Make Me Think Monday Archives - Page 23 of 34

14 03, 2016

Newsletter Sign Up Contest

By judythemorgan|2016-03-08T20:11:18-06:00March 14th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

March is Irish month for me and for many who are of Irish ancestry. To celebrate, I’m running a newsletter sign up campaign.

Starting today, March 14, through March 31, subscribe to my free author newsletter to enter the contest.

WHY A CONTEST?

The way social media works, not everyone sees all my blog or Facebook posts and/or tweets on Twitter. When I post news about a new release or contest, you may miss out.

The only way to stay on top of new releases (there will be two this year) is a subscription to my newsletter.

Subscribers are the first to see new covers, hear news of releases and interesting tidbits I stumble across in researching a manuscript. Plus lots of fun stuff and giveaways.

WHAT DO YOU WIN?

Two lucky emails will be drawn from all NEW subscribers and receive souvenirs I bought back from Ireland plus a $5 gift card from Amazon.

HOW DO YOU ENTER?

Simple. Click this link and complete the newsletter form.

HOW WILL WINNERS BE NOTIFIED?

Winners will be announced April 2 on

FB author page

Here on the blog

Twitter @Judythe2

In the April newsletter

If you see your name, email me your snail mail address using my website contact link and your prize will be shipped.

7 03, 2016

Irish music: ‘Tis nothing like it.

By judythemorgan|2022-03-11T05:36:17-06:00March 7th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

March brings St. Patrick’s Day and around my house, all things Irish appear. The air rings with Irish music. You’ll frequently catch me dancing a little jig along with Celtic Woman.

Irish music is such an important part of Ireland. Whether the fiddler on a corner in Dublin or the man on the country lane blowing his Irish whistle or a late-night session at the local pub, you’ll find toe-tapping, hand-clapping music everywhere.

I could listen all day. And often do.

These photos were taken at sessions we attended on one of our trips.

As the session on the right was breaking up a native Irish speaker leaned over and said this about the music we’d been listening to, “Ah I tell you, it was great music, ‘twould make the water stand out in your eyes.” And, indeed tears did sparkle in my eyes that night.

Nothing is more wonderful than the combination of traditional music and dancing. On a trip to Bunratty Castle in 2006, we attended an Irish Evening at the Corn Barn where the magic of Irish traditional music, song, and the local dancers provided a show we still talk about. Watch this video describing the event. I promise it will put you in St. Patrick’s Day mood.

29 02, 2016

Before Sunrise – A Love Story

By judythemorgan|2016-02-04T11:07:03-06:00February 29th, 2016|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

All this month I’ve blogged about love and things I love. What better way to end the month and lead into next month where the theme will be all things Irish.

This short film, written by Kealan O’Rourke and produced by Trinity University, Dublin, is unique love story and so very Irish. It’s about shadow creatures that play throughout the night in a fairy tale village. One particular shadow is tired of his mischievous life and discovers something altogether more magical.

Enjoy!

22 02, 2016

Five Reasons I Love Early Morning

By judythemorgan|2016-02-04T11:00:54-06:00February 22nd, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

I’m an early riser. Always have been.

I believe the trait stems from growing up with five people in a one-bedroom/one bathroom house. In those crucial teen years when bathroom time is paramount, a little brother arrived in the family. Six people had to share the one bath.

With two working parents, early morning bathroom time was a premium. Sick of the constant arguments, Daddy allocated use times.

Being the oldest child, I was granted first in line morning time with the 5 a.m. to 5:15 time slot. That lucky draw meant, if I got up even earlier, I’d have more than fifteen minutes. During my high school years when rushing to dress was not an option, I’d head to the bathroom sometime in the 4:00 and 4:30 range.

And thus began my love affair with early morning.

When I grew up and married, the hour I woke up depended on me. I still choose the early morning hours. These days, the exact time varies. In summer, it’s earlier than winter. But, I’m always up before the sun rises.

These are five reasons I love early morning.

It’s a brand new day. ~A fresh start. A clean slate. There’s no better feeling!

The house is quiet. ~The hustle and bustle of daily life hasn’t begun. Yet. I read somewhere that our brains need quiet awaking to function as it should. I need it.

I can read Proverbs undisturbed. ~Did you know there’s a chapter of Proverbs for every day of a month? I find it amazing how the verses can so accurately related to my life. My daily reading offers a tangible realization of God’s comfort and protection.

The dogs and I can share a morning walk before the rest of the human world awakes. ~Living in the forest, it’s hard to wake before the animals so we’re never totally alone. The birds chirp. The rabbits scurry around. Deer and turkey munch of trees and grass. Some mornings we meet other early risers with their dogs. Toby and Buster have an impromptu play date greeting their doggie friends.

The sunrise. ~I never tire of seeing the dark sky brighten into lapis and pink and tangerine and ruby and gold all at the same time as the sun rises above the mountains. Every morning there’s a new and different formation as the gentle swoosh of night giving way to daylight sweeps over us.

No two sunrises are alike.Neither are two days ever alike.

That’s the main reason I love early mornings.

15 02, 2016

Poems of love to love

By judythemorgan|2018-02-01T14:55:52-06:00February 15th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Poetry is popular around Valentine’s Day. I am not a poetry writer, but I do have favorite love poems.In this picture, you see poetry and sayings that have special meaning for my husband and me. They hang in our bedroom along with our original wedding invitation.

The first is a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, written in 1845 to her husband, Robert. On a trip to Paris, I had silhouettes done at Montmartre Art Colony then framed with the poem penned in calligraphy.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
~Sonnet XLIII found in Sonnets From the Portuguese by Elizabeth B. Browning

On the left of the Browning poem is an anniversary gift plaque with words from First Corinthians 13. Wise words on love written around 56 A.D. by Paul to the Christians at Corinth.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

The last plaque in the wall grouping, though not a poem, always brings a smile and giggle for the truth it shares about married life.

This marriage was made in heaven,

but so was thunder and lightning.

What about you? Do you have a special love poem or a saying on love you’d share in the comments section?

8 02, 2016

Valentines – the mirrors of romance

By judythemorgan|2016-02-05T10:41:48-06:00February 8th, 2016|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

Next Sunday will be Valentine’s Day.

You may feel the greeting card companies, jewelers, and florist have forced the holiday upon us. The day has certainly been commercialized. Consumers are predicted to spend close to nineteen billion dollars this year.

As a romance writer, I prefer to believe we celebrate the day because we value what a day emphasizing love and romance can do for relationships. Having such a special day focused on love and loved ones provides the opportunity to:

~ ignite new relationships with romantic gestures
~renew an old love gone stale with a dose of romance

Many of us use valentines to express our feelings. That’s why I say, valentines are the mirrors of romance.

Supposedly, Saint Valentine began the valentine practice when he cut hearts from parchment, giving them to the soldiers and persecuted Christians to “remind them of God’s love and to encourage them to remain faithful Christians.” He’s the saint that defied Emperor Claudius’ edict forbidding priests to marry couples and ended up in prison. A prison guard’s daughter formed a friendship with Valentine and on the day he was martyred he left her a note signed, “Love from your Valentine.”

Mass-produced valentines begin appearing in the 1840s. Esther A. Howland is considered the Mother of Valentines in America. Inspired by an English Valentine she received, she created elaborate cards from scraps of real lace, ribbons, and colorful pictures.

You’ll find a large collection of her valentines in The American Antiquarian Society in Worcester.

Postcards with romantic scenes and messages were also popular in the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, the tradition of sending Valentine postcards died as the use of postcards for personal correspondence faded.

These are samples from my collection of vintage holiday postcards.

A modern day variation of postcards is found in the cute valentines schoolchildren share on Valentines’ Day.

In my opinion, of all the commercial choices of valentines, the homemade ones are the most special.

YOUR TURN: Will send a valentine to your sweetheart this year?

25 01, 2016

3 Ways to Exercise at Your Desk

By judythemorgan|2018-01-17T08:41:12-06:00January 25th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

As a writer, I spend hours at my desk. These days too many jobs require much of the work day to be spent sitting in an office at a computer.

That’s a problem because, to be fit and healthy, we have to get moving, to exercise.

The web offers lots of advice on exercise. Problem with most of those website suggestions is they involve going somewhere to exercise. We’re stuck at a desk all day!

The ideas are also excellent if you live in a warm climate. Not so easy if you live in the mountains of the Rio Grande Forest.These days my Fitbit step goals remain unmet.

Once the temperature rises above freezing and the snow melts, I do participate in many outdoors activities. The forest outside my office window calls to me frequently. Sometimes, too frequently.

Even in the winter months, my two four-legged children demand to go outside. Unfortunately, the sub-zero temperatures are just not inviting enough for us to linger outside. Our ventures out doors are short. Very short. Other times road conditions make getting to a gym or indoor pool or even walking impossible and our trips outdoors are even shorter.

So how do I get exercise these cold winter days? I follow the advice of Josh Vogt, fantasy and freelance writer, in his Write Strong series on fitness strategies for writers. Most of which are readily adaptable to any desk job. You don’t have to be a writer.

I use these three ways to keep in shape:

1. Keep weights on my desk. During breaks or while I’m reading on the computer, I pick up the weights and do some basic arm lifts.
2. Stash resistance bands in a desk drawer. Quick and easy way to do simple resistance training.
3. Stand and stretch. I find it helps refocus and gives an energy bump.

If none of these suggestions works for you, check out Vogt’s other strategies here.

Or develop your own fitness plan using this online fitness plan generator that lets you input your skill level, available gear and time and the part of the body you want to focus on.

Whatever it takes — get moving! You’ll find you’ll be healthier and more productive.

18 01, 2016

Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service

By judythemorgan|2016-01-10T17:13:52-06:00January 18th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation designating a federal holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Junior for his accomplishments. Today is that day.

Honoring Dr. King’s birthday evolved into a national day of service to encourage citizens to use the federal holiday as an opportunity to give back to their communities with legislation in 1994 that established a Martin Luther King Day of Service to coincide with the Federal holiday.

King’s vision was to build what he called “the beloved community.” He believed life’s most persistent and urgent question was

‘What are you doing for others?’

Check here to find projects in your specific area where you can honor him and help your community.

Even if you don’t have the federal day off, make a positive and peaceful impact in your community. What better way to honor King’s legacy than by helping others every day.

11 01, 2016

Challenges, not resolutions

By judythemorgan|2016-01-11T08:29:02-06:00January 11th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

January blogs, tweets, and Facebook posts are overloaded with advice and suggestions for resolutions and ways to achieve your goals for New Year. I’m going to join the crowd, but with a twist.

I’m not calling these resolutions because a whopping 80% of us fail within the first thirty days when we make resolutions.

There are three hundred and fifty-five days left in 2016 so I’m challenging you to pick one or more of the four suggestions below. Suggestions that I think you will find easily achievable, unlike resolutions.

~Learn one new thing

I read that Steve Jobs studied calligraphy for the beauty and artistry of the technique. Jobs admitted calligraphy wasn’t the most pragmatic thing he’d ever done Yet his calligraphy experience deeply influenced his design work at Apple.

So what new thing peaks your curiosity? Give it a try. Whatever your thing is doesn’t have to be practical or even useful. Point is learning something totally new might lead you down paths you never dreamed.

~Volunteer

Preferably on a project outside your comfort zone.

Maybe assist at the local food bank, mentor at your neighborhood elementary school, be a timer for Special Olympics, serve at a soup kitchen, or read to a senior citizen. You’ll meet new people, learn about areas outside your expertise, and, I’m quite sure, discover insights about yourself.

~Read 3 books

No stipulations about length or titles, fiction or non-fiction. Browse your favorite independent bookstore, hop on Amazon, or get a free library card. I think you’ll discover the choices are endless.

Personally, I recommend a classic, a fiction genre you don’t always read, and a non-fiction, but whatever your selections, choose ones that will make you think or inspire you. You might just rekindle a long-lost love of reading or discover a newfound one.

~Schedule One Unplugged Weekend

Technology rules our lives. I get it. Cell phones are an outgrowth of our hands. We’re constantly logged on, tuned in, 24/7. All that being on line can lead to burnout.

Step away from your devices for one entire weekend. I think you’ll find, technology free time will stave off exhaustion, and most likely lead to a creative and more energized you.

These are only suggestions. If you accept my challenge, I believe you can change you and your world.

Let me know how you do.

5 01, 2016

How are your 2016 resolutions coming along?

By judythemorgan|2016-01-04T00:07:28-06:00January 5th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

We’re four days into the New Year. If you’re like me, I suspect you’ve broken one or more of the resolutions you made for this year.

It happens. Good intentions slide, pushed aside by reality and unrealistic expectations.

What happens next is discouragement. Our mindset becomes I can’t and we set aside our goals. We give up.

That’s so sad and not the correct response, in my opinion. Let me tell you why I think that way.

Recently my youngest daughter shared her Elsie Joy’s goal tracker sheet from 2015 on Instagram. Every day my daughter had marked her goal progress on the tracking sheet. On December 31st she did the math and found she’d hit her goal 93.15% of the time. For someone who works full time in a high tech position that requires lots of travel, scrapbooks, blogs, and corrals three active teenagers and a special needs dog. That’s a remarkable result!

So why was my daughter so successful? I believe there are two reasons:
First, she applied Elise Joy’s principle of “Big Things Happen One Day at a Time.”

Second, when she missed a day to bubble in one of her circles, she blew it off and let it go.

I’m big on accountability and goals. I’ve always set yearly goals and charted the methods I’d use to accomplish those goals. I blogged about my process here.

This year I’m adding a goal sheet like my daughter’s as a handy visual to chart my success. Seeing those circles bubbled will encourage.

Looking bare right now, but 2016 just started. Yes, you’ll also notice there are already days I’ve missed for one of my goals.

That’s okay. Tomorrow is a new day.

Btw, I get no kickback from Elsie Joy. I just happened to believe her chart is a great way to stay on target for our New Years’ resolutions. Check out her website for other goal setting tools.

Or, create your own chart design if you want. But most of all, I hope you forget about the broken resolutions and give those resolutions another try.