How to Find Unseen Possibilities
23
08, 2023
21
08, 2023
Garage Sailing
Unfamiliar with the term garage sailing? No surprise. I made the word up to describe the habit of perusing garage/estate sales.
A habit or addiction that I share with many others. 
I can’t resist a sale sign stuck by the side of the road. I’ve been known to make U-turns on busy streets to follow the arrows.
Do I need anything? Heavens no!
My house is overflowing with stuff and I should be downsizing not collecting.
Should I be writing my next book? Of course. But the thrill of the hunt is too hard to resist.
You just never know what you might discover while garage sailing. And, if the seller is motivated to get rid of stuff, the prices can be cut-rate.
Finds are hit or miss. One time I scored flowerpots for $1.00 that retail for $30 or more. I’ve replaced broken water glasses with matched sets or found the exact glass.
Another time I found nothing. No treasures or great buys, but I met interesting people, who shared fascinating stories. That was still a win for me. I store away lots of ideas for character traits and plot twists.
Outdoor sales where I live are held pretty much year-round. Spring and summer temperatures near broiling this year cut down on my garage sailing. Not too many sales and way too hot to be outside shopping.
I fed my habit from Facebook Marketplace and other online markets in the air-conditioned comfort of my home.
But it wasn’t nearly as much fun.
I’m looking forward to fall and cooler temperatures so I can garage sail again.
18
08, 2023
New Music Room
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
For the past 5 years, I have taught music for a small charter school. Most of the classes meet in portable buildings while the rest of the campus occupies what used to be a church.
Music class has been held in the sanctuary which is also used for morning and afternoon assembly. All the musical instruments and materials are stored in what used to be the “cry room” at the back of the sanctuary.
It was cozy, to say the least.
The classes met in an area partitioned off at the back of the sanctuary. I made it work.
This year I have my own music room!
I am ridiculously excited! This will be the best year ever!
16
08, 2023
14
08, 2023
A New Book and Creative Juices
I started a new book. It’s a romantic suspense loosely based on a true event that happened in 2008. A dead body was found on the riverbank below a friend’s home. Story ideas have been tossed around and around all these years until at last I have a story.
Lately, the words have not flowed. I’ve been too distracted by interruptions.
Time vampires suck my creative juices. Vampires like my phone, email, and social media. I forget to turn them off when I’m writing and my creative juices dry up. If I’m not listening to my characters, they stop talking in my head.
In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell describes how to keep creative juices flowing:
“You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don’t know what was in the newspapers that morning, you don’t know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know what anybody owes to you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is the place of creative incubation. At first, you may find that nothing happens there. But if you have a sacred place and use it, something eventually will happen.”
Austin Kleon, another creative whose blogs I enjoy, calls Campbell’s place a bliss station. His wife suggested, “Our bliss station can be not just a where, but a when. Not just a sacred space, but also a sacred time.”
A corner of the dining room is my Joseph Campbell bliss station. It’s where I tuck away with my characters and keep my focus on their story. They stare at me from their poster.
I may have followed the bliss station advice, but I haven’t disconnected from the world’s interruptions. I need to calm my brain, to find quietude and solitude for creative juices to flow.
I’m going to start again. This time with no phone, no email, and no social network interruptions. I suspect my characters will start talking again and those creative juices will again flow.
11
08, 2023
Odd Duck
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Over the summer we hatched some duck eggs from our next-door neighbors. They have some breeds that we do not, so it added to the gene pool.
Among their ducks, they have some crested Khaki Campbells. One of these eggs hatched so now we have a very interesting duck.
It reminds me of something out of a Dr. Seuss book which makes me smile!Dr
9
08, 2023
7
08, 2023
To Speed Read Or Not To Speed Read
Speed reading is defined as the process of recognizing and absorbing phrases or sentences on a page all at once, rather than focusing on individual words.
Research points to three advantages of speed reading.
- Increased comprehension
- Less eye time on the page
- Less eye fatigue
It’s a handy skill in today’s world where we spend so much time reading—emails, web articles, texts, etc. We likely feel pressure to get through all this information more quickly, so that we “stay in the loop” and make informed decisions. Speed reading allows us to do that.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko Pexels.com
Photo by seyfi durmaz, Pexels.com
Reading to gain information or facts is one type of reading. I use rapid reading to wade through writing craft articles, blogs, and book research.
I don’t use speed reading if I’m reading for pleasure.
Then I want to savor the story and the author’s style of writing. I read every word.
My go-to technique in speed reading is skimming and skipping smaller words, i.e., prepositions and articles.
The technique creates a problem when I’m writing, though. I tend to leave out those words there too. Fortunately, critique partners, beta readers, and editors put them all back in.
Average adult readers read at a speed of 238 words per minute. Learning to speed read can raise that rate.
President John F. Kennedy was a big believer in speed reading. He read 1200 per minute. President Jimmy Carter’s reading speed is reported at 2,000 words per minute. Evelyn Wood read 2,500 words per minute. Check out other famous speed readers speeds here.
Speed reading is not for everyone, but it is a skill you can acquire. Want to learn more and whether it’s for you? Check out these articles.
http://www.mindtools.com/speedrd.html
http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/methods.html
Or give speed reading a try with this eight-minute free YouTube video that teaches speed reading techniques.
4
08, 2023
Complete Pack
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
We picked up our new puppy last week. The timing was perfect because we said goodbye to Coco in July. She was the last of our original pack of four.
The puppy is one of three that were born near Memorial Day. The foster mom named them Honor, Legacy, and Valor and they are the Tribute Puppies. Honor is ours and she is wonderful.
It has been 8 years since we had a puppy and I had forgotten some things.
- Puppies have sharp teeth which they use to chew on anything available – including noses. Beekeeper Brian has dubbed her “Baby Shark.”
- They are small and can fit through small spaces – like the bars of the baby gate – so they must be watched carefully. Fortunately, she will grow and be more containable.
- Puppies, like babies, get up at night – sometimes a lot. I’ve decided it is ok. I have to get up to use the bathroom frequently at night so we have a “potty party.” To clarify – I use the inside facilities and take Honor outside.
- It is incredibly fun to watch them run and play. Honor wrestles with Mini, our other rescue. They play and play until Honor is worn out. Then they recharge.
Max, who is the only male and 8 years old, is taking this all in stride. He has always been a calm dog and is very patient with the new additions.
It is good to have a full house again!
2
08, 2023
August Ferris Wheel
Photo by Marstion: www.pexels.com