Showing posts with label HubPages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HubPages. Show all posts

Saturday, May 5, 2012

What is Success? My Definition Keeps Changing....

What would you define as success? Is it following your dreams? Sticking to your plan? Accepting the changes life brings you whole-heartedly and changing your life map to make the most of what you have? I've found my definition has changed over the years.

Life is certainly a road that isn't without its bumps, forks in the road and sudden turns you didn't see coming. It certainly complicates things when you're not sure where your focus should lie. Much of the last 15 years my attention has been split between raising my family (whom I'm so blessed to have!) and writing. Most of the time (let's say 99%), family wins. It wasn't always that way, but it was a choice I made several years ago when I decided what was most important to me right now. I always tell myself that writing can come later. I'm just not a fun person when I get interrupted while deeply engrossed in creating my characters. Let's just leave it at that. Hah!

So I tell myself that when my youngest is in school, I'll have all the time I need to finish that book I started too long ago. Most days I'm okay with that. But I try to make up for it by coming here, or to HubPages, and doing articles. It's not as engrossing, and I can be interrupted without turning into a troll (that may be a little extreme, but you get the picture).

To scratch the itch I have of getting lost in a world of fiction, I lose myself in others' creations when I can (whether that be a TV show, movie or book). It's funny that I prefer to write real life things, but my reading preference is Fantasy. Maybe it's because I write what I know (and to exorcise a few demons from the past), so I prefer to be entertained by something less real....Anyway.....

Then there are days like today. I have this book (don't most of us wannabe writers?) I've been working on it for years. Okay, I'll be honest, the last few years I haven't touched it--only thought about it in frustration now and then. I have most of it plotted out in my mind. I know how I want most of it to go, but it just wasn't working for me. I couldn't figure it out. The idea came to me in a dream, but the resolution just wouldn't come that easily. I would sit in front of the computer and go back over it and over it. Some things were obvious and were cut the more experience I got (gotta love writing groups!). But the main character just didn't feel right to me. Then the demands of life and family became stronger and I just set it aside, not wanting to give up, but realizing I just couldn't do it right now.

This morning, after a late night up, I woke up bright and early this morning. I was trying to figure out why I wasn't still lost in the land of dreams when I realized I was thinking about my book. I started thinking of the main character and why she wasn't working and it came to me. Just like that. Sudden inspriration flooded my mind and I wanted to rush downstairs and start making changes that would help me run with this story. Then it hit me, my daughter has piano this morning, my other daughter has soccer right after lunch, my husband and son are out camping--and that leaves me in charge of the running.......You can see my dilema.

I'll just have to take some notes, I suppose. The day will come when I'll miss these days with my children. I know that. There are times I feel it already as the older ones become more independent, and I see them preparing to become the adults they'll soon be.

Until then, I'll try not to feel like I'm failing to use my talent; my gift. There are days when I get to dust it off and help the kids with a fiction project for English. I just have to remember during those times that it's their story, not mine!  ;)

I guess my point is, I've had to change my definition for success. I haven't yet accomplished all I set out to do. But then I hadn't ever dared to hope I'd have all that I have now. I'm still young...ish--it's never too late to do those things I initially set out to do. But until then, I can't discount all I've done up to now. My life is full and so is my heart.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Getting Personal is Easier Said than Done

Not long ago I talked to you all about sharing more of my life. I asked the question "How personal is too personal?" And based on some conversations I had with friends, family and readers (via facebook), I had decided I would go ahead and start writing some of that.

Well, turns out that isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I felt almost like I was stripping naked in a room full of strangers! Eeek! I spent a few hours typing, back-spacing, typing again, back-spacing more, etc...all while getting interrupted numerous times by my munchkins. I started two articles on Hubpages and both sit there today unfinished and unpublished.

It's hard sharing some of those life-defining moments that helped shape me into the person I am today. If I put it out there, I do believe my experiences can help others. But I also know I am making myself a target for some. Does that bother me? I'd be lying if I said it didn't to some degree. I do think I will end up finishing those articles, but I now understand that it's not as easy as talking to a person about it one on one. When talking to someone in person, I've decided that person is ready (or I hope they are) to know those things about me that most would never guess. When publishing my experiences on a public forum, well, I have no control where that goes or who sees it or how they take it. I guess I kind of knew that going into this, but thinking about it while writing makes me more careful about choosing my words.

So anyway, one day, hopefully soon, I'll find the right words and the courage to finish those articles and put them up for all to see. Until then, this will have to be enough :) God bless!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

These Times Are Tough

I won't sugar-coat it. The last year has been a hard one for my family financially. We've learned many ways to cut costs, which have been great, but in the last four years, we've lost $20,000/year of our income. Not an easy thing thing to recover from, by any means. We've made more than a few mistakes along the way, but so far, with God's help, we've made it this far. Against all odds we were even able to successfully modify our mortgage.

So now I'm looking even more into ways to earn some extra income. It's not so easy to sniff out those legitimate opportunities. On the plus-side, my traffic is picking up on Hubpages, Which means I should get my first check next month. I can't wait.

I've decided to write more articles there, and thought I might do some more personal ones--memoir, or personal essay style. The only thing is, I can't decide how personal to make them. I know that not everyone cares to read about others' trials. But I also know there are others out there with similar experiences who might want to see how someone else has made it through those hard times. But some of the trials I've gone through......well, they're not the usual things people will discuss.

How personal is too personal?
Is there a line that shouldn't be crossed when relating memories from the past? I called my mom and asked her how she felt about this. She's always been very supportive of my writing, and also helped me to not repress those emotions that come from things experienced in the past. She thought it was a good idea, but said to be careful about how much I share. I'm sure there's a balance there, as there is in most things (if not all things) in life. With God's help, I'll find it.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Even Better than I Thought

So as you may remember, we decided to get rid of our satellite service to save some money. We went ahead and ordered the Netflix streaming service too after a while. The verdict? We love it! We don't do the DVD plan with it, because really, we already have quite the collection as it is--and also, they've raised their price on the combo from what it used to be (which was only two dollars extra if you subscribed to both streaming and DVDs, but now the price is double at $15.98).

We've discovered new series to watch, as well as got to catch up on episodes we'd missed out on with old favorites. Our new favorite is Psych. Too funny! We try to watch an episode each week together if we can. There's also some old movie favorites they offer on there too. They're not always the more popular movies you hear about, but we've found a lot of good ones nonetheless.

As for the new episodes of any series that we can't get through Netflix yet, we can usually find those on the network websites. It's free to watch, but the downside is that we do have to watch the commercials. Perish the thought! Yeah, I remember the day when that was a given. Oh how DVR has spoiled us over the years!

I hadn't realized how satisfied I was with the way things worked out until this week when Dish Network started calling us to get us to come back. Keep in mind that we were happy with their service for the most part, and they were very generous with the discounts because I'd call them and remind them that I was a longtime customer (about 10 years long!) and ask for them to give me a better deal. They would every time. I always had a discount on my bill. In fact, I even wrote an article letting people know how they could do that themselves. You can find it on Hubpages here.

Anyway, I wasn't even tempted to go back. The kids are happy with what's available to them on Netflix. Hubby gets to watch all those History Channel shows he loves so much and I get to find all those romantic British period pieces based on the novels I've loved and even many that I didn't know about. Win-Win!

Oh, and I thought I should mention that Hulu is another option you can look into for new episodes for many TV shows. It's free to use their regular service, or they even have a paid service that offers even more called Hulu Plus. I've only ever used the free service though.

So I just thought I'd let you know how great it's been working out for us. Maybe I've even inspired some of you who looking to save some money to make that jump too.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Get rid of Garden Pests Naturally

I've never really considered myself an environmentalist, though I do believe in being responsible. What we do today affects future generations, so I do agree it is important to think about that when making decisions that have an effect on our planet. I try to balance being green without pushing our family decisions on our friends and neighbors.

Anyway, this year we faced a few pests during our gardening ventures. Some of them were recognized and returning foes (such as squash bugs), some were newly recognized problems (like aphids) and some were new and terrible surprises (more on that in a moment).

The squash bugs are my sworn enemy. They feast on the juices of my zucchini and pumpkin plants, while at the same time poisoning them. They mate constantly too, causing their numbers to explode if you don't catch them quickly. Last year was the first time we encountered them and I scrambled for a way to get rid of them.

I nearly went the pesticide route, but a combination of not really wanting that on my fruits and veggies and  also considering that one of our neighbors has bees made me change my mind. Instead I squished any bug I found immediately (and tried to ignore the pungent odor that filled the air afterwards) and destroyed the eggs I found on the undersides of the leaves. I think the presence of a garden snake might've helped to push things in our favor too. Keeping ahead of these bugs was tedious, but eventually, the balance was restored and only one of our plants wasn't able to recover.

This year I only found a few squash bugs and killed them immediately, so it wasn't a big deal. Unfortunately, the aphids took their place. I first found those nasty little aphids on our plum tree, which I treated with a mixture of Dawn, canola oil and water to kill the buggers. We saved the tree, but didn't get any fruit from it this year. Next year, we'll know what to look for and nip them in the bud sooner. The aphids caused the leaves to shrivel and curl, and when I uncurled the leaves I found dozens of them hiding there.

Then the aphids made their way to my zucchini. Yes, that squash seems to be a favorite among pests. I actually noticed some lady bugs hanging about, along with some damsel flies and lacewings, so I decided to see what would happen. Those beneficial bugs won out and I finally got to harvest some squash without so much as a single drop of pesticide. Turns out you can order these beneficial bugs on the internet or they may even be carried at your local greenhouse if you find that they're in short supply in your yard.

I feel good about the way we handled these pests because I know we haven't harmed any of our pollinating friends, especially the honeybee! This is no small thing considering the current plight we're facing with the vanishing bee population due to Colony Collapse Disorder. The current data points to pesticides (especially systemics) as a possible culprit, and yet despite the compelling evidence, many of these pesticides are still being used liberally. Well, not by our family :)

If you want to know more about this, we recently watched an excellent documentary on the subject called Vanishing of the Bees and they have a great website where you can find more about it.



And finally, there is the nasty surprise we got in our corn crop this year. I kept finding knocked over stalks and partially eaten cobs of corn littering the ground each morning when I went out to the garden. I couldn't figure out what was causing this problem, so I decided to research it. Turns out it was raccoons. So not only did we have to be careful of them getting into our chicken coop, but we also had to keep them out of our garden. We were able to get rid of them successfully, so I decided to write an article about it on HubPages: How to Keep Raccoons out of a Garden. Hopefully it will help others who encounter the same problem. I never knew raccoons could be so troublesome until this last year. At least we figured out how to handle it without too much trouble.

Well, I just thought I'd share what we learned this year. Hopefully it will help some of you out there facing the same pests!

Friday, August 26, 2011

My eHow Divorce...

As some of you know, I started writing for eHow a few years ago. At first it didn't pay anything, since it all has to do with ad-generated revenue, and you have to have traffic to make anything off of that. Anyway, eventually I started making a little money off of the articles there, and even mentioned that I wished I'd written more before the changeover to Demand Studio's new program of only on-staff writers and flat pay rates for articles.

The way they first handled the changeover was that you were still paid off of ad revenue for your initial articles, but had to become a staff writer and accept the new payment terms to have any other articles published on the site. I believe that they made this change to improve the quality of articles published on their site.

They did initially accept me as a staff writer, but I hesitated to accept these new terms and so I never did become a part of their staff. I still received payments for my original six articles though, until early this year when they discontinued even that part of their terms. They offered me a dismal amount of money for the rights to my articles (it wasn't even an amount I'd have accepted for one article, let alone six) and said if I didn't accept the purchase terms, then I would retain the rights, but my articles would be removed from their site. Well, I refused the terms and kept the rights. So, I'm no longer an eHow contributor. Ah, well, life goes on.

I'll be moving those articles I wrote over to HubPages soon. My earnings there have started to increase over the last month or so, and so I have the motivation to get back to work! Now that the kids are back in school, I'm hoping to have more time to write. We shall see.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Building that Coop!

Hubby has been soooooooooooo busy these last several weeks building the chicken coop. It's crazy how big this has turned out to be. He's doing a great job though, with minimal help from me. I only help with the heavy lifting when he asks. In my defense though, I have little-to-no building skills. Haha!

I though some of you would like to see how this has been progressing, so here are some pics:

This is the wall with the main door:


Here is the window wall:


Here's the floor or platform of the coop:


He just got the trusses up after putting all the walls together:


Here's the wall where we'll have four doors that access the back
of the nesting boxes so we can gather the eggs.


Here's a view of the front when he got it ready for the shingles:


And here it is with the roof on. Still a lot of work to go, but it already looks great!


We've still got to do the inside (roosting rods, nest boxes, more trim on the outside and painting to do--oh yeah and then there's the chicken yard), but my hubby has accomplished a lot! I can't wait for it to be finished so we can move the chickens out there. They're a month old and that brooder he built for them is getting way too small.

If' you're interested in finding out more about what we've learned about the chicken process so far, I've written several articles on Hubpages:

What to Know Before Getting Chicks or Chickens
Supplies to Get for Your Baby Chicks
Raising Chickens for Beginners Part 1

No regrets on our part at this point. I'm really looking forward to this whole adventure!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Hard Times


Just when I was actually doing better than I have in a long time in keeping up here, I got the wind knocked right out of me. My stepfather, Stub, died a few weeks ago. It was something I saw coming in the weeks before, but really it all happened so fast. In September he was sitting in my kitchen eating the salsa I'd made and laughing with me over this and that. Then in the following months he lost his ability to drive, then walk, and even, in the very end, his ability to talk.

I know that death is a part of life. I also believe that he has gone to a better place where he can again do all those things that he'd been unable to during his last days on earth. I know that it's only those who have been left behind that are having a hard time with this. But it's still difficult nonetheless to realize that I can't just pick up the phone and get him on the other side of it anymore.

I have to remember though that I truly have been blessed to have him be a part of my life. In fact, I've come to realize while reflecting on all of this that I've been twice blessed in such a way. You see, my biological father was never a part of my life. The first man I called "Daddy" was my sister's father. He had the most beautiful heart and opened his arms to me when I was just a baby. Despite his turbulent relationship with my mother he always kept his arms open to me, as if I really were his natural daughter. He was an alcoholic though, and didn't care as much for himself as he did for his children. He died almost exactly 15 years ago. He was the fun one. Easy-going to a fault and open-hearted to the end. He was what I needed as a young girl to feel wanted, loved and accepted.

I wrote this for him: Forgive Me, Daddy

And then there was Stub. He was opposite in nearly every way. With the exception of whole-heartedly accepting another man's child as his own. He was responsible, hard-working, stable...he was a rock. He helped to show me what a father's role was. He helped to guide me the right way on the path to womanhood.

I wrote these for him: Shadow Of a Man and Mourning a Loved-One's Passing

Both these men filled a role I needed at the time I most needed it. Both have inspired me in different ways. Both are gone now. I am now truly without a father. But I can't leave it at that. It would devalue the lasting impression they've left with me. I have to think of the immeasurable gifts they gave me before they left this world.

I hope I haven't confused you all with my rambling thoughts here. My history is hard to follow, I know, but it has shaped me to be who I am today--and so I can't say that I'd change it. Everything happens for a reason. And I guess it's time I remember that and do my best to move forward.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Inside Scoop on Those Credit Cards

Did you know that according to CreditCards.com 98% of the revolving debt (which is well over 800 billion dollars) is from credit cards? While the amount of debt carried by the average American family might be surprising, the fact that most households utilize credit cards is common knowledge, and I'm no exception.

If you've wondered how credit cards can affect your credit rating, then I've got the perfect article for you. If you've found yourself in over your head with credit card debt, then that makes this article even more perfect for you. If you're ready to become more financially fit then read my article on HubPages: The Truth about Credit Cards.

Getting a handle on credit card debt and taking control of your credit score would be a perfect New Year's Resolution! Good luck to all of you who have this goal in mind.

Time for a New Year!

Yes, it's that time again. It's the time of year when we promise ourselves we're going to be thinner, stronger, healthier, smarter, kinder, richer and just plain better! I'm no different than anyone else when it comes to making those resolutions. Some of them I've been successful at keeping, others get lost by the wayside when I just can't figure out how to fit them into my day-to-day activities. So what does that say about me? Perhaps that I need a better schedule than the fly-by-the-seat of my pants one I've gotten so used to! Hmmmm...was that a resolution?

Any good resolution starts with a thought or idea. Whether or not you're successful at keeping that resolution you set depends a lot on what you tell yourself about the importance of that goal and what you're able and willng to do to acheive it. So, the more positive you are in your thinking, the more likely you are to accomplish what you want. Are you ready to Change Your Life with Postive Thinking? If so, be sure to check out my article about it on HubPages!

If you're looking for some ideas for good resolutions this year and tips on how to achieve them, I've got another great article for you: Why Do We Make New Year's Resolutions?

I'm ready to improve my life! How about you?

Friday, December 24, 2010

I'm a HubNugget Candidate!

I'm sure many of you remember me telling you recently that I wrote about an experience I had with a homeless person on HubPages. Well, I didn't expect anything to come from it, other than to get people thinking about this issue, but it turns out, it got me nominated for the HubNuggets Award!!!!

This is an award than can only be won by new writers to HubPages and I'm so excited that I got picked! Winning it though, happens on a voting system. So if you wouldn't mind going to this link and reading it (if you haven't already) and voting for it if you like it (by clicking the vote-up button), then I would be very thankful!

By the way, I  hope you all are having a Very Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Christmas Entertainment for Families

One of our favorite activities as a family is watching movies. We like all kinds, but at this time of year we take out the Christmas movies and start watching them in November to get into the Christmas spirit. I decided to write up a short list on HubPages (though I made add to it later, as I realize I've left off lots of really good ones!) of some of the great movies we've watched again and again.

It's entertaining, cost effective (as we're only out the one time cost of the DVD--oh, and the popcorn) and it can create some great memories of time spent together family. So, if you're looking for some ideas to watch with your own family, or even on your own, check out my list. I'm open to hearing what you're all watching too. The list is by no means all inclusive!

Christmas Movies to Watch with Your Family

Friday, December 3, 2010

What's in Those Video Games?


If you're anything like our family, then you're probably overwhelmed with all the possible Christmas gift ideas for all the people on your list. One of the things that is probably on that list is a video game (or two!). But unless you're a big time gamer with multiple subscriptions to those gaming magazines, then you might be lost as to what kind of game you want to buy.


I've learned what works and what doesn't and have narrowed it down in my article for HubPages for those of you who are in the same boat I found myself in. Take a look!




Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Homeless Dilema


I just had to write an article after the experience I had leaving the store today. I thought I'd share it here with you. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this issue.

The Homeless Dilema

Monday, November 22, 2010

I'm Not Wicked, I'm Just Crazy

We all heard the fairytales growing up, and enjoyed hearing the antics of both the heroes and villains. Have you ever wondered though, what the other side of those stories would sound like?

Well, now you can find out what the wicked stepmother says really happened in Snow White. You might be surprised at how it all went down!

Check it out! :)
I'm Not Wicked, I'm Just Crazy

Don't Go Broke Buying Those Books


If you're thinking about buying books for Christmas gifts, or any other reason, be sure to check out my tips on how to get them cheaper in my newest article:

Don't Go Broke Buying Those Books

It will not only save you money, but will give you more bang for you buck!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Are Parents Really Just Addicts?



It seems I'm finding all kinds of reasons to write lately, and today is no exception. When I logged in to the internet this morning I saw the headline to an article I just couldn't ignore. What was it? Parents Are Junkies. Did that just capture your attention in the same way it did mine?

I read it and had such a problem with several things stated in it that I did something I've never done before, I wrote a rebuttal. So a positive came out of the experience and I got to vent with my writing.

If any of you are interested in what I had to say, you can click on the link below here. Let me know what you think of my view.
Are Parents Really Just Addicts?

Monday, November 15, 2010

Lost Time


I spent a part of the weekend polishing up more of my fiction. I've got another one on Hubpages for those who are interested in reading it.

I might not be making a ton of money by putting these up, but I love sharing them. They're likely to get more attention this way than sitting in my desk drawer, right? Plus, I really love going over it all again. The nostalgia is great! :)

Lost Time

If you like this, or any of my other short stories, feel free to share them. It's really easy to link to them :)

Get the Best Deal on a Used Vehicle



Some of you may remember me saying that we bought a truck this summer. We ended up paying over 50% off the dealer price for it. Though it came with some issues that cut into our overall savings, we still came out ahead.

A lot of people have asked me how we did this. I decided to write an article about it to share exactly how we did this. If you or someone you know is thinking of buying a car in the near or even distant future, don't do it until you've read this:

Get the Best Deal on a Used Vehicle

I wrote this article on Hubpages so that it's easier for the general public to find and won't be buried by other blog posts. Also, I've decided to take part in the 30 Hubs in 30 days challenge. Wish me luck!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Forgive Me, Daddy


Here's another story I put up on Hubpages today. All-in-all I think it's been a very productive day. It's felt really good to pick up my fiction again for a bit. Even just polishing it up and then writing a short history on it is a great release. I think I'm learning from this experience too.

Don't worry though, I promise not to stop doing articles;-)

Forgive Me, Daddy