Morning Meanderings… A Week Of Experiences

Published on January 7, 2018 by Sheila (Book Journey)17 Comments

A week in! Anyone else feel like a rock star? Or just amazed that the first week of 2018 is coming to a close. I am a mixed bag of both 🙂

This week for me was a little crazy… I accepted a position (YAY!!!) that takes me out of my office at home a little more and into the world of marketing which I LOVE LOVE LOVE – yet it is new and I am adjusting to the change in my availability while still hanging on to the commitments I have with non profits, friends, and other projects. I need to borrow from my good friend Amy her word, BALANCE.

I read a little (thank you Jill Anderson!) and I listened to a little audio… I have reviews to write (Huzzah!), W9s to fill out, invoices to send, power point to design, and this recap of the week.

SO Experience….

January 1: COLD The 10k in ST Paul at 20 below zero. 6.2 miles.

January 2: Love and Friendship… a beautiful gift in the mail, my friends had their little boy

January 3: BOOKS. The donations at the library are overflowing. A few of us hauled books from the library to the sale spot set for spring. More book donations than I have ever seen at one time!

January 4: Purpose. I started my first day in an office in town. I was a little nervous, I have worked mainly out of my home office since July 2014. It went well. The others were super nice, I felt good, and I felt I had purpose, which surprised me in good ways.

January 5: Heartbreak. Bailey, who has been around for 20+ years was put down (horrible words). He was getting to be too much to handle – above assisted living care.. he needed someone all the time to carry him outside and in, he was blind and deaf and the HARD decision had to be made. UGH.

January 6: Creativity. I attended two jewelry making classes today – one for a necklace and one for a bracelet centered around our words of the year. I have never been to a jewelry making class before so this was new, exciting, fun, and took my mind off of (for a little while) the sorrow over Bailey.

As for today, the 7th… I do not know yet. The day is young… I am planning to stay at home for the most part and prepping some things to take pressure off my week… and it will be a week! Tomorrow Friends meeting, take down decorations at library, Author, Books Burgers and Brews in the evening, Tuesday office and lunch with friends, Wednesday gym, book hauling, a couple of meet ups for work, Thursday office, 2nd Thursday Happy Hour For A Cause in the evening, somewhere in the middle maybe some shopping for vacation next week, Friday gym, office.. somewhere in the week I should consider tanning as well….

Welcome to 2018. How was the first week for you?

Morning Meanderings… Experience Has A Bad Rap

Published on January 3, 2018 by Sheila (Book Journey)33 Comments

Good morning from Minnesota. *Yawns. Stretches.*

I am starting to feel that my word for the year “Experience” has a bad rap.

When looking up inspirational messages for my word, I am finding that often experience is connected negatively. Exhibit A:

Really Oscar Wilde? REALLY?

I was actually surprised as I dug more into the word. My 2016 word COURAGE was so inspirational and strong. My 2017 word SHINE followed suit and everywhere you looked positive things were said in regards to SHINE.

So what is up with Experience?

I don’t see it this way.

Experience is not something you get when something bad happens. Well – it sure can be, but that is not what the word is to me. I was thinking way more positively. EXPERIENCE is moving forward and EXPERIENCING what this world/life has to offer. Doing something new, EXPERIENCING an event, a taste, a challenge, an accomplishment. It is getting up, getting out, and moving in a positive direction.

I plan to run my 1st half marathon in July of this year. That is an experience I am excited for. I am signed up to do RAGBRAI, a 7 day bike ride across Iowa. THAT is an experience.

I am not saying my year will be all sunshine and lollipops. Of all people, I know better than that. I also know that some experiences would be ones I would have rather passed on if given the choice. There may be painful experiences ahead – but guess what? The year of Courage and Shine also had their moments.

Thank you Emily. I have always liked you.

When I looked at the lists of words that are suggested for your One Word of the year, Experience does not even make the list. I kind of like that. I have always been an outside the box kind of girl and I kind of like the thought of turning Experiences reputation and the way we think of it around.

Challenge accepted.

If I can keep up with my own ambitions (ha ha … always a challenge) I will share with you here the experiences of each day… come what may –

It will be an EXPERIENCE.

January 1st… ran a 10k in 20- zero weather in St Paul Minnesota… Experience was: COLD, Invigorating, Inspirational… great way to start the New Year

January 2nd: Started a new position with a company I so enjoy working with. My friends had their baby, a little earlier than expected – but he is beautiful and he is a fighter. I received a lovely gift in the mail… a Gryffindor scarf (HOW have I not already had one of these?) And a beautiful copy of The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Something I have never read, but would like to.

Experience was: Excitement, Joy, and a little sadness too mixed in as milestones and holidays tend to do that to me.

How are you? If you chose a word this year, how is it working for you these first few days? How are you implementing it in your life?

Morning Meanderings… The Day Of The Eve

Published on December 31, 2017 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Good morning. *Yawns stretches* How are we doing this New Years Eve Day?

I am sitting here with LAPTOP and COFFEE looking out at a very chilly day (22 below is the current Minnesota temp) and thinking of all the little things I want to accomplish today.

I have some laundry in the works, and a website I am building for an upcoming event, and pictures to go and take for an article, and what to make for dinner… and I am of course thinking about The First Book Of The Year… not only the post (which I love love love) but also… what my book will be.

My book will possibly be at least partially completed on audio since I leave early to get to a 10K run in the AM in St Paul and listening to audio makes that 2+ hour drive way more enjoyable… but alas… which book? (The first book is almost as hard to pick as the word of the year lol)

If you are considering participating in First Book or if you are reading this thinking what the heck is First Book? Here is a link to that post. It is not to late to send in a pic to me of you and the book to add to the collage of readers going into 2018.

I am also looking at Goodreads. I love that challenge, I am just trying to think what I can realistically do. There was a time I could read over 100 books a year. Now with all the things I have added in my life, I do not think that is a reachable goal. I want to partake for sure, and I don’t want to drop the ball on it like I did in 2017.

So thats me.

The First Book post will go up early due to my run. If you miss getting your pic in on time, do not worry – I almost always have some that come in after the posting and I add them to a post on January 2nd.

In the mean time… enjoy this day as we close out 2017 and all it has held… and look forward to 2018 and what this New Year will bring.

My Word!!! My One Word for 2018. What Is Yours?

Published on December 29, 2017December 29, 2017 by Sheila (Book Journey)40 Comments

It is (beyond) time for the One Word of the year. I have been doing this since 2013 and make a GIGANTIC deal out of my word as I know I want it to be valid for the year – come what may.

2017 word was SHINE and as you can see by last years post, it fell into my lap in a remarkable way and when I had the word – I knew it was the word. SHINE has served me amazingly well, and really stuck with me through the year as I continued to find a way to move forward with the tragedy that hit my family in 2015. Many people sent SHINE things through the year which make me smile to even think about it. What an amazing support team I have! ♥

This year, words were suggested that were great ideas – but didn’t quite fit what I thought would be what I needed for where I am in this world. It wasn’t until this morning as I thought about the new things I would be doing in 2018, the physical challenges I had signed up for including my first half marathon (yeah… I said first) and my first 7 days bike ride across Iowa and then I knew…

EXPERIENCE

Definition: An experience is something that you do or that happens to you, especially something important that affects you.

the act of living through an event or events; personal involvement in or observation of events as they occur, anything observed or lived through

For me, I look at this new year as an opportunity to experience new things. To taste, to travel, to feel, to push myself, to EXPERIENCE whatever life has to offer. If there is one thing I know for sure, it is that life is short and it is precious. None of us know if there is a tomorrow (or what tomorrow will bring). We need to live well and to the fullest today. Every day is an opportunity to experience something new – to choose to move out of our comfort zone and BE and DO.

I am well aware that my own life circumstances have brought me to this opinion on how we (I) should live. Your life circumstances may be completely different as well as your choices of what to do with your time on this earth.

I ask again, for the 4th year on this site, please consider doing One Word with me. Here is a site with a list of words to start you thinking. When you choose your word – say it out loud to everyone. Own it. The more you place it in your life, the better it will stick and become truly your motivational inspirational direction of the year.

I recently wrote an article in the local Her Voice magazine about One Word. They are now taking submissions of people telling them the word they have chosen for 2018 and they will post them in the February printing of the magazine. Here is a link to that Facebook post if you would like to be part of the article.

Feel free to submit your own word below. I would love to cheer you on!

Morning Meanderings…. Seriously – Where You Been?

Published on November 18, 2017 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Huh.

So sad to turn to this site today and see how long it has sat waiting for me.

Am I reading? Yes

Am I doing? Yes

So what’s my damage? Why could I not get up like I used to… grab my COFFEE and write something funny(IMO) or amazing or ridiculous or hard or coming soon or….

Meh. I don’t really know.

I wont bore you with the details ( well.. any more than I already have)…. lets just rip the band-aid off and start again.

Hi.

I’m Sheila. I love to read and write and talk about both. I love to do community and I love to create and dream and do. I love to bike and run and I want to love kick boxing. 😉 I love to be outside the box because A. I don’t believe the box has ever been big enough. B. The box is so overdone I want to puke C. Life is too precious to contain yourself to such perimeters. D. All of the above

(yes… it is D)

That said… here is what I have been reading as of late…

The Girl With Seven Names is our Books Burgers and Brews selection for Monday November 20th. This will be our first non fiction title we have read with this group and it should be interesting. It is also the first selection we have had that I was unable to find any discussion questions on line (EEP) meaning I need to create the discussion…

The Bookies Book Club recently finished The Kind Worth Killing…. and ooh. I will be reviewing this one at some point here soon…. Peter Swanson (IMO) knocked this one out of the park. LOVED so much about this…

And finally … what am I doing on audio?

Yeah…. don’t be judgy…. every once in a while I like to listen to a true crime. It’s been a while and this one is crazy. Its one of those which I am seriously baffled why it took the police so long to catch him. Trust I will have much MUCHNESS to say about this one…

Anyway – that’s my meanderings. Stay tuned for a book review coming your way shortly.

Oh and yes…. I will again be hosting One Word here and I will again be hosting The First Book Of The Year here. Stay tuned….. it is coming 😉

WHAT are you reading?

Cruising Into The NEW Year

Published on December 20, 2016January 2, 2017 by Sheila (Book Journey)

This is a sticky post up to the New Year. Please do not miss the two events I host every year….

First Book Of the Year

One Word (your word for the year!)

All new posts will be under this one.

Save

The One Word For 2017…. The POWER of One Word

Published on December 19, 2016December 19, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)38 Comments

It was in 2013 I started to promote a word to represent my year rather than a resolution. A word, can fluctuate – take on new meaning depending the circumstances, and come out at the end with a whole new meaning then first anticipated. My word from last year was like that and in the end – while we went through a lot together… it still was an effective word.

I have come to love choosing my word each year, and you are welcome to read the link above to explain my past words and what happened with them, but the rest of this post will focus on my current word, how it has served me and what 2017 will bring.

2016 has been my year of COURAGE. Those of you who know me/follow me know what an impossible year 2015 was and coming into 2016 I needed a word that would lift me up when I needed it… that would help me take the next step whatever it would be.

COURAGE served me well. There were times throughout the year I wondered if I could… if I should…. and COURAGE brought me to it – and through it. My friends (God love them!) supported me, Kerri found me the word to put on my chain…

and Gail presented me with a cool key for my key chain that also reminded me….

COURAGE was the perfect word for me for 2016. So perfect, the last couple of weeks have been a bit scary as I thought of moving away from the word to something new for 2017. Courage helped me when I thought I couldn’t do something… or I just wanted to stay in bed and avoid the world as I now knew it. Often it was the word that made me do things I was afraid to do.

Those of you who have participated in the One Word know that it can be a hard decision to choose just the right word. I spend a lot of time looking at lists, watching descriptions of things… considering who I am, where I am at, and what I strive for.

After much deliberation for a while I thought maybe PERSEVERE would take me through 2017…. however the more I thought about it… the word felt heavy, like slogging through troubling times – everything hard but still moving on….

Honestly, I don’t want to slog through the year….

I kept looking hoping for something lighter, but still represented me well, motivated me, caused me to keep on going for me – for Justin…. for Brad….

So here is what happened today.

I was walking in the Arb with my friend Farrah. I was talking about the one word and how I was still searching. I told her about persevere, in the running but I was not feeling it. I mentioned that the word “Shine” was one I liked, it felt positive, light, and represented who I wanted to be, but I was still uncertain.

After our walk we went out for coffee. While warming up in the cozy coffee house Farrah suddenly looked at the rows of coffee mugs for sale and pointed.

This is what she was pointing at:

Tears filled my eyes. Honestly I don’t think I have ever seen a coffee mug with the word SHINE on it. It felt like it was meant to be. Farrah teared up as well. “I guess that is my word.” I said. And I like it.

The story should end there… it doesn’t.

I came home after our coffee and was bringing things in the house. I glanced over at a picture of Justin and froze. Next to his picture are the two medals I brought home for the run that my friends and his have ran for him the past two years…. right next to his picture, on the ribbon strap of the award was the word….

My breath caught. My word. MY word.

SHINE…. for 2017 I hope to shine in all I do. I hope to reflect well in my doings, never settle for less than SHINE quality and be the person I want to be for myself and for Justin. We got this kid…. for you I will shine.

I hope you consider choosing a word for you. I have had an amazing experience every year with my word. Each year has held something special because I had picked a word to represent me and I lived it out. Here is a list of words however you can choose anything you wish.

If you do choose a word, I would LOVE to know about it. If you blog, please let me know if you post about it as I would LOVE to cheer you on throughout the year as you make your word work for you. If you do not blog, please consider participating anyways. A word…can be a powerful thing.

Fill out the form below. I would love to know your word. 🙂

Save

Morning Meanderings….Count Down To Christmas

Published on December 19, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

Good morning.

I hope all of you are well and snug and warm and ready for the week to come.

This season is odd for me now.

No tree is put up in our home. I am not bustling around and wrapping gifts and making lists….

The joy of the season – for me is gone. For now anyway. And I hate even writing that because it makes me sad but it is also so true.

So what do I do?

This week I will do what I have been doing the last 5 months. I will stay busy. I will go to the gym, walk in the arb, have coffee dates and find my way through. My friend Amy and I are going to make a make shift 5k for Christmas eve eve (yes the eve before the eve) because having something to focus on works for me.

Enough of that though….

lets talk books.

WHAT????? Books?

Yes yes.. ha ha. I have not written a review in ages. I need to. I want to. I am ready for a New Year in that sense as I can start my Good Read goal again…. the one I blew this year as I just…. didnt.

AND be sure to check out First Book of the year….. AND soon to be coming/posting will be One Word…. our word for the year which I am still sorting through as I do every year…trying to pick just the right one. It is a BIG DEAL.

So that is a brief what is happening with me. I am off to the gym, making biscotti this afternoon while listening to audio and perhaps a walk in the arb with a friend.

Working my way back.

I am.

Morning Meanderings: We Now Return You To Your Regularly Scheduled Program

Published on December 11, 2016December 11, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments

I do exist.

I have no excuses. I just went about life and didn’t make it here. I needed time to find me again… it is still a work in progress but I feel as though I may be getting there.

AND – I have been DOING. Which…. is actually a great word.

I am going to quickly update you as I have TONS to catch up on with reviews and crazy things that have been happening (in good ways)…

Most importantly at this moment – YES to those of you who have asked if I am doing First Book again. YES! I love first book and this will be my 4th year doing it and I absolutely want to own this one again. I will have the sign up ready today – I hope you will join.

Did I mention I LOVE First Book?

Next – YES I am totally doing ONE WORD again as well. This will be the 5th year I have hosted the One Word and as you know from last years post, I LOVE this as well. I am still thinking about my word…… posting soon on this. Yes I promise 🙂

As for everything else…. I have been running, dressing up, biking, hanging with friends, getting out of the house, working with non profits, working with a fun online project, creating websites, walking in the snow, going back to the YMCA, lifting weights, saying YES more… and remembering that I am doing this life for two now… and I can not let Justin down. (Yes there are sample pictures….)

I miss all of you. I just have not been taking the time to be here and I need to do that. Minnesota is cold…. damp… and it s a good time to get acquainted with this blog again and all of you.

Thanks for waiting for me. ♥

Sheila

Save

Retiring a Word…. Bringing In A New One

Published on December 31, 2015December 31, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Here we are.

2015 has been the hardest year of my life. I came into it with such high hopes only to feel I have been knocked off my ship and sent to crash again and again on the rocks along the shore. You would think I could look at today as good riddance to a year that has been mostly pain… yet it still hurts to move away from the year, the last year of my son. It’s hard to think I seen him and laughed with him and joked with him and talked books with him in 2015…. and I will not in 2016.

Emerge as you may recall, was the word that I chose to be my “it word” for 2015. The plan for 2015 was to emerge into who I have always wanted to be… a full time writer between working on freelancing and on my own book…. no longer would it be a dream. Well… emerge changed throughout the year with the loss of my son and my struggle to find a solid footing in what now seems to be an uncertain and shaky world. Yet 8 months into this and I am starting to lay a path, starting to emerge again into something I believe my son would be proud of. “Go Mom.” I can almost hear him say.

And so, as I retire Emerge this year, while it was different than I had planned – it still worked. I believe as this word will be removed from my necklace and placed in a keepsake box I will add a letter as to what it has been like to live with Emerge this year. A new tradition for the words that are to come.

For 2016, I have chosen the word COURAGE.

cour·age

ˈkərij/

noun

noun: courage

the ability to do something that frightens one.

strength in the face of pain or grief.

I even already made a purchase so I have something to wear. I still need to find it in a format that I can wear it on my chain much as I did with Emerge. I never took it off, and I don’t want to this year either.