's been an active member of the modeling and costuming communities for the past few years, which is a short explanation for how she and I met, and has more than a decade's worth of experience and education in early childhood education.
Enchanted Princess Parties, which she launched just this year, combines all of these skills and attributes into one fantastic job.
"My dear friend Jacky, who owns her own princess birthday party business, encouraged me," she explained.
EPP is fairly simple on the surface. Parents hire Victoria to come to their child's birthday party as their princess of choice. She's currently got a repertoire of just two, although she's hoping to add to this as time goes on; she will show up dressed as either the princess from "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp" in the Arabian Nights or as the maiden from La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast). At the party she offers various forms of entertainment such as face painting, story time, coloring, and playing with bubble wands, among other things. She is an amazing princess; I've seen her in action.
You might be wondering the same thing I was when I first saw these costumes - who makes them? "The Arabian Princess is a belly dancer costume I purchased," Victoria told me, which she then accessorized herself. Beauty's dress came from a costume store, but then she altered it by adding pearls and a petticoat. Both wigs came from a basic wig store. Professional photographers have a lot of fun capturing Victoria in her costumes; the camera just loves her. So do the kids at a princess party!
The only downside to this is that Victoria's area of practice is limited by, well, reality. She operates mainly in the Philadelphia and New Jersey area; she will travel farther, but she adds a travel fee for locations farther than 20 miles from Abington, Pennsylvania, to cover her expenses.
There aren't too many more magical parties you can throw for the little ones in your life than to have a fairy tale princess come and spend the day! For booking information, rates and other information, visit Victoria's website or the Enchanted Princess Facebook page.
Monday, November 11, 2013
The Root Collective
The next couple of blog posts are dedicated to businesses which were recently launched by friends of mine. Since I like taking every opportunity to support my friends' endeavors, I want to share their ventures and adventures with my readers.
First up, The Root Collective.
Being an employee of Ten Thousand Villages, I know how important it is to sell fair trade, ethically sourced products. So when my friend Brooke announced that The Root Collective was taking shape, I was curious. TRC is the brainchild of Brooke's friend Bethany Tran, and the two of them very kindly sat down and explained just what they're doing.
It all started when Bethany went to Guatemala to visit her friend who was living there for a year. She fell in love with the impoverished region known as La Limonada, and came back to the States persuaded that she needed to do something to help those people change their circumstances. Five years later, in her own words, she found the nerve to put her marketing degree to work and start TRC.
"It's a pretty scary undertaking," she says, but she's confident now that she's doing the right thing.
Here's how the whole thing works. TRC is a shopping website where you can purchase jewelry, shoes, handbags, and scarves. Prices range between $18 and $100, depending on what you buy, which isn't too different from the mall. What is different is that with TRC, you can purchase with the confidence of knowing that your new pretties are ethically sourced - no slave labor, fair wages for the workers, and so on. As Brooke put it to me, "People don't need a hand out - they need a hand up. We hold intentional ties with the communities we partner with."
The other really cool part is that TRC is partnered with two non-profits (and looking to expand on that), and 10% of every purchase you make will be donated to the non-profit of your choice. One is Lemonade International, providing education and food and health services to the residents of La Limonada in Guatemala. The other is Come Unity, which works to provide education, clean water, and self-sufficiency to communities in Africa; your donation to them will help their efforts in Kenya.
Oh, and the products themselves? We are talking cute. 90% of the time I am not a shoe freak like some women - I have four pairs that I wear regularly, and one's a pair of sneakers - but I admit to being a sucker for a sweet pair of ballet flats and boy do they have them. The selection in each category is slightly limited, as you might expect from something that literally launched three days before this blog post went public, but they're working hard to expand. Items currently available are handcrafted in Guatemala, Peru, and Kenya. And yes, they have gift cards!
A purchase is a simple thing. We do it all the time. Making mindful purchases with a purpose, however, is a simple thing that can have a far-reaching impact - I know this firsthand. So I'm proud to do what I can to tell you about this newest way you can shop to change lives. Check out TRC at therootcollective.com, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or Pinterest.
First up, The Root Collective.
Being an employee of Ten Thousand Villages, I know how important it is to sell fair trade, ethically sourced products. So when my friend Brooke announced that The Root Collective was taking shape, I was curious. TRC is the brainchild of Brooke's friend Bethany Tran, and the two of them very kindly sat down and explained just what they're doing.
It all started when Bethany went to Guatemala to visit her friend who was living there for a year. She fell in love with the impoverished region known as La Limonada, and came back to the States persuaded that she needed to do something to help those people change their circumstances. Five years later, in her own words, she found the nerve to put her marketing degree to work and start TRC.
"It's a pretty scary undertaking," she says, but she's confident now that she's doing the right thing.
Here's how the whole thing works. TRC is a shopping website where you can purchase jewelry, shoes, handbags, and scarves. Prices range between $18 and $100, depending on what you buy, which isn't too different from the mall. What is different is that with TRC, you can purchase with the confidence of knowing that your new pretties are ethically sourced - no slave labor, fair wages for the workers, and so on. As Brooke put it to me, "People don't need a hand out - they need a hand up. We hold intentional ties with the communities we partner with."
The other really cool part is that TRC is partnered with two non-profits (and looking to expand on that), and 10% of every purchase you make will be donated to the non-profit of your choice. One is Lemonade International, providing education and food and health services to the residents of La Limonada in Guatemala. The other is Come Unity, which works to provide education, clean water, and self-sufficiency to communities in Africa; your donation to them will help their efforts in Kenya.
Oh, and the products themselves? We are talking cute. 90% of the time I am not a shoe freak like some women - I have four pairs that I wear regularly, and one's a pair of sneakers - but I admit to being a sucker for a sweet pair of ballet flats and boy do they have them. The selection in each category is slightly limited, as you might expect from something that literally launched three days before this blog post went public, but they're working hard to expand. Items currently available are handcrafted in Guatemala, Peru, and Kenya. And yes, they have gift cards!
A purchase is a simple thing. We do it all the time. Making mindful purchases with a purpose, however, is a simple thing that can have a far-reaching impact - I know this firsthand. So I'm proud to do what I can to tell you about this newest way you can shop to change lives. Check out TRC at therootcollective.com, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The Holiday Mailperson Cometh
It's early November, which means I'm about due for my annual post.
As my longtime readers know, every autumn I encourage my readers NOT to send mail to Walter Reed Hospital. This is something I've done since the blog was founded, and it's not because I'm a jerk; it's actually the opposite. This is the annual post where I talk about Holiday Mail for Heroes, which allows us all to send holiday greeting cards to soldiers recovering in military hospitals.
Here's the thing. Very soon, well-meaning but ill-informed people will begin suggesting to their Twitter followers, Facebook friends, and other social media connections that "when writing out your Christmas cards this year, address one to Any Recovering Soldier at the Walter Reed Hospital!"
NO. DO NOT DO THAT.
Sorry for the caps, but I can't stress this enough. Mail addressed to "Any Recovering Soldier" at any military hospital will be destroyed unopened. Like most prevalent urban myths, there's truth to this one; years ago, you could legitimately do this and the mail would reach a soldier in need of some holiday cheer. In recent years, however, that practice has been discarded because there's too much of a chance to send something unpleasant through the mail.
Instead, send your cards to the Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which is run by the American Red Cross. They will see to it that a hospitalized soldier or sailor will receive your good wishes. Just make sure everything you send adheres to their guidelines:
Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
Make sure your cards are postmarked no later than Friday, December 6, 2013 in order to ensure timely delivery to the recipients.
My friend Debbie Tenzer of Do One Nice Thing also recommends sending cards to Warrior and Family, an organization dedicated to helping military families. Abide by the same guidelines as the Red Cross, and send the cards to:
Warrior and Family Support Center
3138 Rawley Chamber
San Antonio, TX 78219
Please spread the word! Let's get the correct information out there ahead of the prevalent mistake, and maybe Walter Reed Hospital won't have so many cards to throw away this year.
As my longtime readers know, every autumn I encourage my readers NOT to send mail to Walter Reed Hospital. This is something I've done since the blog was founded, and it's not because I'm a jerk; it's actually the opposite. This is the annual post where I talk about Holiday Mail for Heroes, which allows us all to send holiday greeting cards to soldiers recovering in military hospitals.
Here's the thing. Very soon, well-meaning but ill-informed people will begin suggesting to their Twitter followers, Facebook friends, and other social media connections that "when writing out your Christmas cards this year, address one to Any Recovering Soldier at the Walter Reed Hospital!"
NO. DO NOT DO THAT.
Sorry for the caps, but I can't stress this enough. Mail addressed to "Any Recovering Soldier" at any military hospital will be destroyed unopened. Like most prevalent urban myths, there's truth to this one; years ago, you could legitimately do this and the mail would reach a soldier in need of some holiday cheer. In recent years, however, that practice has been discarded because there's too much of a chance to send something unpleasant through the mail.
Instead, send your cards to the Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which is run by the American Red Cross. They will see to it that a hospitalized soldier or sailor will receive your good wishes. Just make sure everything you send adheres to their guidelines:
- Sign all of your cards.
- Do not enclose anything - no photos, money, business cards, religious tracts, anything. All inserts will be removed and thrown away.
- Do not include any contact information.
- Use a generic greeting, like "Dear Service Member."
- No letters - cards only.
- Participants should limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope, as envelopes will be removed from all cards before distribution. (This one I copied verbatim from the site.)
- NO GLITTER. It poses too much of a threat to patients with respiratory ailments.
Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
Make sure your cards are postmarked no later than Friday, December 6, 2013 in order to ensure timely delivery to the recipients.
My friend Debbie Tenzer of Do One Nice Thing also recommends sending cards to Warrior and Family, an organization dedicated to helping military families. Abide by the same guidelines as the Red Cross, and send the cards to:
Warrior and Family Support Center
3138 Rawley Chamber
San Antonio, TX 78219
Please spread the word! Let's get the correct information out there ahead of the prevalent mistake, and maybe Walter Reed Hospital won't have so many cards to throw away this year.
Monday, November 4, 2013
That took longer than it should have
This time I really am back.
I didn't expect to not have things up and running until November, but that's apparently what happened. I still haven't accomplished everything I expected to get done when I signed off of the blog back in July, to be honest. Still, I'm working at it.
I didn't expect to not have things up and running until November, but that's apparently what happened. I still haven't accomplished everything I expected to get done when I signed off of the blog back in July, to be honest. Still, I'm working at it.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
I'm taking the summer off.
I would have announced this sooner, but I've had no internet for the last few weeks. Seems to happen around the same time every year.
Anyway, although I had not planned on doing so, I think it's in my own best interest to take the summer off from blogging. I simply have way too much on my plate, ranging from work to dogsitting to yard sales (mine, not other people's) to writing to... well, you get the idea. I do love to blog, but it actually takes more time than I always think it will and I need to focus my energies elsewhere for the summer months. Factor in the inescapable reality that the summer weather is not always kind to someone with my medical conditions, and I need to find as many ways as possible to conserve spoons.
I do still have my book signing coming up on July 20th, too. And here's visual proof from the Moravian Bookshop's own website, in case you were inclined to doubt:
Anyway, although I had not planned on doing so, I think it's in my own best interest to take the summer off from blogging. I simply have way too much on my plate, ranging from work to dogsitting to yard sales (mine, not other people's) to writing to... well, you get the idea. I do love to blog, but it actually takes more time than I always think it will and I need to focus my energies elsewhere for the summer months. Factor in the inescapable reality that the summer weather is not always kind to someone with my medical conditions, and I need to find as many ways as possible to conserve spoons.
I do still have my book signing coming up on July 20th, too. And here's visual proof from the Moravian Bookshop's own website, in case you were inclined to doubt:
So yes. Turning off the blog seems like a good idea at the present time. I anticipate returning to you in September. I wish you all an excellent summer (except for those of you in the southern hemisphere, to whom I wish a very good winter) and I look forward to resuming my regular blogging schedule then. :)
Thursday, June 20, 2013
The Book Is Back
It's a late night post because it's been a long day (they usually are, lately), but that's good. Because I had a late-night conversation that I wouldn't have been able to tell you about until Monday, otherwise.
If you were paying attention to what I blogged about six months ago, you might remember that I accidentally a children's book. Co-author Bob was the person with whom I had the conversation tonight, and well, this is too exciting for me to keep to myself.
We have our first book signing scheduled.
Join us on Saturday, July 20th, at the historic Moravian Book Shop on Main Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania!
The Moravian Book Shop is one of the oldest bookstores, if not the oldest, in continual operation in the United States and possibly the world. I don't know what time we'll be there yet (I promise to provide that information as soon as I have it), but Bob and I, and probably the illustrator and colorist too, will be on hand as part of the store's "Christmas in July" celebration.
It's going to be a heck of a lot of fun - the Moravian Book Shop is one of the most amazing stores I've ever seen. It just goes on and on and on! There are more rooms than you can possibly imagine by looking at it from the outside, and you can get lost in there, quite literally. I know because I've done it. It's a wonderful place to be and I am super excited to be a guest of honor at this celebration.
So please come and see us! And if you're looking for me, I'm easy to spot; of the four of us who worked on this book, I've got the longest hair by at least two feet.
If you were paying attention to what I blogged about six months ago, you might remember that I accidentally a children's book. Co-author Bob was the person with whom I had the conversation tonight, and well, this is too exciting for me to keep to myself.
We have our first book signing scheduled.
Join us on Saturday, July 20th, at the historic Moravian Book Shop on Main Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania!
The Moravian Book Shop is one of the oldest bookstores, if not the oldest, in continual operation in the United States and possibly the world. I don't know what time we'll be there yet (I promise to provide that information as soon as I have it), but Bob and I, and probably the illustrator and colorist too, will be on hand as part of the store's "Christmas in July" celebration.
It's going to be a heck of a lot of fun - the Moravian Book Shop is one of the most amazing stores I've ever seen. It just goes on and on and on! There are more rooms than you can possibly imagine by looking at it from the outside, and you can get lost in there, quite literally. I know because I've done it. It's a wonderful place to be and I am super excited to be a guest of honor at this celebration.
So please come and see us! And if you're looking for me, I'm easy to spot; of the four of us who worked on this book, I've got the longest hair by at least two feet.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
The sweet smell of NO
NO is a very empowering word.
You've probably noticed that the phrase 'rape culture' is appearing in the media more and more lately. I'm not sure why that is, exactly. It seems like the problem has always been there - the problem being society's inability to respect an individual's right to bodily autonomy - but we're only just starting to really point out the issues while we try to fight them.
Blogger Eve Vawter, an associate editor of the website Mommyish, takes this matter very seriously. In recognition of the efforts she and others have made to combat rape culture in our society, the cosmetics company A Beautiful Life has developed NO, a stirring fragrance which they describe as "utterly feminine and utterly strong."
The fragrance is available exclusively through ABL's website and can be purchased only in limited quantities. It's $52 a pop, but here's why - $10 for every bottle they sell is donated to an organization which assists victims of rape and sexual abuse. Their first and current donation recipient is the excellent RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network.
(Enter the promo code NO at checkout, and you'll receive 20% off your purchase price - but the full $10 will still be donated to RAINN.)
Thanks to Eve for sharing this information with her readers, and to everyone who works so hard to make this issue a thing of the past. Keep fighting the good fight - and smell delicious while you do.
You've probably noticed that the phrase 'rape culture' is appearing in the media more and more lately. I'm not sure why that is, exactly. It seems like the problem has always been there - the problem being society's inability to respect an individual's right to bodily autonomy - but we're only just starting to really point out the issues while we try to fight them.
Blogger Eve Vawter, an associate editor of the website Mommyish, takes this matter very seriously. In recognition of the efforts she and others have made to combat rape culture in our society, the cosmetics company A Beautiful Life has developed NO, a stirring fragrance which they describe as "utterly feminine and utterly strong."
The fragrance is available exclusively through ABL's website and can be purchased only in limited quantities. It's $52 a pop, but here's why - $10 for every bottle they sell is donated to an organization which assists victims of rape and sexual abuse. Their first and current donation recipient is the excellent RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network.
(Enter the promo code NO at checkout, and you'll receive 20% off your purchase price - but the full $10 will still be donated to RAINN.)
Thanks to Eve for sharing this information with her readers, and to everyone who works so hard to make this issue a thing of the past. Keep fighting the good fight - and smell delicious while you do.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Sorry
I didn't get to the Baum School's event last night and therefore have no photos to show. I did, however, receive my copy of the photo book, which is beautiful, and I offer my sincere congratulations to all the photographers featured in it!
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