A-Z Challenge Letter D

D is for determination. The drive to get something done. You have your dream, now you need to put a plan in action to reach your dream.

When something gets it the way, life, family, bills, etc, you just have to find the determination to keep going. Be like the little engine that could, keep telling yourself you can.

Determination is where you dig deep inside yourself to get to where you want to go. So someday you can have tried and tried and finally accomplished your goal.

This is what you are striving for. Be determined. Never Give Up!

TTFN
2063

A-Z Challenge Letter C

C is for confidence. Many claim not to have it. Someone told me, I was confident in high school. Guess I pulled it off well. I was the least confident person I know.

Confidence is just putting your best foot forward. It goes hand-in-hand with beliving in yourself. I hate speaking before a group of people, however I know it helps to sell my books. I find I do better in front of people I don't know or only know a few. When it is friends and family, you cannot predict what they will do to embarrass you.

Confidence means putting on your game face. Dress your best, have your head focused on your topic. Standing up and saying what needs to be said, then letting people ask questions. Once you start, you will find it easy to relax and have a conversation with your audience.

Finding your confidence takes practice. Write your notes on cards and practice them in front of a mirror. Just like you did when you had to give a speech in high school.

The more you put yourself out there, the more confident you become. Go ahead give it a try. Even if you have to do this to feel confident.

TTFN

2063

A-Z Challenge Letter B

B is for Believe. Believe in yourself, in magic, in a higher power, but find something to believe in.  Start with believing in yourself. You can do more than you think you can. You are smarter than you think you are, but you have to believe it for it to make a difference.

For me, I believe in magic, fairies, and the goodness of others. Everyday is filled with magic if you choose to see it. The world is an amazing place.

I believe fairies are every where and children see them for a while. I believe they know if you believe in them and appear when you least expect them.

People are basically good. You can see it every day if you want to. Again you have to look for it. The gentleman who holds a door for a woman or young girl. The child who saves his allowance to buy food for the homeless. The awesome things I see when volunteering with Next Steps Johns Island.  Even the person who pays the extra two dollars so a mom with whining children can get all her groceries and leave the store.

I firmly believe if you treat others the way you want to be treated, most of the world will treat you right. There will always be exceptions, but it has been my experience most are good people and will treat you well.

TTFN

A-Z Blog Challenge Letter A

A is for acceptance. Accepting what you cannot change and learning to live with it. Accepting yourself for the amazing person you are. Live your life for you not for the expectations of others.

Accept your accomplishements and learn to gracefully accept the compliments given to you. Really you have earned them.

We tend to be our own worst emenies as we can find all the things wrong with ourselves and we don't look at the positives. Start looking at the good qualities you have and embrace them. Forget the things you don't like as you focus on the ones you do, the ones you don't will disappear or fade.

If you are a writer, accept your writing. Share it with others for critique, remember the feedback you get is not directed at you, but directed at making your writing better.

Should you get an acceptance letter for anything be like this young lady and share it.

Remember acceptance is a good thing.
TTFN

If You're Going to Write, Write Well

If you're going to be a writer, be the best writer you can be. It means using the words you choose correctly. It's probably the English teacher in me, or maybe it's the editor in me. I'm not sure which, but incorrect use of words makes me crazy. It makes me crazier when people win book awards and they have used incorrect words.

I have a list of words you shouldn't use. They are as follows:
         1. am
         2. are
         3. is
         4. was
         5. were
         6. have
         7. has
         8. had
         9. be
       10. then
       11. may
       12. could
       13. would
       14. should
       15. been
       16. that

Getting rid of these words when you write makes your writing crisper and more to the point. It prevents you from using passive voice and puts you in active voice. I understand these are verbs and helping verbs. They help fog up your writing and put you in passive voice. Both things will make your writing second rate.

My writing is not perfect. I work all the time to improve it. One of the things I've noticed in leaving these words out, my story moves faster. There is action. It doesn't get bogged down. It's moving out of the second rate stage and becoming first rate writing.

The other thing you need to do is get a good editor. Find a retired English teacher who is willing to work with you to make your writing better. Use the Find button on your word program and look for the words on the list. What can you replace it with? Or can you eliminate it altogether? Make those changes.

Then and than are often used interchangeably. They have two different meanings and using them this way is wrong. Then is a time. What happened next? Then we went to the store. Than is a comparison. Sally is older than Bob. Two different uses.

The word 'that' is highly overrated. Don't use it. Most of the time when it is used, it is used incorrectly. It's a space taker and adds nothing to your writing.

Ultimately, you have to decide what you are writing. Just make it the best you can.

TTFN

Allstate the Saga Continues Part 3

Allstate (the not so great hands) Saga 3:
 I filled a complaint with the South Carolina Department of Insurance. Who then forwarded the information on to Allstate. Imagine a representative from the claims department called me this afternoon. He must think I'm an idiot. His loss. The jump in my policy has nothing to do with the rate hike. Um, yeah right. How come when they do an override, Nationwide can get me a better price for better coverage? Makes one wonder how they can lie and expecat you to believe them. They have it coded right, they cannot imagine why anyone else thinks I'm high risk. Really??? Explain it to Progressive, Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Geico, and Nationwide. The coding is the reason my rates have jumped from $569 to $770 for six months. On one car with one driver. I've not had a ticket in so long I can't remember when I got it. Oh wait, on my way to the flower warehouse to pick out flowers for my sister's wedding...over 30 years ago. My last accident was someone running a stop sign and yes, I was injured and yes, my car was totaled. Oh wait, that will be 19 years ago come May. How do they get away with this stuff???? I will be dropping Allstate in April both auto and home. I'm done with the lies.

The Allstate (not so good hands) saga.

Today I filed a complaint with South Carolina Deparment of Insurance. I have been told I need to send a letter to Consumer's Report and to the local paper (Post and Courier). It has already hit the internet. Not only did I post here on Tues. I also posted on my blog which was shared wtih Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You don't want to know the reach I have. What is the worst thing you can do to a writer???? Piss them off. Writers are good at networking. I have writer friends from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast. I even have writer friends across both those ponds. I have writer friends from Canada to the Mexican border. I even have a few friends south of the border. So Allstate, you messed with the wrong woman. Been not so nice knowing you. May we never cross paths again. You can't make me a high risk driver when I have proof I did not cause the accident. Nice try. I don't play games. But when I do I play to win and take no prisoners.

PO'd Would be the Polite Way to Say This

Rant on: I had an auto accident on Feb. 1st. In SC we do not have no-fault. If you cause the accident, you pay. I DID NOT cause the accident I was the victim. Allstate (the not so good hands people) are my insurance company. They took care of the claim and collected from the other guys insurance company (State Farm). I know they collected because I got my deductible back. Because I purchased a new car my rates went up. I can live with that. However, when the agent calls and tells me I need to have an epolicy program and some stupid app for my phone to get discounts I start getting suspicious. Imagine my surprise, when my auto insurance jumps $400/year. But there is no penalty for having an accident....they LIE. That is the penalty for having the accident.

So, I start shopping for auto and home insurance. Might as well have them together and get that discount. Um, wrong. Not sure why the rates are coming in at outrageous until I visit the local Nationwide office this afternoon.

My NOT so good hand people have me in the computer as being the person who caused the accident making me a high risk to insure. I have the paper from the police stating I was not at fault. Nationwide can override it. Once they do so, my insurance will drop $284/year from what Allstate wants to charge me. And if I am a good customer, no accidents, no tickets for the next six months, they can look at lowering it. Although they are all getting rate increases April 1. She ran the policy for when mine is up on April 15.

Not only that she ran the print out of what was paid on my claim. According to what Allstate put in the computer, I received $7,309 in settlement on my car. Um, no. I recived $6,937. Wonder where the missing $372 went???? Another issue I will be taking up with the claims department tomorrow.

Will I be changing insurance companies? Oh, hell yes. This rotten company made me look like a liar. NOT ACCEPTBLE.. ever. Then they LIED about the amount of money they settled with me for. Again UNACCEPTABLE...always.

I'm ranting beause I made a promise to Mike I would not take anyone out over this. He is short bail money right now. But, I didn't promise I wouldn't tell the world what an awful company they are. Rant over.

Released Today

The second edition of Target of Vengeance released today. It has an updated cover, interior, and is now available in print as well as ebook.
http://www.amazon.com/Target-Vengeance-Rebecka-Vigus/dp/0989098184

After a tragic car accident and the loss of  her family, Maggie Parsons finds herself back in her hometown as its new elementary principal. Just as she thinks she on her feet, odd occurances begin to happen at school and at home. Vandalism, missing children, strange telephone calls...and it seems to center around her old classmates. Now Sheriff Norton has to find out what is happening before another target of vengeance is selected.

Be sure to get yours now.
TTFN

Looks Like Another Sleepless Night

Isn't that a a song? I'm so sick of sleepless nights. I just want to crawl into my bed, turn off my brain, and sleep. I don't think it's too much to ask.

It's not like I wasn't productive today. I guess just not productive enough. The dishes are done, the laundry is done, a suitcase is completely empty and put away. I've taken out garbage. Handled the mail and talked for hours to CitiCards because they are stupid. How do you get charges on an account that was closed two months ago???? The cards were cut up then, too. So, I ask, how do you get charges? This is the second time I have called them on this issue.

Tomorrow I'm going to brave the bedroom storage and pull out my two pound weights and go walking. Do not get in my face or you could find a weight in yours. Just when things were starting go get better.

I like coloring books. I'm going to color a lot. I have four, so lots to choose from. My markers came yesterday which helps. It took me two hours tonight and the one I'm working on is still not done. Guess I'll go back to it since I cannot sleep.

Going to turn on a movie or something I've recorded. Unless I find something good to watch. Drink a bottle of water and color. About dawn I'll dig out the weights and get my walk in early. Then I'll come back and make breakfast, empty the dishwasher and put away some more boxes of stuff. I can find lots to keep me busy.

TTFN

Welcome 2016--I Think

I hardly know where to begin. I arrived home Jan. 3 around 5pm. It had been a long drive and I had a sore throat. I was also drinking water like it was going out of style. Could not seem to keep my mouth from drying out. So, I brought in everything from the car and just set it down.  I made a large cup of hot water, whiskey, two lemon slices, and a teaspoon of honey. I sipped it for a while and decided to change into my night clothes. At that time removing my insulin pen and my meter, because I would need them later.

I curled up on the sofa and watched reruns of something. Remembered Downton Abbey was on when it was half over, so checked when it would play again and set my DVR to record it. Don't think I could have followed it anyway.

When I went to bed I could not find the testing meter or insulin anywhere. Even called the hotel I'd stayed in the night before to see if they found it. (Of course, they did not).

While I let my mom, Jamie, and Mike know I'd made it home, I forgot to let my brother know. He texted me this morning.

About 5 this morning, my fever broke. I pulled on my robe, grabbed a pillow and curled up on my sofa for a couple hours. Then got chilled so crawled back into bed at 7am and slept until 11am. Felt awesome when I woke, got dressed, and decided I needed to make a run to the store for breakfast food. While I was out, I picked up my mail.

As breakfast is cooking on the stove, I thumb through the mail and see something from Charleston County. I open it. It says I am to report to the court house for jury duty at 2pm on Monday. Really??? I see it was first sent to the apartment I moved out of two months ago. It arrived after December 20th. I call the number to tell them there is no way I can eat, shower, and be there on time. All I get is voice mail. I also sent an e-mail not sure what they would get to first. Meantime wondering if the local gendarms are going to show up and lead me off in handcuffs on a contempt of court charge. (Luckily I have been excused for this round).

To make my day complete the neighbor down the street made his way down here and was unhappy that I wouldn't invite him in and offer him a drink to celebrate his birthday. I don't know how many ways I can tell this guy I'm not interested. He creeped me out telling me he had been walking by my house at night to check on me before I got the living room curtains up. I'm not looking for a relationship with him. I have a solid relationship with someone else. (insert shivvers)

I found the testing meter and insulin pen tonight. I must have dropped my robe on them, which is why I couldn't find them last night. Blonde or senior moment I'm not sure which.

Tonight I cannot sleep to save my life. I've tried reading, must be reading the wrong things. So, here I am blogging. Go figure.

Tues. schedule involves breakfast shortly and a trip to Walmart. Picking up a few things then coming home to dig out my 2 pound weights and go for a walk. I'd charge my iPod if I could remember where I packed it. That way I'd have music while I walked. I'll find it eventually. Then I'm doing laundry,  unpacking suitcases and trying to get some order to my bedroom.

I have to call the person I bought the house from. I'm so glad I have a year home warranty on it. The hallway floor has buckled and I am going to get hurt if it is not fixed. Ugh.

So, welcome 2016, bring it on. I'm ready.

TTFN